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TheRHogue's avatar

What about the idea that corporate tax rates increase by %15 and if a company has a "family friendly" policy then the 15% is exempt. Working class people don't like hand outs from the government,but they dont recognize they are not getting paid what they are worth by the company they work for. These companies are taking advantage of these working class people who live pay check to pay check and Americans can't even afford to have children which is not in anyone's best interests.

"Family Friendly" means paying a living wage, 401k, Healthcare, and family flex hours. Working class would then be encouraged to save 30% into their children's saving funds (don't spend it), save 20% into rainy day fund , and spend the rest for financial stress relief and quality of life.

We need solutions which do not appear to be government hand outs. Most working class people want the income in their pocket and do with it as they please vs being taxed and being given something for free. This solutions gets them a bigger paycheck, and forces companies at a branding level to look pro-family which is a strong value across all spectrums.

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Vernon Brewster's avatar

Trump revolution.

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Wanda M. Walker's avatar

Excellent summary. I hope that the right people are reviewing your work.

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Patrick D's avatar

Elliot, please please handle your typos. I like your writing but they are killing me, every week..

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Richard Bradley's avatar

Appreciate your data driven analysis of the current political situation. You are a breath of fresh air to this 70 year old white male.

I have confidence in the generation you represent-run for office, vote your conscience as well as a transactional economics. I believe your issues are housing health care and education-all need to be affordable. Your generation need to vote as a block.

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Nate Boyd's avatar

Abundance Democrats need to start taking the reins at the local level and showing that they can deliver for everyday people, and build on that to establish momentum and power at the national level. Abundance policies will be felt most acutely by younger people: housing, transportation, education, clean energy and so on.

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George D. Bussey, MD, JD, MHA's avatar

"maybe by the time I launch the full Substack experience next month, we’ll be at 30,000! That might be enough for me to make a living on!" hmmm ... @ $5/month *30,000*12, I'd hope you'd be able to "make a living." ;-)

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Laurence's avatar

I assume well under 5 percent of those are paid subscribers.

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G. Elliott Morris's avatar

correct

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Nicky Bell's avatar

One element of young voters' economic dissatisfaction might be a difference in expectations compared to previous generations. This chart from Sherwood News really stood out to me: Gen Z respondents say that they would need > $500k in salary to feel financially successful, compared to $180k for Millennials. With expectations like that (right or wrong, it's unrealistic in the U.S. today), Gen Z voters are bound to feel economically disappointed. https://sherwood.news/business/gen-z-salary-expectations-financially-successful/

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Stephanie hill's avatar

This is also a demográphic cohort that disproportionately aspires to be social media influencers. Maybe they are at this point just too inexperienced to understand salaries and professions and the realities of both.

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John Calhoun's avatar

When I graduated from college in 1966, I thought a $10,000 salary would be exceptional That is $100,000 in current $. The difference today is the huge income disparity between the well publicized top 1% and everyone else. We are constantly bombarded by the incomes and lifestyle of our gilded age.

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Cayce Jones's avatar

Thanks much for your work.

It'll be very interesting to see the Pew validated voters survey in a couple of months, with data on actual turnout by age and other groups.

Looking at vote totals for 2024, Harris got more votes than Biden did in 2020, in Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin. Trump got fewer votes in 2024 than in 2020, in Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Hard to see a pattern, except that Harris' swing state campaign was somewhat effective.

Idk if anyone is looking at voter participation, but it would be interesting to know if Trump's win had more to do with voters switching, or new voters turning out. And did Musk's swing state lotteries turn out enough new voters to make a difference?

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Susan McClure's avatar

The polls were always clear: young people didn’t want biden or Trump! Still don’t! I do not see this as being complex or complicated. There was never a mandate for either candidate from young people.

Am I missing something?

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Susan McClure's avatar

Thank you for continuing your good work. I will support it!’

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Janice May's avatar

I listen to my son who listens to his son. What I don’t hear anyone saying is that the younger generation wanted change even if it broke the system. Maybe because it might break the system. They are tired of suffering under the old ways of doing business and ready for others to suffer with them if necessary. I went to college late and in my U of Denver graduation class, young people were beginning to graduate with debts and working in fast food, living in groups or with parents. Tuition and debt kept climbing while my generation ignored what was happening. The generation above me refused to leave jobs and usher in new talent. Dems are starting to listen to people. We need to listen to the David Hoggs and not be looking to bring them into the fold and control them. We need change that isn’t dictated to us from either party but coming from what we’re experiencing. No more games. Our kids are smart. Smarter than we are. They need and want our input and support but they need to be heard. It’s not about big government or no government. It’s about good government. AOC and Buttigieg are saying this. They are hearing young voices.

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George D. Bussey, MD, JD, MHA's avatar

DU graduate here - from 1969 :-). When I started in the fall of 1966, tuition for three quarters was $300 and R&B was the same. Books about $50 per quarter. So all in, a bit under $2,000. If you look at today's tuition and do the inflation math, DU, and by extension ALL state and private colleges and universities are grossly overpriced. And it hasn't gone to better pay for instructors and professors. I'd be pissed too.

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Charles Humble's avatar

Squares with what we saw and heard here in Chapel Hill.

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Marci Morris's avatar

Fantastic view for us "over 30's" to consider! Thank you for your compilations of the COTW this week! Your perspective is enlightening! Enjoy the county fair and gardening! Both are good for the soul! :)

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Dr. Sara Wolfson's avatar

Thanks for providing such a clear explanation. But I do believe that no one talks about the longterm effects on young people caused by the pandemic; and these are still with them. It mimics what occurred following 9/11 as my children (38 and 41) have told me--they felt traumatized by video they had seen of that day that and the war that followed.

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George D. Bussey, MD, JD, MHA's avatar

And my generation had friends coming home in body bags. I'm thinking trauma is part of life.

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Dr. Sara Wolfson's avatar

That doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

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Dr. Sara Wolfson's avatar

It's all relative. Trauma is trauma. Look, one of my sister's close friends was a boy from our neighborhood. He was one of the 4 people killed in 1970 at Kent State. I was 11 at the time.

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Dr. Sara Wolfson's avatar

Remember that tons of kids had to move home during the pandemic and all the emotions that went along with that--especially seeing themselves as failures. My daughter also reminded me that Gen Z is of the "shooting drill" generation, having done drills since they were in elementary school. I think overall that young people's needs in the mental health/grief arena aren't even on the radar much less attended to. And really, what has this country done for them??!

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The Coke Brothers's avatar

provided podcasts and circus. Biden tried to forgive student loans, republicans opposed, and young people voted them into office. Winning.

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Susan McClure's avatar

Koch Brothers?

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The Coke Brothers's avatar

you mean that they don't like what the DOGE Dunning-Kruger youngsters (including "Big Balls" Coristine) are doing?

/s, of course. THis is another set of morons who are FAFOing

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