WTF "Run for Something"

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

After my PT, came home and decided to jump in and get involved with "Run for Something" sign up to help, and to run for something here in my local community. I was excited, was stoked to be taking some positive action, be pro-active in stopping the Republicans in 2018.

I went to their site, signed up to "Run for Something" and then started going through their site. I was both SHOCKED and VERY SADDENED to find what can only be described as blatant "Age Discrimination" as a cornerstone of their organization. Seems they are only interested in working with/helping those who are 35 and under! EXCUSE ME? Is this the new Millennial version of having a Democratic Big Tent? Can someone explain to me the wisdom of snubbing some 79 Million Baby Boomers?

We as the second largest special interest group behind Millennials, have a lot of talent and expertise to bring to the table, not to mention most of us can probably afford to donate more money to the effort than a lot of Millennials can. Question is, why would be participate in an organization who seems dismissive of us based upon our age?

[bdamomma]

1. 35 and under???

all of us who are over 35 can teach them wisdom, truth and guide them along the right path. Even if your a person over 35 you can have FRESH and innovative ideas to move forward. The age limit is rather discriminatory.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

2. BINGO...I was really taken aback

to find that on their website. I wrote their staff a letter requesting they rethink their position...if they don't, going to start using my Twitter account and blog to steer people away from their efforts.

[annabanana]

27. PLUS.. A BUNCH of us are retired and have TIME,

a luxury that not many of the younger folks have.

[LAS14]

3. I'm 72 and don't see anything wrong with targeting young people...

... to get involved. The rest of us long-termers are already involved. Yes, run for something. Just don't expect the support of a group targeting young people.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

4. From my perspective....

we need Unity in the party, need to stop all of our infighting and bickering and get on the same game page. Ageism is Ageism, and should have no place in our Big Democratic Tent if we are going to claw our way back into power.

[crazycatlady]

9. As someone who is 36

Millennials have had a hard time electorally. Every millennial who ran in a congressional primary last year lost. We have a structural deficit that our elders did not face. When I looked up the ages of congress a few years ago, there were more MOC born in the 30s than the 80s.
My (piece of shit) congressman was elected at the age of 29 (in 1980, and he's still in there). Today, if a 29 year old was running for that same seat, he/she would turn into a laughingstock and get their ass kicked at the polls because of the proliferation of 55+ neighborhoods (how is that not housing discrimination?) who wouldn't dare vote for a 'young whippersnapper' (I've worked with a 60 something state senator who hated canvassing 55+ communities because he found them selfish). My Boomer parents wouldn't vote for a 29 year old running for any office. (Mind you, Joe Biden was elected to the Senate at the age of 29). It used to be possible to win elected office at 29, now it is all but impossible.

The only reason my state has a younger senator in the first place is because he replaced a senator pushing 90 (died in office). Is the only way to remove older MOC to carry them out in body bags?

The highest ranking Democrat in this country is in her mid 70s. There's very few Democrats in the senate or governor's mansions that are born after 1960. IMO the Boomers (and Silents) have made their mark on this country and it is time for some of them to step aside and get young blood in there. The Republicans have a bench of Gen X politicians (many of who ran and lost in the GOP presidential primary to a boomer) where the Democrats do not. (The 2020 contenders are mostly younger boomers). We need more Barbara Boxers to step aside and let the Kamala Harrisses take over.


Lastly I have one more question for you? Do you think a group like Emily's List is discriminating against men because their mission is to get more women elected?

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

18. Don't blame Baby Boomers....

1) 52 percent of voters did not vote.
2) Millennials cannot get their own elected when so few of them bothering voting. Additionally, find it sadly ironic that they now want to seize control of the party whose candidate they refused to support in the Presidential Election.
3) The reason there are so many OLD people in office has a lot more to do with Congress refusing to have Campaign Finance Reform...hard to beat an opponent when they have tens of millions in their campaign war chest.

