Now, more than half of Americans are millennials or younger

[brooklynite]

Brookings Institution

A close examination of detailed age data released by the Census Bureau last month reveals a startling fact: More than half of the nation’s total population are now members of the millennial generation or younger. The data shows that the combined millennial, Gen Z, and younger generations numbered 166 million as of July 2019, or 50.7% of the nation’s population—larger than 162 million Americans associated with the combined Gen X, baby boomer, and older cohorts.





To many Americans—especially baby boomers themselves—this news may come as a shock. For them, the term “millennial” has been associated with a youthful, often negative, vibe in terms of habits, ideology, and politics. Now, the oldest millennial is 39, and with their numbers exceeding those of baby boomers, the millennial generation is poised to take over influential roles in business and government.

But the current political environment suggests this takeover could be contentious. Millennials and their juniors (Gen Z and younger) are more racially diverse than those that preceded them, with nearly half identifying as a racial or ethnic minority. Social, economic, and political fissures between millennials and older, whiter generations are well known; there is no question that in his screeds against illegal immigrants, voter fraud, political correctness, and the like, President Trump has preyed on the fears of older whites about the nation’s changing racial demography—a strategy he continues to follow.



The current demographic shift, however, may work against that strategy—not only because of the changing numbers, but also due to a new coalescence around recent events that could increase these younger generations’ political clout. There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic will most negatively impact the economic prospects of younger generations, who are bearing the brunt of outsized job losses, evictions, and—among Gen Z—disruptions in education. For older millennials, this is the second stage of a double economic whammy, as many of them never fully recovered from the 2007 to 2009 Great Recession. As millennials and younger generations find themselves at the center of the pandemic’s economic storm, they are poised to fight for a bigger say in how the nation recovers.

[Budi]

1. It took a Pandemic to motivate them to Vote.

Where were they in 2016 when preventing this National tragedy needed their assist at the voting booth.

A damn tough way to learn a lesson. Pity so many lives had to be sacrificed to wake them up from their social media fighting.

Get out & Vote!

[Sedona]

2. Okay kids....you're in charge now

don't fuck it up.

Love, Mom.

[brush]

4. Check the pie chart again. Millennials are 22 percent of it and are of voting age sure enough.

But Gen Zers ages are 7 to 22 and are 19 percent of the population and most are not of voting age so Boomers/GenXers/and older still have far more people who can vote, and older people actually vote.

I do hope the Millennials do get out and vote blue, and the GenZers who are old enough to vote, those 18-22.