Howard Dean: Tea party the ‘last gasp of the 55-year-old generation’

[CLANG]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/dean-tea-party-last-gasp-generation/

The tea party movement represents "the last gasp of a generation that has trouble with diversity," Howard Dean told an audience Wednesday.

The former governor of Vermont and head of the Democratic National Committee told a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor that he expects the tea party to be a powerful influence in the 2012 election as it was in the 2010 election, but he doesn't see it as the future of American politics.

"I think it's the last gasp of the 55-year-old generation, not the first gasp of a new generation," he said. "It's a group of older folks who've seen their lives change dramatically. The country's not the same ... All of a sudden it's here for them and they don't know what to do ... Every morning when they see the president they're reminded that things are totally different than when they were born."

Dean, who became a folk hero to progressives after his iconoclastic 2004 presidential run, suggested that the Republicans may find it more difficult to attract voters in the future, as the influence of the over-55 crowd wanes. But he said the GOP could still attract new voters, provided they change their message.

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I just turned 56 on 12/11/2010. Is anyone else getting sick of people trying to lump us in with
the people trying to destroy this nation just because we are older?:grr:

[AspenRose]

1. Dean was born in '48. Calm down.

He's not personally talking to YOU. If anything he's probably in a good position to make that assessment BECAUSE of his age.

I'm an Xer and realize that my generation trends republican. I don't take it personally.

[SharonAnn]

18. I don't know if 55 is the age, but there is a different perspective from

the "old folks".

As a woman who has worked in computers all my working careers, starting as a programmer in 1966, I find that I still have to prove myself to the "old folks" who tend to be from about age 55 and up. But younger people just assume I'm qualified until proven different.

I also find that in management and leadership positions, the "old folks" still look for a white male to be in my slot and are sometimes very disconcerted.

Remember that these men (professional and management types) often had a wife at home and a secretary in the office as their examples of a woman's role. Some of them have traveled beyond thata, but others haven't. And those who haven't, "want their country back".

[bullwinkle428]

2. Perfect slam of the blubbering, "I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!!1!"

clowns that populate the average Glenn Beck rally!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. That is not me.

Fifty five year old baby boomer here, third generation Democrat.

Dad was a liberal Dem union organizer; his brother continued to vote socialist-technocrat in his old age.

[L. Coyote]

4. Make that the 70-year-old good old boys and I might agree

People don't change, but the old ones all die.

[GSLevel9]

5. ridiculous...

there are racist pigs from 12-90.

[snooper2]

35. bullshit, vast majority of racist assholes are 60+

The ones who want to go back like it was in the Good days, 40's- 50's..

When the ni###rs knew their place..etc.,etc.,

and luckily most of them are dying off...

[Lucky 13]

6. I'm sorry, but it IS the older generations that seem to have a problem with diversity.

Just because YOU don't have a problem with diversity doesn't mean that the last gasps of intolerance aren't largely held by the OLDER GENERATIONS of Americans.

No one is lumping you in with anything. You are you. You are an individual. But your GENERATION has a higher percentage of intolerant individuals than younger generations.

With each passing year, there are fewer rebel flags. Each passing year, it becomes less and less acceptable to discriminate. And it's not because people change. It's because new generations replace old.

[MessiahRp]

8. +1

Completely agree with this statement.

Like it or not, the boomers and the older crowd in general make up the largest portion of bigots left in our country. As soon as they start dying off we're going to see a much more diversity-friendly dynamic take hold for good here and a lot of this protectionist shit Republicans are attempting right now will be overridden quickly. Undoing a time period that is sure to be looked at with similar disdain as the 60s were for some politicians.

I hope all who consider themselves firm enemies of the "gay agenda" now read up solidly on how George Wallace is largely remembered and realize that's them 10-15 years down the road.

Rp

[Lucky 13]

10. +1 right back at'cha

And I believe all the Democrats that have come out to say they do not support marriage but do support civil unions are looked back on with the same disdain that we look back on the bigots who touted separate but equal.

We know who they are. We are keeping track. And we will be writing the history books when they are long gone.

[DainBramaged]

12. He's keeping a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice.....

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :applause:

[CLANG]

20. That was just debunked in an earlier thread.

[Lucky 13]

32. What thread? No earlier thread debunks this that I know of. See my post below...

[CLANG]

34. Here you go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=119706&mesg_id=124212

[Lucky 13]

43. That has to do with who votes Democrat, not with attitudes about diversity.

It is possible to be a Democrat and intolerant. Ask those "hard working white Americans" we heard so much about in the primaries.

[jtuck004]

30. Have you interviewed all these people you claim to know about? Or just sterotyping?

I think you are dead wrong.

At 56, and having travelled about half the world, as well as a large number of the continental states, the vast majority
of the older people I talk with really don't have such a problem. There are a few, but they stand out simply because they
are so "radical" in their hatred. I also know plenty of younger people who won't put a rebel flag on their car, but are
as vile and hate-filled as a person can be. They are proudly carrying on that tradition.

