Millennials’ Biggest Takeaways from the Election of 2016

Three notable things happened in the 2016 presidential election that had never happened before.

First, but in no particular order a reality TV star and real-estate mogul became the nominee of the Republican Party. That he would go on to become president might be considered another notable thing. Nonetheless, to make my point, I consider it one.

Second, the nominee of the Democratic Party was investigated by the FBI for the mishandling of classified information on a secret e-mail server. Despite this, she secured the nomination by cheating her opponent, which brings me to my next notable thing.

The third notable thing happened when a little-known 75-year-old senator denounced Capitalism, labeled himself as a “Democratic Socialist,” and started a political revolution.

It’s Bernie Sanders whom I’d like to focus on, because his revolution hasn’t quite ended, though some say Sanders sold out.

At one point in the campaign, Sanders’ name recognition was once as low as Congress’ dismal approval rating in 2013 (9%). Yet had it not been for cheating by the Clinton camp–the media, the DNC, the Obama administration, and a complicit Sanders–he might have won.

Sanders’ built his campaign on the premise,

“The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.”

He convinced droves of college students and Millennials that income inequality in America is just too great, and it’s because the top 1% don’t pay their fair share in taxes. His diagnosis of an increasing income inequality is actually correct, but his prescription of Socialism is a grave mistake.

I know that my generation is not well versed in history. After all, we are products of an indoctrination system, not an education system. This is why far too many of us believe in the absurdity fed to us by a seemingly nice, old man. I get it.

Phrases like ‘free college’ and ‘debt-free tuition’ sound as good to our ears as, “you’re exempt from your finals, go home!”

Our generation adores soundbites and catchy one-liners. In truth, superficiality is where our critical thinking ends.

Stop.

stream_imgJust because someone gets richer does not mean someone gets poorer. In fact it means someone got richer, and some poor person got more. Or more was given to another poor person.

Moreover, unless the person getting rich is a Liberal trust-fund baby, the newly minted rich person likely became rich due to them creating something of value.

Rich usually doesn’t just happen, despite what Bernie Sanders and other communists might have one believe.

Capitalists devote an inordinate amount of their time and energy into making a passion. And there is nothing wrong from profiting from passion. Just ask all the movie stars and entertainers. You don’t hear people decrying Jay-Z and Beyonce on the Left, now do you?

Socialism stifles innovation, even if you put “Democratic” in front of it.

Millennials need to wake up. The answer to their prayers is right before their eyes. They are likely staring at it, as they look at their smart phones and other high-tech gadgets. They stare at capitalism, and it stares right back at them.

Capitalism makes us the smarter generation ever. Somebody pretends to know a lot, you check out what they said on Google before they finish a sentence. We search restaurants, and not just any restaurants. We can find the best restaurants…of any kind of food.

We can do background checks on potential dates we meet on some social media site, before the person even arrives. We don’t use taxis, we Uber. We pay for our coffee electronically. Our lives are immensely less frustrating, because of capitalists.

Government didn’t spur the innovation I discuss. Entrepreneurs did. People willing to take risk. They took those risks, because they love what they do. The money is a bonus, but it’s their bonus; not Sanders’.

Josh Gray, Founder of Think Right Politics

 

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