FAITH IN BIG GOVERNMENT BENEVOLENCE IS SLIPPING …
“They’re listening … and they’re getting the message.”
That was Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan’s assessment of a popular rebellion against the Chicago Sun-Times (over its coverage of the alternative music scene) back in the early 1990s.
How do we know that? Scary, isn’t it …
Anyway, the same can be said of the broader American populace as it relates to their views on government … especially the millennials who are being asked to shoulder the growing taxpayer burden.
According to a new Reason-Rupe study, 66 percent of millennials believe government is “inefficient and wasteful” – up from 42 percent just five years ago. Meanwhile 63 percent of millennials believe government is acting on behalf of special interests, as opposed to only 18 percent who believe it is acting in the public interest.
Want more? A whopping 73 percent of millennials support private accounts for Social Security – including a majority (51 percent) who support such a plan even if it means cutting benefits for current and future retirees.
And for those of you establishment partisans people keeping score at home, 52 percent of millennials self-identify as independents compared to 16 percent who say they’re “Republican” and 32 percent who identify themselves as Democrats.
Ruh-roh, GOP …
Other findings from the survey?
- 64 percent of millennials say cutting government spending by 5 percent would help the economy
- 59 percent say cutting taxes would help the economy
- 57 percent prefer a smaller government providing fewer services with low taxes, while 41 percent prefer a larger government providing more services with high taxes
- 57 percent want a society where wealth is distributed according to achievement
- 55 percent say reducing regulations would help the economy
- 53 percent say reducing the size of government would help the economy
What makes these numbers even more impressive? The fact government has been spending billions of dollars over the last few decades on indoctrination efforts aimed at convincing young people that Uncle Sam is their friend and provider – as well as a friend and provider to those in need.
Millennials aren’t buying it …
The Reason-Rupe survey reinforces data from Gallup earlier this year showing similar undercurrents at work in the broader population. In January, Gallup noted that 21 percent of Americans viewed corruption and other problems with the government as the most important issue facing the country – leading traditional top priority issues like the economy or health care.
Meanwhile in December 2013, Gallup’s pollsters found that a record 73 percent of Americans viewed “big government” as a greater threat to the country than “big business” (21 percent) or “big labor” (5 percent). A decade ago only 47 percent believed “big government” was the greatest threat to the country.
As for the millennial survey, Reason-Rupe surveyed 2,000 Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 earlier this spring. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percent.
34 comments
Who wrote this the fucking Koch brothers..its bullshit. You have to have a functional Government that works for the people grant it ours is not perfect but we have one and it needs to be more efficient. But articles like this one are Teabagging leaning…obviously.
it makes sense that young people who don’t understand or recognize the benefits they are receiving would feel this way. whats funny is the old gray heads watching fox news who suck up 90% of the benefits but agree that spending should be cut.
Benefits: LMAO…. you mean unemployment; astronomical gas prices, food you cannot afford w/o food stamps, and healthcare costs that have skyrocketed???
You are a F*#king Dumb@$$….
So it’s the old gray heads fault for sucking up 90% of the benefits that Democrats put into place.
Keep your government hands off my Medicare!
If you like your plan…
What’s sad is FITS still does not get it. He’s shilling for Vincent Sheheen, despite the disaster Obama is.
ANYBODY but Haley numbnut !
Is there any wonder that a survey of millennials would turn out this way. Sic Willie, et al have repeated these “talking points” over and over? Why? As Joseph Goebbels said, “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it”.
I’d be wasting my time repeating Obama’s lies about the ACA.
Yeah,if there’s one thing I cant stand its a liar.
Goebbels got that from Nikki’s grandfathers playbook, you’re mistaken.
If you look at the list above you will see that the high numbers are for things the Republican party formerly stood for. The RINOs that have ruined our once great party and country are the problem. As long as we keep sending them back to Washington we will continue to have the same problem.
Once the baby boomers kick off there might be some relief.
yeah, all they, millennials, have to do is hold their breath for 20 or 30 years.
Then your kids can wish the same fate upon you…
If we take the brunt of the abuse your generation heaps on us, and don’t do the same to our kids…they’ll probably be thankful…just like the WW2 generation handed you boomers a gift(even if most of you don’t appreciate it).
I wish it on him now.
Were the respondents registered voters, likely voters or just the whole age group? And how was survey conducted? Phone? Cell-phone? Social media? All of above?
Dang man – he gave you the link read it for your self.
Corgan and Alex Jones rock. They are Americans, not D or R. I used my food stamps a hour ago Tango, thanks for the goods.
I’m actually reading the report. I see a lot of what I suspected, Reason framing the survey questions in a manner that skews the results in their favor.
When tax rates are not explicit, 54% of millennials favor “larger government with more services” and 43% prefer “smaller government with fewer services.” But once tax rates are mentioned, support flips and 57% favor smaller government and 41% want larger government.
Among millenials making less than $20,000 a year, 53% support income redistribution and 39% oppose.
When millennials learn they may get back less from Social Security than they contribute, 51% support private retirement accounts even if doing so cuts benefits to current seniors.
This “study” reeks of buzzwords, bias, and bullshit.
What else would one expect from”Reason” or any poll that Fits posts to back up his “stuff?”
Millennials? The Harry Potter Generation? Don’t trust government? Polls? Boy, do they have a lot to learn. LoL
Those immigrant children at the border? The 100 million illegals already here? They are your problem. They are going to rob your generation of your very birth rights.
95% of them think the confederate flag is racist.
…and they’d vote for Kim Kardashian for the Senate.
“Reason?”the mouthpiece of the so called”Libertarians” whose political outlet,the Libertarian Party struggles to break peak 1% in national elections and 2% in state elections.
Apparently,according to this piece, millennialis are pretty much on board with the LP view of things,they just dont vote for it!
Interesting.
Millennials will believe whatever they read on Facebook, Instagram and twitter.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. war in Iraq has cost $1.7 trillion with an additional $490 billion in benefits owed to war veterans, expenses that could grow to more than $6 trillion over the next four decades counting interest, a study released on Thursday said.
~~~~~
“Bush’s War”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/
Perhaps we should send fruit baskets to Bush, Cheney and Wolfowitz.
To keep them well nourished between speaking engagements and book signings.
Don’t worry, Halliburton will make sure they are well taken care of. I’m betting that was part of the deal in the hundreds of millions in war profits they made from than no bid contract they received, from their Former CEO, Dick.
Speaking of polls how about this one:
A poll of Obamacare enrollees published Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund found that 74 percent of newly insured Republicans are happy with the plans they bought. Overall, 77 percent of people who had insurance prior to the rollout of the Affordable Care Act said they are pleased with the new coverage they obtained in the last year.
The survey revealed the current uninsured rate among working-age adults in the U.S. has dropped to 15 percent, down from 20 percent in July-September 2013 — meaning an estimated 9.5 million people have gained coverage since then.
That is right, Jackass. No one has paid there first premium yet and the subsidies haven’t been ruled illegal…yet.
Wow, such intelligent discourse. Not to mention a lie. But it is what I have come to expect from Teanuts. They live in a no fact zone.
Just try to cut those unemployment benefits and disability and workers comp benefits…..just try, my friend. There will be hell to pay.
The key to an American that does not need government is a country of nuclear families with well educated parents and kids and everyone having a well paying job. Who has that in Saluda County or Pickens County? We are so far behind it would take a century just to keep up with the 3rd world who are already whipping our lazy American asses in brains and skills.
The tragedy lies within each of us. When we care more about stupid reality shows, and football and texting, who the heck has time to improve oneself for a highl competitive world??