I don't condone any kind of discrimination, and that includes age discrimination which is VERY REAL...try finding a good job when you are over 55. I point this out, as a preface to your question about Emily's list. Women have been, and continue to be discriminated against...though they may disagree, no one is discriminating against Millennials...they are just not happy that they cannot have everything they think they are deserving of yesterday, and on some level they feel entitled to what it is they want. Change takes time as the Civil Rights Movement bears out. A lot of us old Geezer were in the trenches for DECADES fighting for some of the big wins that were finally won under Obama, such as marriage equality.

No one will change my mind...I see the Millennial's stubborn, spoiled protest vote for Jill Stein and Johnson as a major contributing cause of Democrats, Liberals and Progressives losing our once in 30-40 year chance of having the Supreme Court stacked in our favor.

[crazycatlady]

24. Most millennials I know voted for Clinton

One of my friends voted for Gary Johnson, but she's a Republican and wouldn't vote for Hillary if she were given a winning Powerball ticket.

Hillary Clinton was the subject of a (successful) smear campaign against her since 1992. For many millennials, that is since they were in diapers or their entire lives. For many people, it is difficult to vote for someone who's been seen as a negative figure for their entire lives. Truth be told, Justin Bieber and Kayne West (probably the celebrities who are the biggest assholes) are treated better by the media than she ever has been. Orange Cheeto isn't much more popular (he's the Asshole Celebrity) but they didn't vote for him either. To a generation taught to standardized tests, it was filling in the 'none of the above' option.

To millennials, Hate Radio always existed, and Christianity was married to GOP politics.

There are only FIVE millennials in Congress right now. (Two lost Senate races this year). And the oldest millennials are now qualified to be POTUS. The median age of a Congresscritter is 58. If only FIVE millennials hold federal office, then what do you have against a group that wants to increase that number?

Average age of Congress sworn in 1987 51.3 House, 55.3 Senate
Average age of Congress sworn in 2015 57.6 House 62.2 Senate

Google 'if only millennials voted' and 'if only boomers voted' and look at the difference in maps.

Read this article. Congress is not reflective of the demographics of this country.
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2016-millennial-generation-in-congress/

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

60. Not much for Red Herring Arguments Here.

If only Millennials and Boomers voted, Boomers win because of the large numbers of Millennials who would not have voted.

If Millennials had DONE THEIR HOMEWORK, they never would have made their protest vote...controlling the Supreme Court for the next 30-40 years was too important. GOP has controlled it for the past 42 years, and that Millennial Protest Vote for Stein and Johnson just gave the highest court in the land to the GOP for another 30...that kind of shot their goals and aspirations, hopes in the foot.

When I was the age of Millennials there was NO ONE REPRESENTING ME in Congress either. So we plugged in, got involved, worked our way up the ladder until it was OUR TURN. The Millennials think they are entitled to skip a big part of the process, think they should have a bigger voice immediately...if they want that, a good place to start would be too actually vote, and instead of trying to steal a party, try joining it. Most of us Baby Boomers are more than willing to work towards handing over the keys to the Millennials, but so far their approach is a turn off.

[crazycatlady]

63. So I guess you want me to step aside and get off your lawn

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2016-millennial-generation-in-congress/

Look I get that you want me to get off your lawn, but that ain't happening. I've provided links in previous posts that you probably dismissed.

The median age of Congress is slowly getting older. There is nobody there in their 20s. My congressman was first elected at 29. My former congressman (redistricting) was in his mid 30s when first elected (this was in the 80s). Both guys are now in their 60s and still there. Nobody under 40 would even dream of running in this area. Joe Biden was elected to the senate at 29.


Would you tell someone who has the potential to be the next Joe Biden to get off your lawn the way you are telling young people who are interested in running for office?

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

66. The next Joe Biden

...knocking on my door would know something about, show some concern about the issues which I am concerned about, would have a well rounded honest platform that offered everyone some hope that at least some of their own concerns would be put out on the table. If a young Millennial came and knocked on my door from that perspective and reality, I'd invite them in for coffee, and if there was a meeting of the minds, I would write out a check to their campaign, offer whatever help I could in their quest to get elected. However, if that person showed little or no concern for my issues, seemed grounded in only representing THOSE YOUNGER FOLKS, they would not be invited in, and yes I would ask them to get off my lawn.

