This Secret Explains The Boomer-Millennial Clash | The Beat With Ari Melber | MSNBC

While the pandemic has been deadliest for seniors, in this special report MSNBC’s Ari Melber shows how it is economically hurting young Americans. Melber walks through the evidence and explains what it means as the nation moves forward and recovers from the virus. Melber also reports on how South Dakota Senator John Thune ignored inflation in an attempt to oppose raising the minimum wage and to minimize the effects sagging wages have on young Americans. This is an excerpt of a longer special report. (This interview is from MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber, a news show covering politics, law and culture airing nightly at 6pm ET on MSNBC. ). Aired on 03/18/2021.
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This Secret Explains The Boomer-Millennial Clash | The Beat With Ari Melber | MSNBC

99 comments

  1. Additionally the young adults carrying crushing student debt, back when they were in high school, were told: don’t worry about how you’re going to pay for it, just get into the college you want. On top of that, I as a Boomer know of many from my generational cohort who defaulted on their student loans but suffered NO CONSEQUENCES!

    1. @Craig Pardy No worries. I’ve noticed this happening more since they changed their TOS. All I know is that I haven’t deleted anything.

    2. @Lawngue Blackduke
      When you think of it, college is fairly low overhead. They have to have buildings, and pay teachers; but it’s not really “that” expensive for what it is. And the teachers aren’t even paid that much now. Your dad is right: college should not cost that much.

    3. @keir farnum most cources are taught by part-time contractors paid less than high school teachers. Around 2-4k per course per semester.

    4. @Lawngue Blackduke It literally is what this thread is about. Yo they have to put young people in debt or the rich don’t make money. Thus the 30 yr long lobbying campaign to make student loans undischargeable in bankruptcy. We’re just fueling the rich folks lifestyle.

  2. Went to high school in 9/11 days, college in great recession days and trying to get my life’s foundation together during Covid days. It’s been so much fun being a millennial.

    1. @Jadey Cakes My point is that I have nothing better to do right now. Did I really have to explain that? I guess I will have to find someone who is actually smart enough to be entertaining.

    2. @Kicapu lmao keep replying babe, I’m l barely paying any attention to what you’re saying anyway 😂😂

    3. @Kicapu you don’t think people whined about the great depression?

      That’s an interesting myth you just created.

    1. @Malia Virtually all of it is based on exaggeration. But the hysteria being generated is ridiculous. Everything is going to be okay. People need to calm down.

    1. They will never vote for it none of them will take the hit they are greedy
      oh and that great healthcare they get they won’t give that up either

    2. It would not affect them they basically get paid nothing as is compared to the massive kickbacks they get from their lobbyiest friends

  3. Finally someone who puts young generation problems into words our parents always say they had it worse but this proves our.lives are much harder cuz competition is harder.

    1. @Sanjith Keshavmurthy …you are the most humiliating thing the world has seen since the Nazis did this.

    2. @Alex Supertramp I respect them that’s why I talk to them nicely I expect the same respect for them cuz they need to realise that our life in the modern world is so much harder than theirs

    3. @Alex Supertramp I am tough that’s why I’m speaking up and the point is other people musta also know how tough it is for modern generation when they achieve something it is through way more competition than it was in the previous generation

  4. hit the nail on the head with the comment about the “one-two-punch”. that’s exactly right. Phenomenal work by msnbc

    1. Phenomenal work by Ari, you meant. His show touches subjects (and All In w/CH) others targeting Boomers don’t.

    1. @Don Jindra just another bad faith old person argument that completely ignores the social conditions of today

    2. @Kimberly McLane What, are you an old person bigot? Maybe it’s you who completely ignores the social conditions of yesterday. The fact is, I lived in both eras. If you didn’t, you’re the one who lacks first-hand experience.

    3. @Don Jindra No one said any of what you’re implying. It’s like you’re having an argument with yourself.

  5. When I started college, it cost me $285/quarter. That quadrupled by the time I graduated. Neither of my kids could afford college. Talk about having a tough go of it! Kids nowadays have it tough either way.

    1. @Kimberly Christine That’s what my state requires also. But there are some decent paying jobs available. And ones that actually look good on a resume. Just one possible way to make the system work until it gets fixed!

    2. @JC I would trade laboring under the yoke of this debt for the remainder of my life if it meant Congress would do gun reform instead. Debt is one thing, mass death is another. This country is crying out.

    3. @JC Oh it definitely is. It’s completely nonsensical that guidance counselors and schools don’t also try to push kids into trade education and STEM-focused programs. My High School had an ASCE Certification program that kids could opt into starting in Junior year where they not only got an advance diploma (so the kind colleges want where you have the 28 course credits as well as all the english and math and science requirements), but they also ended their summers with ASCE certification so they could find a job as a mechanic at any garage. But, schools also need to have contractor licensing, electrician / plumbing / HVAC certification programs, computer Networking certification programs…the universal answer is not college for everyone. But, parents are so focused on making sure their kids go to college that guidance counselors can not ever suggest otherwise. The system most other countries have where you have to test into the ability to go on just makes sense.

