Recent polling conducted by The New York Times led one age group to trend on social media, but when liberals saw the reason why lamentation and rage ensued with cries of “What is wrong with Gen X?”
In collaboration with Siena College, the Times asked almost 800 voters across the nation their preferential party leaning with less than four weeks until the midterm election. This generic ballot question saw Republicans with a lead of four percentage points wholly attributed to the age bracket of 45 to 64-year-olds.
“Why are Gen-Xers, uniquely among the age groups, so strongly Republican and weakly Democratic?” writer Kurt Andersen captioned the findings. “[By the way], this new [New York Times] poll is not unique in showing this.”
Why are Gen-Xers, uniquely among the age groups, so strongly Republican and weakly Democratic? BTW, this new @nytimes poll is not unique in showing this. pic.twitter.com/7IRN6aidHw
— Kurt Andersen (@KBAndersen) October 18, 2022
The simple question featured in the graph depicting Democrats leading in all younger demographics and tied among senior citizens was, “Which party’s candidate are you more likely to vote for in this year’s election for Congress?” For those dubbed “Gen X,” 59 percent favored Republicans versus only 38 percent choosing to vote Democratic.
Seeing the results sent the blue contingent of the middle-aged Twitter mob to ranting about their identity politics with many calling out in response to journalist Andrea Chalupa’s question, “What is wrong with Gen X?” by offering their die-hard opposition to conservatism.
What is wrong with Gen X? pic.twitter.com/RD5iAulJgx
— Andrea Chalupa (@AndreaChalupa) October 17, 2022
I’m Gen X. I wasn’t surveyed. Vote blue up & down ballot! https://t.co/WnSkTDxUPL
— Analisa Swan 🆘 #DemForce🇺🇦⚖️💛🐝🥁🌹 (@Analisa_Swan) October 18, 2022
The correct answer is, GEN X doesn’t participate in polls. We screen our calls, we are suspicious of everything and don’t give out information to strangers. Polls are not accurate
— Lily Scott (@Lily_Scott_says) October 18, 2022
Most GenXers were told to shut up and go away. I never trust the results when most of us won’t answer the questions or our phones… It makes the ones that do answer suspect… Along with their answers.
— thesebits (@thesebits) October 17, 2022
I’m GenX. I’m not sure what this poll is, but I just turned in my ballot and I voted for the Democratic candidate for every elected partisan position.
You want to know where the problem is? Show male voters compared to female voters. Show white voters compared to all others.
— Todd Bannon will testify under oath if asked. (@pakalamazoo) October 17, 2022
older gen x’ers and younger baby boomers
my guess is lead paint
— PissedOffLawyer (@PissedOffLawyer) October 18, 2022
https://twitter.com/MissesDread/status/1582286002387030017
New York Post and Daily Wire contributor David Marcus confronted these reactions head-on with his comparison to John Hughes’ 1985 film “The Breakfast Club” as a representation of Gen X’s refusal to be lumped into representative groups in pursuit of individuality.
“Gen X puts incredible value in individuality, not group membership,” he wrote. “This is basically the plot of the Breakfast Club, we identify as ourselves, not as a social or interest group. That attitude is not consistent with today’s Democrat Party.”
Gen X puts incredible value in individuality, not group membership. This is basically the plot of the Breakfast Club, we identify as ourselves, not as a social or interest group. That attitude is not consistent with today’s Democrat Party. https://t.co/brHmS6kdSK
— David Marcus (@BlueBoxDave) October 18, 2022
Of course, Marcus’ point was only further substantiated by the number of comments that challenged the assertion that 45 to 64 years old accurately represented Gen X as many argued the group ends around 57 years old.
Gen X is from ’65 to ’80, making the oldest among us 57. 58 and up are Boomers.
We aren’t called The Forgotten Generation for nothing. No one even remembers how old we are.
— Melanie (@MelanieMaine) October 18, 2022
— Patrick Matthews (@matthews_p) October 18, 2022
Ha ha 64 is NOT Gen X.
Gen X is 35/38- 50/55 ish— Trollmor 👹 (@trollets_fru) October 18, 2022
The most telling distinction that could be drawn came from failing to look past the surface as Marcus had suggested with his groupthink comparison. An in-depth look at the polling data showed that when broken down by education level, 55 percent of those with Bachelor’s degrees or higher voted Democrat compared to 41 percent Republican, and without a degree those numbers were nearly reversed at 39 to 54.
In other words, a few short weeks after President Joe Biden promised to wipe away $10- to 20,000 in debt for student loan borrowers, of course, younger groups with college educations would favor Democrats. Those 45 years and older have more often than not paid off their debt and aren’t fond of getting taxed to pay for the next generations as well.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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