What people hear and see are the vocal ones, the ones that stand out on a plaza with hateful signs, screaming and spitting
their nonsense on others.

For anyone to take them as representative of the whole is simply relying on media sensationalism, not real knowledge.

According to Dean millions of younger voters turned out for Obama in 2008 (we'll see what happens in 2012) but no one
knows whether it was a "problem with diversity" - linked in your post to racism - or whether the mantra of the Republicans,
which told them that their social security, health care, and living was threatened by the Democratic Platform, scared them.

I think this is mostly an excuse for Democrats to hide behind when they run a poor campaign, or when their ideas more closely parallel the Rethugs instead of fighting for the over 30 million unemployed, the over 40 million who are on food stamps, or the 50 million who don't have health care.

[Lucky 13]

31. Here are the FACTS and RESEARCH to back up my opinion.

There have been attitudinal studies done that show more conservative, biased views are held by older age groups than younger age groups by percentage. There is some research to back that up:

Here's a Gallup article that states that older Americans (50+) are less likely to have a positive attitude toward interracial marriage than younger people:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/28417/most-americans-approve-interracial-marriages.aspx

Here is a Pew Poll that states "Among adults ages 18 to 32, 93% approve (of interracial dating); among adults ages 64 and older, 68% approve."
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1616/american-marriage-interracial-interethnic

A study was done that "indicated that older adults showed greater implicit bias because they were less able to regulate the automatic associations they possessed, not because of holding stronger associations in the first place. These findings suggest that age-related increases in racial biases, even those that are implicit, may be due to self-regulatory failure of older adults, rather than to cohort effects."
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WJB-4V3547P-1&_user=10&_coverDate=02/28/2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1599517999&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=bfc8e9803fcc3044e56f9400d332d30c&searchtype=a
I believe this research was also the subject of a Newsweek article:
http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/lab-notes/2007/09/25/why-grandpa-says-inappropriate-things.html#

Here's a Columbia University poll that demonstrates those over 65 are FAR LESS supportive of gay marriage (by percentage) than other age groups. Support of gay marriage increases with decrease in age:
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2009/06/future_trends_f_1.html


Shall I go on?? There's more!

[CLANG]

33. 2 of those are taking about 65 year olds - not 55 year olds

[Lucky 13]

39. If you had read the last one you'd see that it provides data on ALL age brackets.

There is a gradient in acceptance. Seriously. Read them. Read that last one and convince me that's not true.

[jtuck004]

37. First - those aren't facts. They are results of, largely, survey

research, which may or may not have been done well. Without looking at the questions, who was surveyed, the methodology, the built in bias, other factors - there are a lot of holes in such efforts. I think those studies are more valuable for someone who needs to seek out excuses rather than get results, as if they are afflicted with a social version of Anton's Syndrome. Much of that may just be an excuse to practice ageism - which I don't see as much different from racism or homophobia.

I have no doubt that you could go on with pages and pages of studies that support your preconceived opinion. Google is really good for that.

Just because someone knows, and more importantly, cares, about the answer that gets them further in today's society and answers such on surveys doesn't necessarily correlate with the opinion they will have when their daughter comes home with someone of different race, or of the same sex. I have seen that in action more times than I can count, with younger and older couples, and it often results in people having to confront feelings they didn't think they possessed.

I will grant you that older people may, in fact, be more open about their bias, and that many grew older in an era in which racism and bigotry were more tolerated. Many may in fact parrot those ideas, especially if life hasn't really challenged them. But it is just as true that younger people growing up today can appear to be sneakier, more untrustworthy, have a greater willingness to cheat and bypass rules, hide their real feelings for personal gain, act in more selfish and disrespectful ways, voice the idea that they are more "entitled" to posessions and income without having to work for it - more so than the same age groups from previous decades.

As far as "facts", however, real research tells us that younger brains are typically underdeveloped - judgment and reasoning are not fully formed until a person nears their 30's. So it would be normal for younger people to be more aware of change - they are changing themselves. They are also quite unaware of this process, and often think they have already formed their opinions. They especially embrace change when they profit from it - i.e., changing to appeal to certain friends, or in other ways. That's normal. But they develop their own biases over time, not necessarily better or worse - and that is just as general a trend.

As far as racism - Whitopia's such as as St. George, Utah, and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho exist - there are plenty of younger people in there, and though they will tell you they are open and accepting, the lives they live belie their words. Got to places like Arizona -black people are not as prevalent, but listen to the negative attitudes against people from Mexico among younger people. Racism is alive and well across generations.

Like I said, I have to get results, not generate excuses, so I am gonna let this one go. I think it is a mistake to think that a few noisy people, or ones who are at home to answer surveys on a landline phone instead of their cell, provide a valid measure of an entire generation. I am also unsure if one personality trait defines a person or is the same across millions of people. It is a handy thing to point at when someone wants to find an reason for failure, however.