      Everyone talks about the fact that college is free in Norway or Japan (I think its free there too, but not totally sure), but no one wants to talk about the fact that children there face hard competition and difficult testing to place into good high schools and into those limited free college spots. If they don’t, they have to place into technical programs to learn trades or other specialties. And those countries have no stigma attached to learning trades. It’s nonsensical in this country we look down on electricians plumbers, welders, fabricators…these people BUILD our country. They take the designs engineers like myself create and literally make them into real objects. Instead, people denigrate these people, and don’t seem to notice that all of their tradesperson friends also live in nice houses and drive decent cars and take nice vacations.

    4. @Ryan Edwards I agree 100%. I really wish someone pushed for these great trade/specialty careers when I was young. I’d actually be a lot better off than I am now with my college degree. I enjoyed college, but it really didn’t help me in a career. Too late for me, but the next generation must change and embrace trade and technical careers to be successful.

    1. Keeping people desperate for work and a level of unemployment is desirable for the capitalist class in the USA. Gives employers more control and influence over everyone.

    2. @Johnny Synaptic It’s called Wage Slavery. Jim Crow’s solution for us getting upset with Chattel Slavery.
      And the number of slaves who deny their servitude is SMH amusing.

    3. Because the pharaoh needs their pedant work force to build their palace and have the middle class shoulder the cost of supporting said lower class healthcare

  6. And when the problems are being explained to the GQP, they don’t listen, covering their ears and screaming kumbaya.

    1. @bearly traincot are we on the same planet? The dems and the left have races to the bottom! Constantly competing for the title of “biggest victim.” Remember AOC fake crying in an empty parking lot? Yeah playing victim..

    2. @Matt Raines I’ll tell you one truth about Dems that’s changing. Used to be we’d let Republicans smear us and tell lies about us like Obama is a Muslim and he was born on Mars. We’re not putting up with that crap anymore because we’ve come to realize that Republicans are just nutjobs whose lies are dangerous.

    3. @bearly traincot uh Obama admitted to George stephanopoulos in an interview “about my Muslim faith…” Obama’s words. The mars thing a news to me. Crazy things dems have said/done
      Hank Johnson: “my concern is that Guam is gonna tip over” Democrat
      “After birth” abortion. Governor Northam: Democrat Virginia
      Abortion up till the moment of birth. Governor Cuomo: Democrat new York
      Caucus, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries: Democrat referred to the President of the United States as “the grand wizard of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.”
      “You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking!” president Joe Biden (seems kinda racist to me)
      “You dont vote for me then you ain’t black.” President Joe Biden democrat. (Also seems kinda racist to me)
      Democratic House candidate Liam O’Mara sent a picture of a Klan hood to a black woman. Like 2 days ago. (Seems kinda racist to me)
      Aoc calls for keeping lists of trump supporters. Terroristic threats I believe.
      Covid relief bill page 1494. No less than 10 million made available for gender studies in Pakistan
      “My children would grow up in a jungle, a racial jungle” joe biden 1977 referring to racial integration. (Seems kinda racist to me)

      Every thing I wrote is true. The left and the dems dont need the Republicans to smear them as crazy. They do a fine job of that all on their own. There is so much more but the thought police on YouTube will ban me for saying it.

    4. @Matt Raines Right. Believe whatever reinforces your ideology. I don’t think the Obamas are big church goers. I read one of his books and he doesn’t talk a lot about faith. But I’ll tell you this much they’re crazy in love with this Country. They believe in the American Dream. As for myself, I’m probably more skeptical. As for whatever that is you copied, send me a link. I don’t even bother with 3rd hand info. There’s too much crazy crap on the net. As far as abortions go … partial birth abortions are about as illegal as it gets. No doctor is going to put their profession on the line for a complete stranger because they have some crazy baby killing fetish. An embryo is pretty tiny at the time that they do abortions. But you know, if men are so worried about it, why don’t you all come up with your own contraceptives that don’t cause so many health concerns. Because I’m pretty sure women are sick and fkn tired of shouldering all of the reproductive responsibilities.

  7. 33, my son is 33 and I am 72. He often says “your generation has no idea what it’s like for us now.” He’s saddled with student debt for years to come. For years the cost of rent was hard. He recently bought a property for the lowest price he could – $110,00. Now that debt is added. He feels chained to debt when he is just starting. And he looks at a world of climate emergency and sees alarm. More voices from the young 30 yr olds should be heard.

