The GOP is well on its way to becoming the party of senior citizens, and it's all thanks to a single demographic: Generation Z.
KEY Takeaways:
- The Republican Party has been ignoring Gen Z for years and is losing its support.
- Gen Z is the largest, most diverse generation in American history.
- The political leanings of Generation Z are liberal.
- The Republican Party has a long history of being anti-LGBTQIA+.
The truth is obvious: the Republican Party has been ignoring Gen Z for years, and it's come back to bite them in the ass. Why? Because Gen Z is the most progressive generation in American history. They are woke AF and will not take the BS that the Republican Party has been peddling for years.
Here is a generation that makes up one-quarter of eligible voters ready to confront the GOP. Young Americans will no longer gobble the lies of a party infatuated with promulgating outdated political doctrines. Instead, Gen Z is latched on to bringing change in areas that truly matter: climate change, gun reform, and health care to name a few.
The Republican Party is on notice: Gen Z is coming for them. And they are not going to take no for an answer. And they shouldn't. The future of the country's politics is based entirely on inclusion and diversity. Even corporate America understands the latter two concepts - but not the GOP.
Gen Z is The Largest and Most Diverse Generation in American History
To illustrate, as of 2019, Generation Z is the largest generation in American history. Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z now numbers around 72 million, which will only grow. Furthermore, this generation is also the most diverse: according to a recent study, nearly half of Gen Zers are people of color.
And, as the most diverse generation, Gen Z majorly impacts politics. In the past, both major political parties primarily ignored young people of color. But with Gen Z making up an increasingly large percentage of the electorate, the political grounds are shifting.
We are already seeing signs of this change. For example, in the 2018 midterm elections, a record number of young people of color ran for office—and won. These newly-elected officials have brought a fresh perspective to the dank halls of Congress. And as more and more young people of color come of age and exercise their right to vote, more changes are expected in our political system.
The Political Leanings of Generation Z are Liberal
Liberalism is undoubtedly not a new phenomenon in America; that notion is becoming stronger daily. A recent study has shown that Gen Z is the most liberal generation yet. This is unsurprising when considering the social and political climate that raised them. With the rise of social media, Gen Z has had a front-row seat to the social injustice and inequality that has always existed in our world.
They have also seen firsthand the devastating effects of climate change. The data reveals that Gen Z is more likely to support environmental protection policies as a form of social justice than support them to protect their health. That is not to say that Gen Z does not care about the environment but that their motivation for caring about the environment is much different from older generations.
On the other hand, Conservatives preach the gospel against science and diversified societal values, arguing that the status quo is the best way to achieve "individual freedom." This argument is flawed because it does not acknowledge historical evidence when the status quo was insufficient. To them, it is not a We the People government but an Us the People government. That mentality should be put in its place. It should be enshrined legally in a glass display worthy of no museum and thrown away into the forgotten pages of history.
The Republican Party has been ignoring Gen Z for years and is losing their support
With each year, the Republican Party slides closer and closer to irrelevancy. The once great Party of Lincoln and Reagan could soon be nothing more than a footnote in history, their memory replaced by the newer, more left-leaning Democratic Party.
The equation is simple: Generation Z will not support a party that does not reflect their values, and, truthfully, that Party cannot be the Republican Party. They want an inclusive party that fights for social justice and protects the environment. But, unfortunately, the Republican Party has shown time and time again that they are not that Party. As a result, the Party of Lincoln and Reagan is dying.
In 2016, the Republican National Convention was held in Cleveland, Ohio—a majority black and Hispanic city. And yet, not a single person of color was featured on stage during the convention. That sends a clear message to Gen Z: this Party does not value diversity.
The Republican Party also has a long history of being anti-LGBTQIA+. In 2015, then-candidate Donald Trump said he would "strongly consider" appointing Supreme Court justices who would overturn same-sex marriage. This past June, the Trump administration rolled back Obama-era protections for transgender students. This is another example of how the Republican Party does not value inclusivity.
And let's not forget how the Trump administration mismanaged the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused thousands of needless deaths, and how they ignored the Black Lives Matter movement, which led directly to an escalation in violence against minorities.
To conclude, the youth vote has always been a powerful voting bloc. Still, it was especially crucial in this year's election. The GOP failed to capitalize on it because of its disconnect with young Americans. Now Gen Z voters have turned against the Republican Party, with 60% saying they had voted for Democratic candidates. That percentage is increasing as the numbers are tallied. The Republican Party has been in power for a long time, but its relevancy is weakening. The Party has lost sight of the needs of the most diverse and liberal generation in history.
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