Like the song lyrics say, "You don't always get what you want, but if you try some time you just might find you get what you need.

[Mariana]

64. Why not blame the Baby Boomers?

Most of them voted for Trump. Why do you think they shouldn't be held responsible for what they did?

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

69. I am talking about those in this nation who call themselves Progressive, but stayed home not voting,

or placing a wasted protest vote for Stein or Johnson...that gold medal for stupidity and selfishness lays in the lap of the Millennials.

[LAS14]

28. Excellent point about Emily's list.

[ProudLib72]

5. While I don't condone this

it does make sense. The millennials are a marginalized group, or at least they feel that way. Their view is that our party is made up of 60+ year olds who have no idea how to represent them. This Run for Something is just backlash at the way they feel the party perceives them.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

6. The Millennials could have

earned a whole lot of respect in the party if they had SUPPORTED THE PARTY and our Candidate. They did not, and even now, instead of joining in the party to effect positive change and have a voice, they instead are trying to take control of the party by force. We need unity, and Millennials and Boomers had best learn how to WORK TOGETHER for a common cause, or Trump and the Republicans will win.

[ProudLib72]

11. Something that surprised me

about millennials is that they believe in a multi-party system. They are all about plurality and options. They believe in theory when faced with the facts of practice. Boomers accept a two party scheme. Gen X is pessimistic and says that, while this sucks royally, it doesn't look like anything will change. Millennials have been brainwashed into thinking that whatever they set out to achieve can actually be achieved. They are the complete opposite of the Silent Generation. However, this instinct for seeking alternatives will quickly disappear once they figure out that they are hurting themselves. We need to hammer home the fact that Hillary lost because of independents like Jill Stein. Millennials need to start believing in compromise for the greater good.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

12. Very well stated.

I was a one issue voter...Supreme Court...the Republicans held sway on this court 42 years, and I knew this was our chance to have a liberal/progressive court for the next 30-40 years. The Democratic Party could have run Mickey Mouse and he would have gotten my vote because the Supreme Court was THE ISSUE.

I was dumb struck at the fact the Millennials refused to fall in line and do what was best for not just Democrats, but all the issues progressives, liberals, POC, LGBT, Women, Immigrants and others were concerned about. Look at what their protest vote has wrought on the United States of America. Even scarier...even after seeing the carnage of a Trump presidency, they still not seem to get it, are bent on everyone else bending to their demands before they will be part of a team.

[Mariana]

65. Good grief.

Running for office, and supporting those who wish to run for office, is not "trying to take control of the party by force". Get a grip.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

67. Trying to force people like Nina Turner on the party, suggesting she should be the next DNC Chair

is trying to take over our party....and again, from my perspective, if someone is not a registered Democrat, THEY HAVE NO SAY in party politics. Join or STFU.

[bravenak]

70. Um? I'm thirty five and think it is perfectly fine to target younger dems to run for office

If we want our voices heard it will not help us to wait until Boomer are ready to 'let' us have a turn at leadership. We are parents, godparents, hardworkers, educated, and liberal. We do not have to work like the system is exactly the same as it was thirty years ago. Boomers have had the numbers and the power for decades; we are about to be the largest generation very soon, it is time for us to take up the mantle and shape the world for OUR children. We are the ones being left out of leadership roles, not Boomers. Crying ageism is silly in this context when your age has all the power already and we are just trying to get our share.

[msongs]

7. no big surprise. the under-35 group has the lowest actual voter turnout lol nt

[VerminHex]

8. Maybe they should name it, "Logan's Run For Something."

Well, if the shoe fits...

[octoberlib]

10. There is a core of millennials who feel that baby boomers have fucked everything up and

only young people can change things. I think they're making a mistake being agist and blaming all baby boomers for fucking up the environment. It's not that simple. A lot of boomers want the same things they do but I welcome their political participation. Maybe now they'll actually vote in mid-terms.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

13. From what I am seeing

Independents and Millennials think they have the right to seize control of the Democratic Party, and that the rest of us need to acquiesce to their demands/desires because they know better than us the direction we need to head in. If they feel that way, leave us Democrats alone and go start their own party. Most of those demanding we abide by their demands are not even registered as party members.

