You ain't seen nothing yet!

"Haha I'm just making the case that our generation doesn't have it as bad as the 1960's and 70's generation so there isn't as much protest. "

This set this off. This was a response to a long note about Arkansas politics and the actions of the youth and progressive populations. Here is my response:"

The protest generation may have been faced with the draft, so it may have seemed like the threat loomed more closely, but Gen Y faces the complacency of Gen X and problems that don't seem to be as serious as the draft. But lets get real about the soon to come disasters of our time.

Peak oil is going to RAPIDLY transform our world and Americans are going to feel the pain (perhaps mainly culturally) of a messy shift in energy consumption patterns through ALL aspects of production and consumption.The huge public debt of the last two generations is going to catch up to us. It will catch up at a time when Americans have greater personal debt than at any other time in our nation. Combine this with a sour economy triggered in part by the ever growing demand for oil, and economically MILLIONS of Americans will be stressed. As this hits the fabled millions of Boomers will be retiring (the first boomer just retired early this year, did you see the story), coming into Social Security, and their strongest VOTING years! They will demand full funding of Social Security with not only NO changes, but probably increased benefits for things like Part D, etc.

And what if perhaps we do want to limit carbon emissions? Who will feel that pain? For sure Gen X, but most accutely will Gen Y feel it.

I argue though, that Gen Y is a greater protest generation than the Boomers and Co. Only about 25% of Gen Y could vote in 2004, yet we saw a huge increase in their numbers voting and they solidly voted a PROTEST vote against Bush. In 2006 it strengthened. They protested with their vote and by getting their fellow Gen Yers to vote. Just wait until November. Even more of us are eligible to vote, and the trend will be huge to protest the policies of the past and putting Obama in office.

Just wait. Fine.. here you go. I propose the largest youth protest in the history of the US. Tuesday November 4th. Be there or be square.

A great story on how the Millenials (Gen Y) may affect politics: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/16/102625/574