The Millennial Generation: The Good and the Bad

You can't blame the millennials for being confused.

By Don McCullen, Saturday, December 16, 2017

Last week I ran across two different articles regarding the millennial generation. In an article from the Washington Examiner, it pointed out a study from Harvard University in which the millennial generation is the biggest voting block, and they are two to one commitment Democrats and vote for the Democratic Party. In the same studies, 72 percent disapprove of what President Donald Trump is doing while 25 percent approve. Regarding the direction of America, 14 percent believe America is headed in the right direction while about 67 percent believe otherwise.

The millennials don't seem to be concerned about the possibilities of North Korea or Iran attacking America at least according to the study. A 67 percentage of millennials believe that the threats to America come from forces from within with Donald Trump and racism among the top threats. They are supporters of gun control, with 61 percent of millennials are in support of more restrictive gun laws.

A survey done by Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation finds that 44 percent of millennials would prefer to live in a socialist country vs. 42 percent that would prefer a capitalist country.

Carrie Sheffield of Generation Opportunity does say however that while the millennials show a dislike towards capitalism, they are not ready to embrace Leon Trotsky and start a brand-new workers revolution. Generation Opportunity is a grassroots group that reaches out to millennials that want to support liberty and freedom in America.

While millennials may not want to become American Bolsheviks, Sheffield points out that they are illiterate when it comes to understand our economic systems. Unknowingly, the millennials have the potential to become free market capitalists. A survey by EY and Economic Innovation Group find that 72 percent of millennials find that "startups and entrepreneurship are essential for new innovation and jobs." A survey conducted by BNP find that 62 percent of millennials have thought above starting their own business.

So, they want capitalism, but embrace socialism? About 53 percent of millennials believe America's economic system is working against them. I am afraid that statement is true, and it is a true testimonial on how crony capitalism harms those who want to compete with established companies and how those companies tend to discourage it, and just force all of us to be cogs in their corporations, while they get richer. That and coupled with how our public education system packages socialism like a Christmas present with pretty paper, wrappings and bows. You can't blame the millennials for being confused. We can blame ourselves for allowing this to continue without speaking out against this.

So where do we go from here? We need to embrace the concepts of free markets, and support slashing taxes and regulations (including licensing laws that prevent people of pursuing their chosen professions). It is these very things that discourage people from making extra money through the likes such as Uber. Sadly, crony capitalism and socialism work hand and hand and that is another thing that we must point out to millennials. Socialist countries like Venezuela, Cuba or North Korea are not places were the grass is greener. They are places were poverty is magnified and only its leaders are getting rich, but that is OK because they are fighting for the greater good (not really but our media will turn a blind eye). Even the youth of Cuba are required to worship the now dead messiah of their respected country Fidel Castro. Castro and his family, were able to have a very good life while mostly everyone else lived in hell. That was one thing most educators intentional left out of the classrooms that the millennials went through.

Millennials are not that bright, but when they figure out that they are being used, they will turn on those who are using them like a dime. We as supporters of liberty and freedom need to show the millennials that their government is just as much as an enemy as corporate America can be.

We also need to point out that socialism will not give the security and protections that its masterminds promise. Once we prove our case when it comes to free market capitalism, we should be able to prove to them why other freedoms including the right to keep and bear arms and a strong defense are just as important.