    1. @omi god don’t take this the wrong way but 25 years is a long time ago it’s a lot harder to get I to positions like that without any from of experience since companies are less likely to trust someone with no experience or knowledge on their expensive equipment. Unless you get lucky or know someome to help get your foot in the door, which nothing is wrong with that in my opinion it is what it is. But without having those opportunities school is the next best thing at least you get a little experience and fundamentals to start. I’m not sure why you have such a vandetta against people wanting a proper education to further their knowledge on a topic they have interest in working on.

    2. @Cereal Grapist I didn’t say I had no experience – and I did have to pass an aptitude and skills test to get the gig. What I DIDN’T need was a 4-year degree.
      Nor have I ever needed anything that 4-year degree would have endowed me with on the job. What actually happened was the phone company later eliminated its own internal training department, so now the only way to get trained people is to hire them pre-trained ON SOMEBODY ELSE’S DIME. That’s the important thing here – it’s all about the benjamins.
      After leaving the phone company, my next job was on the production team of an animated feature at Warner Brothers – and again with only a high school diploma. This wasn’t a million years ago either. I worked on the Simpsons Movie for Fox, I worked on the Simpsons ride at Universal, and I worked at Disney Animation after that.
      No college degree.
      The problem isn’t the degree – it’s that people are using this piece of paper as a gatekeeper.

    3. @omi god yeah low cost colleges aren’t universities that isn’t helping your case here, they help avoid some cost when you transfer a few courses but when you get to university the price dramatically increases. I’ll be honest it really sounds like youre out of touch with the reality of today scholarships don’t apply for everyone.. you have to meet certain criterias and some maintain a high enough gpa, but for a lot of us that’s kind of hard when working full time while taking a few classes we get burnt out so our grades reflect that. I guess next time I’ll be born with the right parents that way i can enjoy the luxury to be able to focus on school to maintain that scholarship. And you saying why should the 64% pay you do realize those people when they finish will be joining the workforce that will also be paying taxes.. do you think these people will just cease the exist so it would all go to waste?

    4. @omi god oh sorry I thought that’s what you meant when you said they hired you off the street. I mean that’s great you’re a success story not arguing against that. And we seem to agree companies do take advantage and it should not be a gatekeeper. I’m saying if schooling was more affordable, I’m talking about low college costing, then anyone can do it. If people want to do to do it the route you took then that’s fine. But let’s be real companies are greed driven but if schooling is available with affordable prices that financial gate won’t be there anymore.

  8. I’ve given up on any hope of a better life. It’s over. All I can do is keep my expenses low, let go of any hope of parenthood, retirement or “the American Dream.” It’s an American nightmare.

    1. @Yer Mate Dave Do you have any idea how much it costs to move to another country? And if you don’t have a skillset they want, like nursing, they don’t want you.

      My ex MIL moved to England years ago, she had to do a bunch of testing and pay about $10k for it all, and she’s a nurse! It’s just not that simple.

    2. @Francis Ripley yeah, emigration is bloody hard and expensive, not denying that. Just saying it’s what human beings do when the place where they live becomes inhospitable. If you live in the Americas and you aren’t First Nations, it’s how your family ended up here. Sometimes, in order to succeed,you need to move elsewhere.

    3. @Kimberly McLane the fact is that some people take what is ours, and we keep trying to play by the rules.
      At the end of the day, the only flag that represents freedom is the Jolly Roger.

  9. “For a perspective on the impact of the downturn on younger people, let’s chat with a boomer business owner…”

  10. Not only are they less entering the middle class, but simply less earning enough money to imagine founding a family. You need stability for the child to come.

    1. Ya my wife and I did not have kids because without any kind of economic stability. we have a hard time feeding our selves let alone children.

    2. What’s middle class? I’m gen x.
      I have a masters and have taught for 23 years. My partner has been a respiratory therapist for 20 years.

      After we got the stimulus, my paycheck, and my tax return, I had more money in hand than I’ve ever had in my life: $10,000.

      We live one car accident away from bankruptcy.

    3. YUP. I’m 29 and wanted a family, but at this point I’m not sure if I’ll be in a position to have one before my body decides it can’t anymore. One of life’s many depressions.

    4. @Kreepie11 I’ve accepted that I won’t have kids. When my parents used to try to hassle me for grandkids I said either “you gonna raise them? I gotta work” or “your generation stole them” and they don’t ask anymore

  11. Boomers aren’t retiring, companies are outsourcing “professional” jobs more and more, college is getting more expensive and we are seeing far less return on those degrees.

    1. That’s why I gave up on a Bachelor’s and got a professional certificate in a field with great job security.

    2. @DC Crusin’ As an intelligent, well educated adult who continues my education on an ongoing basis…I can think of no Worse return on my education than outliving my savings. So, No, I absolutely, without reservation, Do Not think that living longer is a good return on my investment!

