General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The Democratic Party has an age problem [View all]loyalsister
(13,390 posts)New gen Xer legislators in the MO GA were overwhelmingly republican. A republican gen Xer was elected governor in '04 and another last yr. The Gen xers grew up in the Reagan yrs, televangelism, and prosperity gospel. I have also noticed it among my peers whose minds seem to be intellectually saturated with Reagan era stigmatization of poor people, as well as the greediness of the 80s and early 90s.
There are exceptions, but I have noticed that among active democrats I see at fundraisers and other events. There is an age gap with the liberal baby boomers and the younger Gen Xers and millennials the majority. And very few in the middle (now in their mid 40s - early 50s). Congress looks similar. Paul Ryan's fellow Ayn Rand followers, started in their 30s and are reaching the prime age for elected leadership now. Fortunately, they have opposition in the form of a younger, very committed liberal up and comers.
We desperately need them and those who have been around for awhile really need to be thinking about the future and mentoring newbies rather than focus on winning elections and their last hurrahs.