Free Republic

Though a majority of teens and young adults identify as Christian, a new study suggests that only 15 percent of them have personal relationships with Christ and are deeply committed.... Most American "Millenials" – those born between 1980 and 1991 – don't pray regularly. Few read their Bibles or other religious texts, and many don't attend church on a weekly basis, according to a LifeWay Research study. "[W]e cannot forget the vast majority of lost young people in this generation. Our hearts should be broken with this reality," said Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources. "We should be convicted...

<p>Jared Rogalia, 25, a Hertz rental car manager-trainee in Alexandria, is as cranky as someone twice his age when he complains about his generation’s work ethic. Here’s how Rogalia characterizes his age group: “The first is: really spoiled and lazy. The second is: We’re free-spirited. And the third is: They’d rather be poorer and have free time than have a lot of money.”</p>

At 18, Ben Taber soaked up the stadium-size vibe of Barack Obama's nomination with a sense of wonder as he joined an unprecedented wave of young voters that would help carry their candidate to the White House. By the time he turned 20 this week, that emotional and philosophical bond with the president had been tempered by a steep learning curve about governance, and a stern reality check about the scope and pace of hope and change. "For the most part, the general tenor of this administration is something I like," says Taber, who worked as a U.S. Senate intern...

Their party was out of ideas and out of office. It had grown preposterously out of touch, a caricature of economic irresponsibility and elite, Washington-dinner-party values. Then along came Bill Clinton to return Democrats to the political center and teach them how to win. For the party seared by McGovern, Carter, Mondale, and Dukakis, the birth of the "New Democrat" in 1991 was a renaissance. Clinton was not afraid to march over the traditionally Republican ground of tax cuts, deficit reduction, and welfare reform to advance the Democratic party from its Dark Ages. In its founding documents, the Clinton-inspired Democratic...

Next month, as the class of 2013 moves into the dorms, Wisconsin's Beloit College will release its annual "Mindset List." The list is that much-forwarded email that always makes you feel old--the one that includes horrifying factoids like, "for today's college freshmen, GPS navigation systems have always been available," and, "there has always been Pearl Jam." More horrifying still, soon they'll all be able to vote. The generation born from the late 1970s to the early '90s has been called "Gen Y," "GenNext," and "the Millennials." Its name is Legion. But whatever name they go by, and despite their image...

A study from the Center for American Progress polls the Millennial generation and finds that they aren't afraid of big government, not even a little. This is a bit surprising, because one thing I always heard about today's twentysomethings is that we're libertarian-lite: culturally liberal but too anti-authority to love a big government. Well, nevermind, I guess. As Matt Yglesias points out, today's youth are tilting left on all sorts of economic questions, from more government investment in education and infrastructure (80% agree) to leading the world's eco-revolution (73% on board). And on the meta-questions about government's role in American...

If the Republican Party thinks it has problems now, just wait. The party’s poor performance among young voters in the 2008 election raises questions about the long-term competitiveness of the GOP. The “millennials” — the generation of Americans born between 1982 and 2003 — now identify as Democrats by a ratio of 2-to-1. They are the first in four generations to contain more self-perceived liberals than conservatives.

During the past couple of weeks, the Washington media and political establishment have focused on such matters of crucial and lasting importance as President Barack Obama’s possible “overexposure,” whether he showed suitable affect by chuckling during a TV interview in a time of severe economic difficulty, and just when he became angry about the bonuses received by American International Group executives. To be fair, the focus on trivialities is bipartisan. We have also been treated to several days of discussion about whether conservatives Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter or moderate Meghan McCain have the appropriate body shapes for Republican women....

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use. Forget "Generation X." Instead, this generation of college students has been labeled the "Millenial generation," according to a presentation by the Office of Student Affairs. In the most recent "Informational Report on College Students Today," Philip Burlingame, assistant vice president for student affairs, presented information based on the book titled Millenials Rising: The Next Great Generation, by Neil Howe and William Strauss. Through their research, the authors have coined the new term to describe the newest generation to join the working industry and the characteristics that set it apart. Through their...