[octoberlib]

14. Agree. Democracy requires compromise. Tea Party style tactics are what got us into this mess.

[Smickey]

15. Canes can be used for more than walking. lol n/t

[csziggy]

54. It's that sort of attitude that drove the Independents and Millennials to third parties

They - more than older voters like me - know the problems that will have to dealt with in the future. While Bernie Sanders was running many flocked to him because so many of the issues he supported are the one they face.

Unfortunately while the Sanders campaign drove Hillary more to the left the lies that have been told about her for decades kept them from following her even after Sanders threw his support to her. And her style of campaigning did not appeal to the younger people.

The Democratic Party needs to learn to appeal to these groups or it will be a dead institution. I'm 64 and in many ways I don't think the DNC really represents me. The only reason I stay a Democrat is that in my lifetime the only chance of keeping the Republican Party out of control has been to support Democrats - but they are doing a piss poor job of that!

I'm happy to see Independents and Millennials take an interest. If they want to take control of the party, good for them. People like me are not going to be around when the younger generations are in full control so they might as well get involved and learn how to run things. And I have a lot more hope with the Independents and Millennials that followed Bernie or even Jill Stein or Gary Johnson than I do with anyone who voted for Donald Trump.

If they were among the ones who felt cut out of the process and stayed home on Election Day, the results of this election will teach them what a mistake that was. Those non-voters are more likely to vote in the future and less likely to fall for right wing crap than the people who voted for a reality TV persona.

We CANNOT afford to drive them away - we NEED those young people to revitalize the party and make it more responsive to the voters.

[Barack_America]

68. I'm not welcome in their club, but they're right...

...they do need to prepare to take over the party.

[LAS14]

29. Trying to get young blood in the party doesn't necessarily equate to "blaming" boomers.

The facts are that without young people the party will eventually wither and die.

[octoberlib]

38. Some of the Millennials I've talked to have explicitly blamed boomers for

messing things up. I see it on my FB page all the time. I didn't say all. I welcome their participation. They need to be involved.

[LAS14]

39. But that needn't be the motivation of that web site.

[demmiblue]

16. I think this is awesome.

The Democratic party needs to develop a deeper bench.

While they may not have as high of a percentage of voter turnout, they tend to vote Democratic (unlike boomers).

Why support them? Because they are the future of the party (and our country's well-being). I, personally, have no problem with walking and chewing gum at the same time.

I hope to see this movement flourish.

[Ms. Toad]

19. I'm surprised it took so long for someone to recognize this.

I don't know that Republicans focused on age, but they certainly have a long and effective history of starting out with people running for their local school board to get a toe in the door and then progressing up the path to state legislature, state-wide office, and beyond (leaving the seat open for adding another, and another, and another to the bench).

The earlier people get in the pipeline, the longer they can individually serve. The more young folks in the pipeline - as you said - the deeper the bench.

[demmiblue]

21. Indeed.

I also think that there are hurt fee fees here that are based on tenuous, if not false, assumptions/evidence.

I always see these types of OP's as attempts to divide us.

[crazycatlady]

17. Baby Boomers have had power for decades

And I know I'm vastly outnumbered by them on this forum. But they're still in power when previous generations would have retired. IF you look at election data, Orange Cheeto was elected by Boomers and the remaining Silents. Hillary Clinton would have had 500+ electoral votes if only millennials voted.

This is a group that focuses on electing millennials. There are other groups that focus on electing Latinos, women, LGBT, etc. Run For Something 'discriminating' against Boomers is no different than Emily's List discriminating against men. I went to an Emily's List training while my then boyfriend didn't. Neither of us considered it discrimination-- we both know that Emily's List's mission is to elect more pro-choice women to office.

