John Malone
Dec 27, 2023 - 05:05

Gen X President Biden Reality bites

Generation X has the highest disapproval rating of President Biden, with many members leaning conservative due to political memories.

Tara Schoettle's disapproval of President Biden can be traced back to her childhood. Schoettle, a member of Generation X, recalls the gas shortages that impacted the U.S. under Democratic President Jimmy Carter. This experience, along with the political memory of an unpopular Carter and a popular Republican president, Ronald Reagan, helps explain why Generation X tends to tilt more conservative than other generations. NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist polling underscores that point: By generation, Biden has the highest disapproval rating from Generation X (62%), compared with other generations. This political memory influences the leanings of generations and affects their political views in adolescence or young adulthood. Even for Gen Xers who generally approve of Biden, they share a nostalgia for the politics of their youth.

Gen Xers are facing a cascading series of economic concerns: aging parents, raising children, saving for retirement, rising housing costs, higher food and gas prices, all hitting most acutely in middle age. The cultural libertarianism of Generation Xers is evident in their resistance to the current debate over when and how to police speech. They pride themselves on being tough and able to have conversations with people they disagree with. Gen X Democrats like Ken Piccolo point their disgust at conservative efforts to curb speech, particularly in schools and libraries.

Compared with boomers or millennials, Generation X is rarely invoked in national political debates. They are also smaller in population and have had lower political and voter participation. This is true for Danny Dotson, an independent who has never involved himself in politics until recently. He has voted sporadically in national elections but plans to vote in 2024. The political leanings and concerns of Generation X are varied, influenced by their unique experiences and memories.