Big Yikes, GOP: You’re Decrepit, Cruel, and Young Voters Are So Done

The Republican Party is in deep doo-doo, and if you don’t know that, you’re probably one of the reasons why. Young voters—30 years and under—are running far, far away from the ever-deteriorating GOP, and it’s no wonder. From its Big Lie soap opera (that the 2020 election was “stolen”) to its barbaric sh!t-canning of human rights, the GOP cares more about enshrining oppressive religious doctrine into law and pocketing hard cash than it cares about serving the American people. The party’s maneuvering to suppress the youth vote is just the latest in a decades-long series of bonehead moves.

“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” –Franz Kafka

Decrepit? Let’s face it. Both the Republicans and the Democrats have a tenure problem. Older generations, specifically Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) and the Silent Generation (born 1928-1945), make up 54% of all members in Congress, according to Pew Research. It’s not just about age, but about mindset, too. Those who fail to learn new things, care about others, and embrace positive change are allowing their minds to rot away. This mindset problem is more prevalent among older Republicans than among their Democratic counterparts.

Are you an American or a Republican?

If their senior members are a coffee clatch of crypt keepers, what’s the actual difference in the two major parties? While older Democrats have demonstrated their openness to serving America’s newest voters, older Republicans are still giving lip service to the same issues made popular in 1957.

Younger Americans are frustrated with the GOP’s insufferable nostalgia.  Emerging generations of newly-registered voters are concerned with climate change, racial justice, and economic inequality. John Della Volpe, author of “Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America,” sees young Americans becoming more politically active out of self-defense and a sense of responsibility to fight for the most vulnerable members of society.

Gen Z is not only worried about not ever being able to afford a house, but also about having that house wash away with rising sea levels. They are saddened by the state of civil rights and legally-sanctioned violence. They are grieving the loss of freedoms like reproductive choice and, potentially, the right to family planning. And the GOP refuses to get it, insisting the country needs to turn back the clock (aka “Make America Grrreat Again”) rather than deal with anything young voters need in the 21st century.

In contrast, Democrats have made these issues a priority, while also fighting for expanded voting rights and the protection of democracy. The 2022 midterms saw a significant surge in youth voter turnout, with over 60% of voters under the age of 30 casting their ballots for Democrats, according to NPR. This marks the second-highest youth turnout for the party since the 2018 midterms, which is a remarkable achievement.

Cruelty…requires no motive outside of itself; it only requires opportunity. —George Eliot 

Cruelty is a Republican soft skill. Even their bigotry is a flex. The Republican Party has shown a harsh disregard for important issues like mass shootings, gender-affirming care, and sexual violence. They have made despicable comments about victims of rape and incest, encouraged xenophobia, and even applauded speakers who call for the genocide of LGBTQIA+ people.

Believe it or not, Republican Party cultists do actually pull their heads out of their…er…the sand once in a while. They pause long enough to allow young candidates into the fold. Young Republicans have warned their irrelevant party leaders to start focusing on modern, more pressing issues. But the GOP’s old guard has turned the volume up on their outdated views.

The GOP needs to take a lesson from the Democrats, but no one would believe the sudden change of heart. The GOP and 45—the presumptive GOP presidential nominee—would have a hard time convincing young voters to support a party that has spent decades condescendingly snubbing the concerns of everyday people. The GOP’s efforts to restrict voting rights for college students and limit early voting make it clear that they are more interested in clinging to power than helping anyone who isn’t a high rolling donor or influential capitalist.

The future belongs to the young, and the GOP’s time is up! It’s game over for the grizzled Republicans, but for everyone else, it’s a chance to find real solutions for the problems that matter and maintain hope for the future.