PS-- Millennials now outnumber Boomers. And get ready for voters too young to remember 9/11.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

20. Millennials Cost Liberals, Progressive and Democrats

the Senate, the White House, and control of the Supreme Court for the next 40 years. How did that protest vote work out for Millennials in the end?...not very good. They cut off their noses to spite their face, and years from now when they are a bit older and wiser almost all of them will regret their vote, or regret the fact they sat on the sidelines and did not vote.

[demmiblue]

22. No they didn't. That would be white boomers, especially men. n/t

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

23. Nice Try....

True that White Men (mostly blue collar over fifty) voted big for Trump.

However, we lost key battleground states that would have given the White House to Hillary Clinton by a total of less than 80,000 votes spread out over several states.

Millennials/Independents supporting alternative candidates Jill Stein and/or Johnson in Michigan as example...Hillary lost this KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE by less than 12,000 votes.

Johnson Protest Votes 173,000 Votes...most cast by these new PROGRESSIVES.
Stein Protest Votes 50,000 Votes...Most cast by these new PROGRESSIVES.

I do not buy into Alternative Facts, and like it or note, RAW NUMBERS do not lie. The Bernie or Bust folks, the Millennial Protest Voters cost us the Senate, White House and Supreme Court.

[crazycatlady]

26. So you're blaming an entire generation for Bernie or Bust?

So can I blame your generation for wrecking the economy?

[LAS14]

30. Why interpret this as "millenials vs boomers?"

Every organization of any size and permanence has to attend to attracting young people. Not because the existing members are doing a bad job, but just because they're mortal!!!

[crazycatlady]

25. Let me ask you this

Have you ever been told by an elder that you're not mature enough to vote?

I have, several times, and all by Boomers.

[LAS14]

32. You know some weird people.

[crazycatlady]

35. I'm related to them

[AngryAmish]

47. I know you.

I am pretty weird.

[herding cats]

31. Run for Something is designed to recruit & support young people running for office.

They never pretended to be anything else, and it's been in every article about their program and right on their website.

Run for Something will recruit and support talented, passionate youngsters who will advocate for progressive values now and for the next 30 years, with the ultimate goal of building a progressive bench

They're not ageist, they're just filling a void in outreach to a specific demographic. It's a way to build or future and get progressive millennials involved in the process. It's a brilliant idea, and I support what they're doing.

To be "shocked", or "saddened", and claim "discrimination" against other ages just because the focus isn't on your age group is just silly. Start your own outreach program for boomers if you feel there's a need for one, but don't tear down another outreach program just because it doesn't target your demographic.

[LAS14]

34. I couldn't agree more. What's with the "millenials vs boomers"

interpretation? We're supposed to just let the Democratic party fade away as boomers die off????

[herding cats]

37. It's a ridiculous argument of zero merit.

We're all in this together, and we all need each other.

Silly arguments like this serve no good purpose, just like smearing a great outreach program such as Run for Something serves no good purpose.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

45. Curious...

At what point in time do you, or this and other organizations see all the factions coming together, agreeing on an agenda, and working TOGETHER to put Liberals, Democrats and Progressives back in power. If we have a bunch of different organizations, each of them with their own agenda, their own ideas, where is the Unity needed to come in from the desert if we are all on different game pages?

I get that Millennials in some areas have a wish list different than my own, different than that of 79 Baby Boomers. But unless we can come together, have a meeting of the mines, afraid we are doomed to continue being on the outside looking in, none of us with a seat at the table.

[herding cats]

48. Show me where this organizations agenda varies from yours, please?

As I said above, we're all in this together. I'll expound on this and say all our needs aren't identical, but they never have been and yet historically we've made it work. Engaging millennials, and teaching them how the process works is a winning strategy, though. Which is what this is all about.

The Republicans start outreach to their youth in HS. We have much catching up to do in this area.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

55. My idea of the problem....

I am more than willing to share what I know with Millennials, prepare them for the reins of leadership. What I am not willing to do is let them come in and think they are entitled to start at the top of the ladder.