  12. YES.. Boomers need to STOP telling Millenials “By the time I was your age… {some factor here}”. 😒

    1. Yeah I hate when Boomer politicians tell the younger generation to stop complaining. Those same politicians screwed up the system.

    2. Back in Ye Olde Boomer Days people already had a house.

      I mean FACT is: Millenials & Younger Generations are hitting Peak Income YEARS later than Previous Generations, ESPECALLY Boomers.

      That means over the course of our ENTIRE LIVES, we will make less money for retirement.
      Assuming any of us can even retire, which often times is NOT a guarantee.

      But yeah, okay, YOU tell me Boomer, when did YOU get fired to make your boss a big bonus, when your Job Company was making Record Profits? I’d LOVE to hear th!!!
      Oh wait, that never happened, but WE are the entitled ones? LMAO!

      This is the problem when you take Politicians OUT of the American Job System. There is a COMPLETE disconnect.

      Polticians get a 100% guaranteed Retirement.Even if they don’t show up for work every day.
      But are not Entitled.

      Politicians won’t be fired for doing Illegal Drugs…but NEED to have NORMAL Americans be fired for doing Illegal Drugs or even State Legal Drugs.
      But are not Entitled.

      Politicians can change laws and other stuff to give themselves an Unfair Business Advantage.
      But are not Entitled.

  13. Can we just accept, now, that this whole “trickle-down economics” thing is *_probably_* not working?

    1. @Tzisorey Tigerwuf well said.
      It’s sad that greed is such a driving force for humans. Even when the planet is disintegrating around us, the top executives can’t seem to quell their defining greed.
      Humanity doesn’t really deserve survival, it seems. Just another species that couldn’t survive technological adolescence….

    2. It never worked it’s a fallacy that rich people told the rest of us to take more money and pay less taxes.

  14. This subject triggers me because I was working hard while attending school to get my Bachelor’s and suddenly my school decided to close multiple locations across the nation declaring chapter 7 bankruptcy. It happened because the federal government cut funding to education, so the BIG school decided to consolidate it’s assets into their main locations. I wasn’t able to move to go to another location, I had family I was taking care of at the time. So, Trump and his ill-appointed secretary, Betsy DeVos, left me a massive chore which took me a year of fighting for a Student Loan Discharge. I was DENIED 3 times with full proof until I got a representative from FASFA, and even more proof of the school closure while I was attending. The partial money(couple thousand) I paid out of pocket, I lost to the school. I only got that money back after filing for it from a certain state board of education in my state. So, that was agonizing. You want to know who has stocks in the student loan debt collecting companies a lot of students owed money to? I’ll appoint you to guess. Politics for Republicans is starting to become a get rich quick scheme.

    You wonder why the USA is being left in the dust? Instead of spending so much money on defense spending (730+ billion annually), our country should try investing more toward the educational trades of the future.

    Some cool statistic .org sites:
    WORLD Defense spending comparison: https://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0053_defense-comparison
    2018 Budget cut of 90.6 billion that put my college out of business: https://educationdata.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/usdeptofedannualbudgetbreakdown.png
    Root Website: https://educationdata.org/public-education-spending-statistics#public-education-spending-statistics

  15. Okay, I’m a “Boomer” and I’ve been crying about this for years. Personally, I was in the middle of raising my young family, as a single parent, when our area lost its only industry to an endangered species. I worked 3 minimum wage jobs just to pay the bills and hang onto my home. Now, for the young folks around here, it’s a normal fact of life. There’s nothing but minimum wage jobs with no benefits because they’re all part-time service-based jobs. I really don’t think it’s an us vs them thing. Every time I post about this I get some smart guy commenting with “must be a blue state”. This is not helpful. This “service-based jobs only deserve part-time with no benefits” is a subject that NEEDS to be addressed!

    1. i appreciate reading your story and i’m sorry you had to go through so much hardship to raise your children and keep your family afloat. it truly isn’t a fight between generations. it’s the government against it’s citizens, they limit us to keep us down. i hope that with the shift in leaders we can get a true change in politics.

    2. @Exiled New Yorker No, actually, it was an owl. We weren’t allowed to take the larger trees because that is the kind of tree the owls live in. The kind with actual board feet inside. So, didn’t matter…chainsaw, or two-man crosscut..

    3. @Exiled New Yorker I’ve got some pictures around here somewhere of Pop with a two-man crosscut….don’t have to imagine 🙂

    4. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s been 40 years and my kids aren’t any better off than I was. They’re all working for minimum wage and I can’t seem to make folks understand….even with the ACA it’s not enough to afford health insurance. When my daughter found that premiums for her family would be over $400 a month she cried and it broke my heart.

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