Young Adults, It’s Time to Make a Change

One of these things is not like the other…..One of these things just isn’t the same!

Take a look at Gallup’s latest weekly presidential approval survey.

Did you catch it? Gallup’s weekly presidential approval survey indicates that Obama approval ratings have plummeted amongst most age groups this month. In just the week of May 17th his approval among the 50-64 demographic fell from 49% to 42%. That is a 1% drop per day.

All told his approval percentage fell to 46% – the lowest week-long average of his entire presidency. The ratings are likely the result of the bad press the president has been receiving for his ill-handling of the Gulf oil crisis, continual increases in the expected cost of Obamacare, and the questionable ethics behind offering jobs to Democratic candidates in return for dropping out of the race. While most people over 30 are seriously reconsidering supporting Obama, Millennials (a.k.a. Generation Y) continue to give him the benefit of the doubt. The question is, WHY?

A report sent out by the Pew Research Center comments on the main characteristics of Millennials that set them apart from the rest:

“Generations, like people, have personalities, and Millennials — the American teens and twenty-somethings who are making the passage into adulthood at the start of a new millennium — have begun to forge theirs: confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change.”

Back in 2008, Obama used these characteristics to gain the trust and support of Generation Y that helped give him the presidency. He gave them a reason to be enthusiastic because his message was based on “hope.” Hope that we could turn around a sinking ship and remain amongst the world elite. He challenged us with a promise of “change” that we could be the generation and he could be the president that ended business as usual. He was the king of upbeat. Chants of “yes, we can!” filled every auditorium he went to. On the strength of the message he coasted to an almost 2-1 victory.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The president has failed to live up to his promises to young adults. Rather than a culture of change we have gotten the same crony Washington we came to expect. Whether it be backroom deals to pass legislation or offers to candidates to pave the way for his preferred nominee, this is hardly change.

Worse, President Obama has given us no reason to hope. The historic debt and deficits being amassed by a spend-crazy Washington are creating an immense burden on our future. We are the first generation in history where a majority are worried about achieving the American dream – being better off than our parents. What hope can there be when we are staring more than $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities in the face? Austerity measures, similar to those of Europe, coupled with higher taxes and fewer government benefits are our future unless something is done to change the fiscal policy in Washington.

Again we ask why? Why are young adults still enthralled by a president who given our generation little other than lip service. He is confident, young, and good looking. But I implore young Americans to dig deeper. To peel back the few good things he has done for our generation in the short term and realize that he is quite literally spending away our future.

The Pew analysis of our generation says we have a lot of traits that play well for Obama, but it also says we are “open to change.” We made one in 2008. I think it’s time for another.

by Brandon Greife and Adam Welsh of the College Republican National Committee