The Millennials:
1) Typically connect Bill Clinton as "their" president growing up
2) Blame George Bush and Karl Rove for this nation's problems and experienced that trainwreck of a second term after two solid economic terms under Clinton (his doing or not)
3) Are socially liberal
4) Are far less religious
5) Are growing up in more unstable households than generations past. The "family values" deal may be a thing of the past
6) Viewed Mitt Romney as a smug elitist (overall).
7) Don't like being told their s..t stinks and that they have to work for everything.
Are entitled, or believe they are.
The Republicans just don't connect with that, but #1/#2 were absolutely backbreaking for the GOP concerning those 22-35 years old.
This is mostly true with the exception of #7. It's not that millennials don't want to work, it's that we cannot find any work. Many millennials my age are more concerned about the bread and butter issues like the economy and education than we are about marriage equality or abortion. Millennials have been told their whole lives to go to college because it'll get us farther ahead with better paying jobs, so naturally millennials are going to vote for a party that sees education as a right and not as a privilege for the favored few. Many millennials after college are finding themselves moving back in with their parents because the jobs they went to college for just aren't there for them. I see and hear about it so often about how they are having to get low-paying jobs or work multiple part-time jobs in retail or restaurants just to make ends meet (I'm one of them with two part-time jobs, one of which is minimum wage while the other pays about $2.00 an hour more. My friend world three jobs, two of which are minimum wage and even moonlights as a drag queen just to have extra cash and he's still almost always broke). For these millennials, the prospect of raising the minimum wage appeals to them since many are working minimum wage jobs. I would argue that it's not solely about the cultural issues, although that certainly does play a factor as most millennials reject the family values nonsense spewed from the right regarding marriage equality. Not sure how my generation feels as a whole on sbortion as that's not a major issue to me when I vote since I'm a) not a woman and b) not straight and c) never going to have children, although I certainly consider myself pro-choice as I believe the government should not be in the business of making reproductive health decisions for women. The culture issues do turn millennials off because we/they grew up/are growing up in a time where more gay people are coming out and it's being more accepted, even in schools where it's cool to have a gay friend.
I'm a Millennial as well. Many are finding out their first job isn't their dream job, and it's not meant to be. You have to pay your dues and many from the age of 20-30 just don't want to do it. Guess what? The supply of labor badly exceeds the demand for our labor. As for going to college....look at how many go to college and waste their time while there. They get wasted/stoned, but don't learn anything, don't bother networking, and then oops, no employer wants me and I bring no value or skills to the market as a college graduate. That's the reality.
As for Minimum Wage, most people have no concept (and it's scary) that raising that just results in an inflation adjustment for cost.
There is work out there, but the prospect of putting in 80+ hour weeks the first few years out of school for an average salary doesn't appeal to many Millennials. As a CPA/Accountant in practice, I see it all the time. Many can't handle it and quit after a year in public or private accounting, and then boom, their careers are off to a train-wreck of a start, living at home, with no path to success. As for the hours in some industries...it is what it is and yes, there are sacrifices that sometimes have to be made, including personal relationships during that "paying your dues" timeframe. It's all a choice.
That is the reality. The odds are clearly against the Milliennials in this global economy given the supply/demand labor, but I get annoyed when I hear "there's no work available for decent money". There is, but do the Millennials want to do the work and EARN it is the bigger question.
