Part Two: The Next Generation of America

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, is 78 years old.

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, is 80 years old. 

Mitch McConnell, leader of the Republican Party, is 78 years old.

To be blunt, the leaders of America are no spring chickens. Biden, Pelosi, and McConnell have each held public office for at least 30 years. A new generation of leaders must take office and introduce new solutions for the country. 

As previously mentioned, millennials are the best educated generation in American history. Millennials are also impressively diverse in their ethnic backgrounds, which is sign of changing demographics. For the first time in history, more millennial women than men hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Millennials who do have degrees have seen increased income, but there has been stagnation in wages for those without a college education.

Generation Z appears to be on a very similar path. Both groups are highly in favor of more political activism and involvement in a plethora of issues. 70% of Gen Z and 64% of millennials believe that the government should take a larger role in helping people and small businesses. Comparatively, only half of Generation X holds shares this opinion.

Therefore, it can be assumed that the next generation of leaders in America will want increased government involvement in society. Progressive candidates like Bernie Sanders have helped make these ideas more mainstream, and such policies are already being seen in the new Biden administration.

 A $15 minimum wage is already in the works at the federal level. Biden also has pushed to lower Medicare eligibility from 65 to 60 and has laid out a plan to forgive student loan debt for those making $125,000 or less. Biden has also removed the transgender ban in the military and halted the Muslim ban.  

With these policies already in the works, larger progressive ambitions may soon be realized.

Democrats now control Congress and can push for controversial legislation such as Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. Both are largely supported by millennials and Generation Z.

Medicare for All calls for complete government control of health care and its coverage. It also seeks to lower drug prices by negotiating directly with drug companies. 

The Green New Deal (GND), originally proposed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive members of Congress, pushes for radical government investment into the climate, racial and income inequalities, and energy production. 

Also on progressive minds is an assault weapons ban. Biden has already pushed for a tax on these weapons, but he has not introduced any legislation on banning them outright, despite campaigning for it. 

All things considered, America appears on the verge of massive change. Much of the government’s spending, output, and construction could change in the very near future.