a very brief note on electoral politics

[pantryslut]

I do think that the "mainstream media" is neglecting the generational angle on the Obama/Clinton race, in favor of the more obvious factors. I don't know if this is deliberate or accidental blindness, and I certainly do see it discussed, more and more, in "alternative media" sources, so don't get to thinking that I've got a bee in my bonnet about it or anything. I just find it interesting.

It's weird, though, to be considered a "young voter" in this scheme. ("Young" by virtue of not being a Baby Boomer, see.)

Comments

[jennconspiracy.livejournal.com]

I agree - there seems to be so much focus on Baby Boomers - and gosh - when they were all in their 20s, wasn't late 30s/early 40s considered really old?

It seems like "old" is getting pushed back more and more. 38 is pretty much the start of middle age. Not "young"... y'know?

[black-pearl-10.livejournal.com]

One of the things I read mentioned watching the reaction of people after they see McCain next to the much younger Obama during their Town Hall meetings.

[mckennl.livejournal.com]

[black-pearl-10.livejournal.com]

Priceless!

[nitouche.livejournal.com]

Give it couple of years and you'll probably *be* considered a baby boomer, since they seem to keep pushing back the limits.

(1963 is *not* part of the Baby Boom, for the record. Hmmph.)

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, I have built-in immunity to that sort of redefinition, being the actual daughter of baby boomers and all.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Yes it is. The Baby Boom is 1946-1964, so 1963 is in.

[nitouche.livejournal.com]

But that's the current definition of Baby Boom -- that's definitely not what it was when I was growing up :/

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Actually, I believe this to be the traditional definition of Baby Boom, since the babies stopped coming the next year.

I'll try to find the source, though.

The _Generations_ guy puts it earlier, like 1943-[not sure], so you and Obama may be safe from its taint. :-)

[expanding-x-man.livejournal.com]

It is called, and has always been called, the "post-war baby boom" meaning it began when WWII ended and there was a huge, ah, baby boom!!!! So, that would be 1946. And, it went all the way to 1964. So, yea, Obama is technically a boomer as is the guy who wrote Generation X , Douglas Coupland . However, the older boomers, like HIllary who came of age in the 60's, and the younger boomers who matured in later years like Obama, myself and -- Douglas Coupland, are very different culturally - at least to one degree or another. We are similar but there are real differences. Punk rock vs. hippie culture for one thing... But yes, we are all boomers by definition and those years, 1946-1964, have been the ones I have seen my whole life actually. I mean, as whenever it was I started paying attention to such things, probably in my late teens or 20's.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

I grumble about being born just about the peak of the baby boom where every single thing I want to do there are a gazillion other people trying to do the same thing. In some areas of life, I let them pass me by and I'm marching along with Generation X.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Here we go from the US Census Bureau and about.com

Looks like you Canadians had a boom until 1966.

Still, the leading edge people born in 1946, like Bill Clinton or my uncle, have rather different lives than those born at the end. (My ex-bf born 1964, Obama, etc.)

Baby Boomers like to take credit for the Civil Rights era and Rock and Roll, but they were mostly too young, and the credit should go to the Silent Generation (like Martin Luther King himself).

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I think Obama is closer to my age than McCain is, and I'm a Gen-U-Wine Certified Baby Boomer.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

But it wasn't Obama/McCain I was referring to; it was Obama/Clinton.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Sorry about that! I was confoozed.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

You weren't the only one :)

[mckennl.livejournal.com]

Where have you seen it mentioned? I certainly seem to be feeling it, insofar as I am ardent about my beliefs but lack a certain passion wrt HRC as a representative of my sex.

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

The people who are telling me McCain is too old to be president are people who are older than McCain.

I find that odd, but figger they know more about old than I do.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Huh. Steven's Mom feels the same way, and she is about the same age. Interesting!

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd like these older-than-McCain folks to explain why they think he's too old. I imagine that they'd say that *they* are too old to be President, and that they had not been too old to be President when they were 60 or 65. Something changed at 70.