But I have to go. We are gonna disagree on this one. Thank you for the links.

[AlinPA]

36. I am around a lot of old people (an old person myself) and work with many young

people.

In the older group about 2/3 are progressive.

All the teabaggers I know are old (>60), republican and racist, many I have have known all my life.

The younger people, almost all college educated appear to be open minded and tolerant.

[hedgehog]

7. Take it easy there, sonny (57 3/4 here), I do think it is a fact that

the younger people tend to be more comfortable with diversity. and adversity. They don't care if you're a gay Latino immigrant, they just want to know if you can tel them who's hiring! The Tea Party people tend to be white folk living on a generous retirement pension.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CLANG]

21. I'm 56 and I'm the most far-left person I know.

I am not tolerant - I am accepting with open arms - big difference there.

[DainBramaged]

9. If you can't separate yourself from the 'Baggers, then you have a problem, not Governor Dean

I'm almost 60 and change is what my life has been all about......

[Kalyke]

There should be a red arrow pointing to the

"Cut Taxes Not Defense" sign with a notation that defense is also paid for by the taxes this woman wants to cut.

[DainBramaged]

15. Isn't the stupidity amazing!!!!

We are becoming the stupidest country in the World.

[CLANG]

22. "I think it's the last gasp of the 55-year-old generation"

Sorry, but he disparaged an entire age-class of people. He should be more careful how he words things.

[prolesunited]

40. No matter how carefully people phrase things

somebody here will find fault with it.

If you don't offend anyone, then you really haven't said anything.

As my momma used to tell me, "If the shoe don't food, don't wear it."

[patrice]

11. I prefer to think in terms of a spectrum that represents averages that get stronger on certain

traits the older the person.

All of the strong Palin supporters I know are men over 70.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Actually he is correct

I recommend you attend a rally or two

[mmonk]

17. A lot of the tea party types I see are over 60.

In fact, closer to 70 I would say.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Anywhere from 40-70

Been to a few...average is about mid fifties.

Of course the seventy something grand ma that's gonna tea bag Obama stands all on her own for many obvious reasons.. But average in every rally is mid fifties.

[CLANG]

24. I've attended many rallies and most people there were around my age.

Quite a few young people too, but there were a lot of boomers - people that grew up in the 50's 60's and 70's and watched our country sold to the highest bidder.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. There you go

And that is what Dean is pointing out. I'd say they still will play some role by 2016. That assumes many things I personally don't expect to happen as the radical views will accelerate collapse...ironic I know.

[mmonk]

16. Wonder why I didn't take?

I'm mid fifties.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. I think the brain studies

Though very early and need a lot more work, might be part of the answer.

[mainer]

19. 55 is Baby Boomer. He needs to go older.

It's the 65+ group, I think. For heaven's sakes, baby boomers were at Woodstock!

[JVS]

41. Weren't the boomers at woodstock part of a counterculture?

And wouldn't the fact that they needed to be a counterculture demonstrate that indeed the mainstream culture was not in keeping with their values?

[dana_b]

23. I'm in my 40s but everyone I know in their mid fifties is sane

and much too intelligent to fall for the tea party b.s.

[Warren DeMontague]

28. But Gen X'ers are snarky and Those Millenials spend all their time on The Facebox!!!

Plus, there's the baggy pants, and the total unwillingness to recognize that no quality music has been made since 1976. The Peak Of The Human Sonic Experience Was Fuckin' Frampton, MAN!!!! You'll never top it!!!


GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

ps. I predict great things for this thread. :hide:

[BlueMTexpat]

29. As a member of the "way-over 55" generation, I tend to agree.

Yes, there are many among us who are every bit as liberal as I and many even more, so I don't take it personally - and no one who is a true DUer should either. Relax!

But in the TP photos I've seen, the majority do fit Dean's description. Part of it is that some are simply confused and part is where they live, surrounded by others who believe exactly as they do in insular fashion, reinforced by Faux Noise, RW religious views, rabid talk radio personalities who have no accountability or ethics and the "terra, terra, terra" tactics of the BushCo years.

[BlueDemKev]

38. Calm Down....

...Dean is just talking about older people who resent all the social changes that have been made since the time they were kids. You know, people who long for the good ol' days when "Girls were girls and men were men...Mister, we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again..."

[moodyblue]

42. I agree that it's a dumb opinion, but I like Dean in spite of his senior moments

I've never found prejudice and/or ignorance to be the exclusive mind-set of any group regardless of race, creed, color, age or gender. I've never seen any scientific evidence that does either.

I believe the current harassment & bullying problems via Facebook or text messages or whatever are not being carried out by my generation (Boomer) but a much younger generation. So I conclude that tolerance & embracing diversity is not an exclusive gift of the younger set either. Not even all the Tea Baggers have a problem with diversity, I think.

There is too large a group of bigots (and imbeciles) in every generation. I don't agree with his statements, but I understand what I think he meant to say:)