I agree a great deal of partisan conflict will get nowhere, ideology speaking, but as a political science major one thing I am sure of is one party dominance, specifically the Democrats, is not the answer…and I vote Democrat! There must be balance, but also pragmatism, alongside a great deal of the “hope” the book and this website preaches. Sadly i feel by already labeling something in a vain attempt to create a movement that has yet to really coalesce, “we” are already setting up for failure.

I really, really…really hope President-elect Obama gets things right, but just because this generation put him in the White House does not mean this generation is going to like what happens…simply because Obama is behind it. Obama cannot control fate itself. Fact is the world, reality, is full of evil forces already in the works, and even all the pragmatism, hope, and change may not be enough to solve, or stop whatever is coming – internationally, or economically.

Concluding, what happened to baby boomers in the 60′s is happening to us, already…as if this generation is just another political or marketing tool to sell products and put people to power. My apologies for the negativity – I don’t see it that way – and I want to believe. I really want to believe. But pride in ourselves as something generalized is not independent in the least sense of the word, nor I believe is a strategy to get anything done. Allowing me to voice this opinion is a good first step, but blocking it would be the worst. Once we get our fears or doubts on the table, then “we” can work together to eliminate them. Doubt is a common human emotion, and does not stigmatize what this generation is about. But blindly following or believing anything could lead to something worse. I like this generation and believe in it. Just don’t sell it out before the results are in.

Don’t knock the catchphrase, man. We really *shouldn’t* trust anyone over 30 – no, screw 30, 25! 30 is far too late. Your generation has screwed too many things up too badly, and I’ll be damned if you’ll cost us our independence of thought and political self-determination as well.

2) Eliminating differences is ridiculous and dangerous in any manifestation. Total unity is *total*itarianism. We should be celebrating our individuality and numerous personal differences, not subsuming them into this STRENGTH THROUGH UNITY crap. People are different, and have different interests and goals; getting everyone to agree to “tolerate” our more meaningless cultural and social-policy differences is incredibly condescending, first of all. Perhaps as a gay teen, or an African-American, or a political I want to be accepted and respected and celebrated, not just treated with the veiled normative judgment of “live and let live” tolerance?

This feel-good cultural-respect hand-waving is NOT a good enough cover for getting us all to adhere to upper-middle-class, corporatist, neo-establishment center-left ideology in everything. Sorry, nice try.