Robbing the Youth

 

"A quarter of teenagers were jobless in March, representing a surprising increase from February, even as the unemployment rate for the rest of the population decreased.....The unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year olds jumped back up to 24.5 percent in March, up from 23.9 percent the prior month, according to the latest jobs data from the Labor Department." CNBC's

Sadly during this time of economic recover, one group seems always left out..... the youth. The reality of life is that college degrees are counting for less and less. We are the most "education generation" in history and are still the most unemployed. Even minimum wages jobs are hard to come by. Students who worked through high school to save for college or just to pay for the gas in your car are not even finding the basic jobs they had when they were 16. With all the talk of economic growth and reform, its seems that the next generation is always left out. Don't cut medicare don't revise social security don't even think of cutting wasteful spending just undercut the next generation so that the current one is happy.....  As these recent statics show the future is looking bleak for the people of my generation.

With college tuition on the rise and the unemployment rate increasing for the leaders of tomorrow we are starting to create a very explosive situation among the youth. When your college degree can't even get you a job at Starbucks it makes you wonder what will become of our future? For most of the recent graduates the biggest hurtle is the lack of experience. Most post college level jobs want 3-4 year plus of experience in a field.  Robbing our generation of basic jobs and work opportunities just increase the gravity if the issue. So if we can't get experience and a fourth of us cant get a job what will become of the "entitlement generation".


One would hope that this will act as a catalyst for real change in America.  As one of my favorite political writers said. "The pages of history are not written by the old but by the youth, for they are the ones fighting in the trenches and protesting in the streets, for they fight for the future while the old just fight to preserve the present" Eric Hoffer

Reality of High Ed : You can't afford it

"Student loan debt topped credit card debt for the first time last year, and it's no wonder. College costs have skyrocketed over the last decade - rising an average of 6 percent each and every year. Today's college student can expect to still be paying down loans when THEIR kids go to college."  Fox Business

The shocking reality of high education is that we can literally not pay our way throughout college. Unless our parents saved for your education you will have to get loans to pay for high education. If you worked 40hours  every week at a minimum wage job (est $9 a hour) you would only make ruffly $14,000. The cost to go to most state schools is around 17,000-20,000 a year (tuition housing and food). With the reality of high education its no shocker that students loans are plaguing our generation.

With every graduating class there are less jobs and more unemployed college graduates. Sadly its quite common to see students that graduate with four years degrees working at Safeway or Starbucks, while they wait for there "dream job". With the economy in a slump and our government in denial of the size and scope of our debit, the future doesn't look to good for those seeking higher education. Will college still act as a gate keeper for "success" in life? Or will our culture start reshaping the views of the post high school life? One thing is for certain the future of high education will directly impact the future of our nation. The bigger the debt grows so will the cost of higher education.

"At the end of the day, students have to weigh their wishes and wants - all of them - against the cost of education. Because if you pay too much - you'll end up shortchanging your future in other ways, such as delaying marriage, buying a house and having kids." Fox Business

UW Students visualize the debt.

Last week the Young Americans for liberty chapter at the University of Washington engaged their fellow students on the important of debt reduction. The Student were generally meet with curiosity more then hostility, which is unusual for a libertarian club on any campus. Most onlookers stooped for a brief moment to look and the display. Others took photos and walked up to there booth to learn more about our national debit.

During the event a local school group of 4th grader visiting the campus stopped to learn more about our national debit. The president of the student group explained the danger of over spending and what their future might look like if we don't fix the national debt. A few of the 4th grades tried to pronounce the debit. After multiple failed attempts, the student frustrated proclaimed, "This number is way to high!".

The Visualize the debt event was part of a nation day of protest to try and engage people on the issues surrounding our national debt. The student group was interviewed my MSNBC and the local papers as well.

Its good to see this tough issue discussed so plainly with the community. One would hope that this discussion would not just stop on campuses but would start to be a major focuses for most of the conversation focusing on our future. If a 4th grader could get the message i hope the maybe our legislature would also come to the realization that "this number is way to high!"