[herding cats]

56. They're starting at the bottom, just like you and I did in the beginning.

You don't ever, begin your career in politics at the top, do you? No, you don't. You start small and local, and fight your way up the ranks. During that fight you learn, and grow as a citizen. That's what it's all supposed to be about. The process and the learning experience gained from it.

[herding cats]

57. Maybe, you should have explored the website further before falsely making claims?

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and view the blue buttons there. If you're skilled there's room for you to still support the effort. If that's your intention.

[uppityperson]

53. I find it interesting that you preach uniting but rant about millennials without expressing

any sort of about to compromise with them. It sounds like "unite under my terms" sort of thing.

[marybourg]

33. Maybe that's an organization specifically organized

for the purpose of getting under-35's involved in politics. That their mission.

Why don't you organize a similar site and support system for Boomers? You won't have to invent the wheel; you have them as a model. That can be your mission.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

44. From my perspective...

If we are going to come back in from the desert, we need EVERYONE on the same game page, working on the same goals. Divided we fall and all of that. Have a bunch of special interest groups all working at cross purposes will just see the Republicans staying in power. My point of view on things.

[marybourg]

52. To which you are entitled. nt

[Sanity Claws]

36. It has a target population

No big deal.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

43. Then perhaps

that target population should be a part of their brand? Instead, you would not know it till you delve into the web site and find it tucked inside. In the meantime, they have your email address, and I should note that they have already sent me out a note requesting a donation.

[Sanity Claws]

46. Yes. That does sound wrong

I wouldn't have liked that either.

[herding cats]

49. How did you hear about them?

I'm curious now. All the news reports say they're a millennial outreach program designed to engage that specific demographic. It's also the first statement on their website.

[herding cats]

59. Since you're on this thread again, could you, please answer my question here?

I'm very curious of your linked source to my query.

[RealityChik]

41. Another perspective...

In my 50's, I could still get work at tech startups run by GenXers. After a month, they'd be calling me Mom, coming to me with their boyfriend/girlfriend troubles and found me tolerant of their silly antics and a good sport about all the outrageous in their culture. However, when I reached my 60's with tech startups or dev teams run by Millennials, all bets were off. Couldn't even get past the first interview. Then it dawned on me that I was old enough to be their grandmother, not just their mother!

Now be honest...when you were in your early 20's, would you want your grandmother working on your team? Or be the boss of your grandmother at a company of 20-somethings? So, in a way, I can't blame them.

But, out of courtesy, they really should place 'millennials' somewhere in the organization title or in a tagline just below the title to define the demographic they were seeking. Sure, it wouldn't filter all the old folks out, but we've been around the block a few times. We know when not to be party-crashers!

So don't take it personally, ok?

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

42. My thoughts...

We all have to learn to work together...Millennials need us, we need them, and we can take all the other groups in our proverbial rainbow coalition and say the same...we need each other to win back power. Problem is, right now the Millennials don't seem to grasp the concept of Compromise. What they don't realize either, is that for a lot of us, it would be easier to just walk away, live out our so called Golden Years in relative peace, but that's not who we are, we want to keep pushing the ball down the field, helping to take America to where it needs to go.

[crazycatlady]

50. Elected officials don't really discuss the issues millennials care about

And when it comes to the issues that millennials care about, Congress ignores them. As do many campaigns. I've worked on campaigns for the last six years, and not once have I seen a political ad or mailer that addresses the issue of student loan debt (one of if not the #1 issue for millennials). But I've seen hundreds if not thousands that discuss the issues of protecting seniors, Social Security, and Medicare (the latter two will probably not be around for millennials).

If the issues that millennials care about are ignored, of course they're not going to turn out in large numbers. The organization was formed to get more millennials elected so they can address the issues they care about. This is a generation that starts their "adult life" with a mortgage sized debt and is delaying (or never doing) things like buying a home, getting married, and having kids because of this debt. And some Boomers have the nerve to call Millennials irresponsible for not doing things like buying a house.

