Logic Fading Away

On one end of the aisle in Portland, demonstrators are seen proudly holding the communist flag of Stalin and Lenin, of individuals which historians estimate collectively took the lives of 12 million human beings. On the other hand, extremist youth conservatives claim a fraudulent 2020 election, and storm the U.S. Capitol, directly engaging in domestic terrorism. As America progresses into the 21st century, a trend within America’s youth population is becoming ever-more evident, that being a trend of irrationality and extremism within both the liberal and conservative factions, posing a severe threat to bipartisanship and social order in the United States of America.

When it comes to the liberal faction of matters, a growing number of young Democrats have aligned alongside progressive and socialist politicians. For instance, in the 2020 Democratic Primaries, in Michigan, a state in which Biden rallied 52% of the general vote, socialist candidate Bernie Sanders was still able to secure 57% of the vote for individuals aged 18–44. The Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy Institute of Politics, Della Volpe, explained how young voters “during two different cycles, almost toppled the Democratic establishment” and how these young progressive Democrats are “transforming the party (Democratic) and country.”

A recent analysis conducted by Gallup depicts how Millennials/Gen Zers’s (18–39 years of age) perception of capitalism has dwindled since 2010. Approximately a decade ago, 66% of these two generations had a positive outlook on the term “Capitalism.” Nevertheless, since then, this number has free-fallen to 51% in 2019. Not only is this drastic decline of western values and ethics evident in the youth’s standpoint towards capitalism, but it is also reflected in their stance towards free enterprise in America. In 2010, 89% of Millennials/Gen Zers had a positive view of free enterprise in America. In 2018, Gallup reports this number has fallen a staggering 18 points to 71%. Over these ten years, as well, as the youth faction of the Democratic party augments, so does its affection in respect to socialism. In 2010, 50% of registered Democrats held a positive view of socialism, in comparison to the 65% of them in 2019. The Cato Institute also explains how a lack of knowledge on socialism may very well be the factor leading to the ideologies growing prominence. Although nearly 50% of young Americans support or positively view socialism, a mere 8% of them believe the federal government has “too little power.” The concept of socialism itself would expand the government’s influence, yet these “avid supporters” of the radical cause do not support this aspect. In essence, while many claim to support socialism, a vast number of young Americans have little to no knowledge of what the concept itself would bring about.

Nonetheless, this rise in extremism has also come about in the Republican Party with the presidency of Donald J. Trump. Since the 2020 Presidential Election, a meager 26% of young Republicans believe Joe Biden “won fairly.” In addition, 35% of young Republicans residing in rural areas of America also stand by the claim that Donald Trump, instead, was the victor of the 2020 election. More worrisome is the fact that only one-third of Republicans place partial responsibility on President Trump for the January 2021 insurrection and assault on America’s democracy; with half of young Republicans believing the insurrection was a peaceful demonstration or a ploy by the left-wing to decrease Trump’s public perception. Moreover, six out of ten Republicans desire for Trump to run once again in 2024. Populist young Republicans have been at the forefront of the Trump election fraud movement. 50% of Trump voters in the 2020 election stated how it was not possible for the U.S. to hold just and fair elections in the foreseeable future. Young GOP voters have abandoned their true conservative values for the voice and lies of President Trump, many contributing to the horrors that GOP members have carried out in their efforts to eradicate American democracy. A quarter of Republicans voiced how they consider themselves staunch supporters of President Trump himself over the Republican Party, speaking to the enlarging extremism that Donald Trump brought to the GOP and its politics.

Other right-wing groups have also established support from the youth, those being groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. On January 20th, members of the Proud Boys were reported to have exclaimed “Let’s take the fucking Capitol; God, Guns, and Trump!” In recent years, such militias have gained a following from younger conservatives. The Pro-Trump militia has recruited thousands of police and veterans, and they continue to claim that their purpose is to defend the U.S. Constitution. The Oath Keepers, like many right-wing militias, find the U.S. government guilty of pursuing an agenda to strip citizens of their rights, believing in an evil tyrannic conspiracy. On January 6th, both the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers were associated with playing a major role, with 12 members of the Oath Keepers facing federal charges for their roles. As put by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), since Barack Obama’s presidential triumph in 2008, younger people, particularly those in their 20s have sought to become a part of these militia movements. With rising partisanship, militia groups have resuscitated, attracting thousands of new young recruits.

However, hope still lives in America’s youth. With partisanship rising, three-quarters of America’s youth have agreed that pursuing “open-mindedness” in politics is vital for America’s future, these numbers including 85% of Biden and 73% of Trump voters. Nonetheless, with extremism on the rise, bipartisanship and moderate voices in American politics have faded; one faction calling members of their party “too conservative” while the opposite faction signals them as RINOS. As social and political polarization expands, so does the lack of social stability and order. For the good of America and its future, it is imperative that we maintain a moderate and centrist agenda, one that will enable the prospering of American citizens and democracy in the decades to come.