The New Vote: The Trends Reshaping America's Political Future with Kristen Soltis Anderson

Week Five (Oct 22):  Human Capital and the Future of Politics

Guest: Joshua Barro, reporter for The Upshot at The New York Times

 

Career paths used to be a lot more straightforward: you’d work at one company for a while, maybe join the union, earn a pension, retire at 60. Fulfillment in a job was nice, but a paycheck was nicer. Today, Millennials are focused on using their talents to make the world a better place. They value workplace flexibility, social impact, and growth opportunities over paycheck size. They work from home or start their own nonprofits. They make apps or sell craft beer or create wares to sell on Etsy. (They get graduate degree after graduate degree!) With many Boomers postponing retirement, Millennials having a hard time getting into the traditional corporate world are either going it alone, trying to make a difference, or are going back to school to add to their skill set. On the plus side, this has led to the creation of “social entrepreneurship” and a great deal of private-sector problem solving, as well as a renewed interest in service through programs like Teach for America. The downside is that Millennials may be seeking fulfillment, but fulfillment won’t pay those student loans or credit card bills. How are the economic anxieties of the Millennial generation influencing their political attitudes? If unions are on the decline and entrepreneurship is up, does that help the GOP politically? Does the “do-it-yourself” and “make-a-difference” economy shape new attitudes toward economic policy?