Votes have to be earned. You're not going to earn a 25 yo's vote by talking about Medicare. (At 36, I see Medicare as something that I pay into and won't see a dime out of. So thank a millennial for paying into the system). And a party that's local committee meetings resemble Bingo night won't win the next generation either.

So now a new organization is formed that addresses this void and tries to earn the 25 yo's vote not by talking about Medicare, but running a candidate that the 25 yo can relate to and understands their generation's issues. Considering the largest living (boomers are starting to die off) generation makes up about 1% of congress, this is a much needed organization, despite the whiny Boomers. You can still donate if you please. Men can donate to Emily's list and straight people can donate to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

**Bernie and later Hillary did propose free college tuition. I'll give them credit for it. However, I've only worked on downticket campaigns and they've never addressed an issue that mostly pertains to millennials.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

58. Just and FYI...

I had student debt, I worked hard, and paid it off. The average student debt, contrary to the hyperbole is just over $30,000 upon graduation...about the cost of a mid model new car. I do not embrace FREE COLLEGE. If you want something, including a degree, you need to earn it. I do though believe that student loans should be given at minimal interest rates...less than five percent.

You bring up Medicare and Social Security...we Boomers have paid into both now for decades. It is not our fault that the Government mismanaged our funds, not our fault that the Congress allowed government to steal money from the Social Security Fund...perhaps Millennials should stop blaming us for the governments evils?

The youth not voting is cutting off their noses to spite their face...can you really tell me their protests votes that gave us the Donald Trump administration, handed the Supreme Court to the Alt Right for the next 30-40 years (by which time Millennials will be my age) was worth it?

Meanwhile, would venture to say that I support more of the Millennials issues of concern than they support mine. IE, a living wage verse what I consider to be a slave wage base with the current Minimum Wage base in America. I supported/continue to support gay rights, and marriage equality. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Local Committee Meetings resembling Bingo Night...ever tried to talk to some of us? I protested the Vietnam War, was in Ohio when Kent State happened, was in San Francisco and part of the riots when the Danny White verdict came down. My own environmental efforts taking on a Super Fund site lead to the NRC ordering a $70 Million clean up of the site. So what, I have a few grey hairs...I earned them, and the Millennials want to show us NO RESPECT, push us to the back of the bus, or worse, under it...NOT HAPPENING.

[crazycatlady]

62. FYI

FYI I know very few Boomers who actually protested. Most Boomers I know are more concerned about keeping up with the Joneses (or being the Joneses) than anything going on around them. My mom's most concerned that the neighbor planted the wrong color flowers or kept their grass too long.

The Boomers I know also vote against every school budget as soon as their youngest child graduates. The 55+ communities in my area are more against public schools than Betsy DeVos. It is a very "I got mine fuck you" mentality. Even the GOP who wants to destroy social security and Medicare are leaving the boomers alone. We're paying into the system now, but unlike the Boomers, we're likely to never see a dime.

In 1978, you had to work 385 hours at the minimum wage to pay the average cost of tuition. In 2014, you had to work 2229 hours at minimum wage to pay the average cost of tuition. Do the math.

The last presidential election I did not vote in was 1996. My reason? I was 16. I paid $78 to vote this year. (cost of Fedexing a ballot across the country at the last minute). I missed one (odd year) state leg election due to missing the registration deadline after a move. So I get you want a whipping girl to lay Donald Trump on. But the blame is on white men of your generation.

The number of Boomers in Congress is 270. Just enough for an electoral victory. There are four generations that can vote, and one has the lion's share of everything including the last 4 presidents (or 3 of 4 depending on how you classify Obama as he's borderline). You had both 2016 candidates, who ran at an age where traditionally people retire. What else do you want? Millennials have 5, I repeat FIVE, members of congress.

