A Brief History of "Boomer" Politics

[Gdjjr]

The subsequent graph shows how baby boomers, defined as those born from 1946-1964, self-identified when asked about their political orientations in 1974 all the way through how they did so when asked in 2018:



Anecdotally: I'm libertarian, (little l, as I don't do political Party anything) - after having been a red eyed, died in the wool Republican since I was about 14, (I'm 73 now), I came to my senses when Romney was the saint the Republicans presented and compared his words to Obama's which caused me to look at History ( and the results of elections) so it's good to know I don't fit the graphs demographics- my grandmother nearly had a heart attack when I proclaimed I was a Republican- I have 2 friends who are staunch democrats because the area they grew up in was run by Republicans and they learned to despise the good ole boy form of north eastern, little town politics - yet, when I ask them what democrats (or Republicans) have done to secure their Liberty, they both reply/admit, nothing.

My journey through political History, albeit not scholarly, has been an eye opener- having good reading and word comprehension skills, I came to adopt the mantra that words mean things, or they don't. The constitution was crafted to help prevent official tyranny - help prevent, being key.

The article has some interesting analysis- but, incomplete as is noted in one of the comments by readers.

 

[bendog]

The subsequent graph shows how baby boomers, defined as those born from 1946-1964, self-identified when asked about their political orientations in 1974 all the way through how they did so when asked in 2018:



Anecdotally: I'm libertarian, (little l, as I don't do political Party anything) - after having been a red eyed, died in the wool Republican since I was about 14, (I'm 73 now), I came to my senses when Romney was the saint the Republicans presented and compared his words to Obama's which caused me to look at History ( and the results of elections) so it's good to know I don't fit the graphs demographics- my grandmother nearly had a heart attack when I proclaimed I was a Republican- I have 2 friends who are staunch democrats because the area they grew up in was run by Republicans and they learned to despise the good ole boy form of north eastern, little town politics - yet, when I ask them what democrats (or Republicans) have done to secure their Liberty, they both reply/admit, nothing.

My journey through political History, albeit not scholarly, has been an eye opener- having good reading and word comprehension skills, I came to adopt the mantra that words mean things, or they don't. The constitution was crafted to help prevent official tyranny - help prevent, being key.

The article has some interesting analysis- but, incomplete as is noted in one of the comments by readers.

I've found it amusing that if you took the number of boomers who now consider Reagan great, he'd have won in 1980 with 60% rather than 51%, at least. But I think it's really about people who in 1974 considered the federal govt of little help to them, if not a clear and present danger to life and limb. But by 2010-12 or so, some of the former liberals came around to thinking that liberal policies didn't help them at all.

I don't really see your thread as having any relevance to the emergence of Trump, who may or may not be a long term factor. And don't mean any criticism of the thread by saying that. It's refreshing imo to have a thread where he's not an issue.

 

[gipper]

There is a lot of talk these days of the demise of the R Party. I suppose this is partly due to Trump’s multiple failures but as your article references, the dying off of the boomers may cause it’s demise.

I tend to doubt this, since the D Party is no better. So, what options are there for the people? At any rate, both parties are very much alike. They serve the interests of the big corporations, ultra wealthy, and the MIC. They both need to die.

Regarding the Constitution, the founders tried to tie down the government to prevent authoritarianism and concentration of political power, but they failed. The Constitution has become meaningless.