Gordon L. Weil
Last week, eight Democratic U.S. senators broke ranks with
their party and voted to end the government shutdown. In return, they got a weak promise for a
later vote on health insurance.
To some, it looked like “snatching defeat from the jaws of
victory.” By hanging tough, the Democrats
could have forced the GOP to agree to help for ACA beneficiaries. Instead, they gave up all leverage.
The Democrats’ split and its political implications ignored
its underlying message about the state of American politics.
The average age of all defecting senators is about 70 and six
are eligible for Medicare (plus the federal government’s own employee
coverage). The oldest is Maine’s Angus
King, who is 81. The 22 million people
adversely affected by the ACA cuts, resulting from an earlier Republican budget
bill, are not eligible for Medicare. They are too young.
The big gap in the U.S. is supposedly the wealthy and
everybody else. But an even bigger gap
may exist between the old and everybody else.
The Senate vote may be a good indicator of how much a geriatric Congress
is out of touch with the needs and worries of most Americans.
The U.S. is a gerontocracy.
The current Congress is the third-oldest in American history. The average age of senators is about 64. The median age of all Americans is 39.
Surveys show that most Americans are not satisfied with the
government, but there is little action to modify and improve the system. Some may believe that the inherent strength of
the political system will restore a government that will again merit their
trust. But many seem to feel they must
make the best of an increasingly authoritarian regime.
That may not be true of the new, young voters. They believe that the government fails in
dealing with the public’s needs for health care, housing and income
support. That is the similarity between recently
elected New Your Mayor Zohran Mamdani and right-wing influencer Nick Fuentes. Though one thinks it does too little and
other that it does too much.
Mamdani favors a government large enough to provide the
resources to meet those needs. Fuentes
wants less government. Mamdani
personifies a government reflecting diverse groups in society. Fuentes espouses racist policies and wants to
turn control over entirely to white, Christian men.
Unlike most of the older generation, young activists like
these know their way around the new media.
They have escaped the world of traditional journalism and network
television for social media and influencers.
They want to be seen as people like their young constituents in their
personal taste and familiarity with popular culture.
They want to exploit the frustration of young people which
appears to be bringing them increasingly into the political process. Their participation is putting politics in a
different light.
The Republicans have largely become loyal followers of
Trump. Whatever he wants, however
erratic, becomes their policy, and many hurry to develop rationales for his
personal preferences. The Democrats have
largely become nothing more than the Trump opposition. They believe that he will offend so many
Americans, that, even without offering cogent alternatives, they will win.
In neither party, does the current political leadership
actually lead. The complacent GOP and
the cowering Dems can come up with nothing innovative.
In contrast, the new, young activists have proposals. The Democrats promote universal health care,
civil rights and reducing climate change.
Oddly, their oracle is an old man, Sen. Bernie Sanders. The MAGA influencers propose to dismantle
much of the government and return to a society in which privilege ruled. Oddly, their oracle is an old man, Trump.
The young Democrats are a key component of their party’s Progressive
wing, which seeks to make their proposals the central element of the Democratic
platform. They believe that the moderate
Democrats are not responding to public needs.
Mamdani’s win encourages them to believe they are gaining momentum.
The young Trump Republicans are at the extreme of the MAGA
faithful. They call Democratic proposals
for government policy a socialist conspiracy.
They oppose the growing role of women and non-whites in government. The reaction to the assassination of Charlie
Kirk encourages them to believe they can reach more people with a nationalist
message.
Neither the young Progressive Democrats or the extreme MAGA Republicans
are likely to prevail. But they can pull
each of the parties somewhat closer to their views and serve as a powerful
political influence. Each lays the groundwork
for their future growth.
The old guard leading the parties misses the appeal of the young
activists to many average voters who share their belief that the government has
failed and cannot be trusted. Their outmoded
perspective prevents them from accepting demands for change.
Clearly, it’s time for new and younger leadership that can
listen better.