I have worked with several local parties. As a campaign staffer (very few boomers willing to work the hours and relocate on a moment's notice. At 36 I'm at the top of the age range) I've been the keynote speaker at meetings. I've tried to explain research proven tactics that win elections, but instead of calling for votes, they call about yard signs. They've spent an entire phonebank shift arguing about voicemails. I've often been treated with a 'get off my lawn' mentality. If they don't welcome younger people into the party, they're going to die out. When I had stats about voter registration (percentage by age), they wanted to do senior citizen registration drives, a demographic that is registered at a 91% rate. Meanwhile the under 25 was registered at 54% and they had no interest in going for them. I've asked several times "where do the kids hang out so we can register' and all of a sudden, I had nobody willing to help me out. Most of them are very nice people, but are set in their ways and won't embrace some 21st century campaign tactics.

Most campaign staffers are millennials. They give up their lives, relocate to a place they've never been, sleep on a random couch, and work for less than minimum wage (with the amount of hours). Doing a load of laundry came in the middle of filing reports. However, very few of my campaign staffer friends plan on running themselves, at least not yet because they're afraid of the generational backlash. That and their entire college partying experience is immortalized on Facebook.

Look there are several political groups out there. Some are big tent, some are demographic specific. Not all demographic specific groups are going to be for your demographic. I wouldn't complain about a group that aims to elect Latinos to office because I'm not Latino. Your generation is not such special snowflakes that a group not aimed at your demographic is discriminating. Even the Boomers on this board agree that this group is needed.

And as for group names. I wouldn't guess that Emily's List is an organization electing women if I didn't already know who they were. My layman's first response about them would be "who is Emily?" SOme organizations, like the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, make it more obvious in their names.

I'm going to leave you with an article
http://www.salon.com/2016/11/10/boomers-in-revolt-was-trumps-shocking-win-an-act-of-generational-warfare/

[RealityChik]

74. I hear what you are saying and...

My husband and I had a similar experience with mostly older local Democrat groups. Out of frustration, we eventually quit going, preferring to volunteer directly with candidate campaigns instead...and we are Boomers!

What worries me about All generations of Americans is that if we don't stop waging war with each other, the future of our country is at risk. There's enough blame to go around regarding the outcome of the 2016 election. We are ALL to blame for the sorry state our country is in but if we don't pull together as responsible citizens of our beloved United States of America, we will descend into a dictatorship nightmare not unlike Germany did in the 1930's. And, if that isn't a frightening call to action for ALL Americans, nothing will save us from ourselves.

It takes courage to forgive even the most unforgivable whose beliefs are acutely opposed to our own, but are no less passionate. We have here an opportunity to expand our personal world view and our capacity for inclusion. That would be a gift to all of us from each of us.

[RealityChik]

73. Well, of course...

If you don't give a rip about Medicare, well, OF COURSE it won't be there for you! When you're inclined to bash seniors, you have to remind yourself that this your own grandmother you're talking about...

I don't know about any of you, but I feel like I can NEVER begin to repay my mom and dad for raising me to be a responsible, successful and compassionate adult if they hadn't devoted all the time, attention and expense on me and my brother that they could have easily spent on themselves! So, if advocating in their behalf means paying into the system that makes their lives a
little easier, regardless of whether I'll ever see a dime of those benefits myself, I'm grateful for the opportunity to do it now while I still have my youthful drive and good health.

Also consider that all those "whiny Boomers" have voted in favor of taking bigger and bigger hits on their property taxes year after year, even decades after their own children were grown and gone, so that primary and secondary schools attended by Millennials could better meet their their budget shortfalls in order maintain a reasonably satisfactory standard of education for Millennials and beyond. What if Boomers all had the same resentful attitudes Millennials seem to have about them?

Just sayin'...

[rzemanfl]

51. As someone from the "Don't trust anyone over 30" generation, I can understand

why young people are unhappy with the shit sandwich they have been served.

If they help someone 35 or under run for something they will need our votes. We were all under 35 once.

[butdiduvote]

61. I'm under 35 and would get involved with something like this, except

I don't think I know enough to run for office. I would be bad at the job. I don't really know how people about my age go about learning all of the things one has to know to be effective in a government role, but I wish any of my more-capable peers success.

[JHan]

71. you probably know heaps more than Donald Trump and look where he is...

Heck even I'm thinking of running for something.

[butdiduvote]

72. True, but I'm female, so I can't get away with that.