Category Archives: Millennial Generation

Romney Out of Touch with Millennial Americans

Posted by rsnyder on March 23, 2012 Comments Off

Earlier today, YDA South Central Region Director John Gorczynski published a post on Burnt Orange Report in response to Mitt Romney’s statement that he doesn’t understand how young voters can support Democrats.  John lays out more than a few good reasons why we’re sticking with President Obama and the Democrats:

Romney is right to fear the youth vote this November as a major obstacle in his attempt for the White House. In the last presidential election, Millennial Americans came out in force against the failed policies of a Republican president which led to the worst unemployment we’ve seen in our lifetime. While Romney made part of his fortune by acquiring companies, laying people off and then reaping the profit, young Americans are grateful for the $2 billion President Obama and the Democrats saw fit to invest in grants that make career training accessible to more people…

…The Millennial generation will vote in November for the party that values expanded educational opportunities, stands with hard-working American families, and refuses to turn its back on women and LGBT Americans. They will vote for Democratic candidates.

The full blog post can be read here. 

Padilla: Young people are fed up with Washington gridlock, not Obama

Posted by rsnyder on January 11, 2012 Comments Off

YDA Treasurer Jonathan Padilla published an opinion piece on NYTimes.com explaining that the Millennial Generation is fed up with gridlock in Washington but has not lost faith in President Obama.

“Obama has not lost young voters; Washington has. In fact, it’s the president who is one of the remaining champions young people have inside the beltway…  [A recent poll] is being touted as proof that young voters have lost faith in the president, but a closer reading will show that he still defeats any Republican in the presidential field, including an 11-point rout over Mitt Romney.”

You can read the full text of the op-ed here.

 

Senator Rockefeller’s Commitment to Young Americans

Posted by rsnyder on May 27, 2011 Comments Off

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has faced criticism over the past week from the youth community for comments made about the values of the Millennial Generation.  While I would never agree that young people lack social values, we should not overlook the larger goal of the hearing, which was to protect the privacy of Facebook users under the age of 13.

The truth is that Senator Rockefeller has been a champion for young Americans throughout his political career.  He has been one of the strongest advocates in Congress for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which has provided health care for millions of young people under the age of eighteen.  He has also championed student loan forgiveness for young adults who are in public service for at least ten years.

Perhaps most importantly, the path that Senator Rockefeller chose as a young man closely resembles the life choices of many of my peers in the Millennial Generation.  During his twenties, Rockefeller came to West Virginia with the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program to devote himself to working with underserved, rural Appalachian communities.  He deeply understands that young people are often driven by the need to be part of something larger than themselves.  This is the bedrock of my generation’s social values, and I’m certain that Senator Rockefeller’s life experiences have instilled a commitment and respect for young people and the work we can accomplish.

I consider Senator Rockefeller a personal friend, and few leaders have been more supportive of my efforts to engage young adults in the political process in West Virginia and throughout the country.  Let’s not overlook a lifetime of public service as a result of one comment.

Rod Snyder is the president of the Young Democrats of America and immediate past president of the West Virginia Young Democrats.