Young Americans’ Pessimism Is Going to Wreck America
by Jacob Grandstaff
Persistent pessimism is putting young voters in “Burn it down and start over” mode
Tuesday’s election results in New York City should chill the spine of every American who still believes in the promise of this country. Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist, didn't just win his mayoral bid; he crushed it.
But the real story isn't the margin—it's the demographics. Exit polls show Mamdani sweeping young voters across the board, with 78 percent support among 18-29-year-olds. This included fully two-thirds of white youth, 84 percent of black youth, and 86 percent of Latino youth.
Even in a blue state like New York, this is not normal and should serve as a warning sign. It signals not only a problem young adults are experiencing, but a perception of doom that the Left is effectively weaponizing.
This pessimism that many young adults are feeling is a symptom of a deeper economic and cultural rot.
It was caused by anti-American economic policies and ideologies.
The hollowing of America’s industrial base, the federal-created moral hazard of student debt, mass immigration, and inflation make it especially difficult for young adults to hit life goals long considered part of the American Dream.
Additionally, Americans have allowed their own schools and universities to feed the cultural rot that eschews immigrant assimilation and rejects the nation’s founding as immoral.
If the economic and political disillusionment among the youth are not addressed, demand will increase for more radicals to burn down America’s free market system and legal traditions and replace them with imported experiments and customs incompatible with American culture.
Young Voters Aren’t Just Pessimistic; They’re Depressed
A recent poll by the League of American Workers (LAW), conducted online from October 22–28, among 2,100 registered voters aged 18-25, paints a portrait of bipartisan despair.
When asked about satisfaction with the country's direction under President Donald Trump's second term, only 43 percent of young men and a dismal 29 percent of young women reported being very or somewhat satisfied. Only nine percent of women said they are very satisfied.
Historically, Americans’ optimism rises and falls based on whether their party occupies the White House. Young Kamala Harris voters are much less happy than young Trump voters—but the poll shows general dissatisfaction with both parties.
Men give the GOP a 34 percent approval rating and the Democratic Party a 37 percent approval rating.
Women give Republicans a 25 percent approval rating and Democrats a 36 percent approval rating.
The most troubling aspect is that income doesn't matter.
Among young men earning over $75,000—a group thriving under Republican economic policies—satisfaction barely ticks up to 48 percent.
For young women earning over $75,000, it’s at 30 percent—lower than the 31 percent satisfaction rate of women earning under $30,000.
This suggests that higher-paying jobs alone do not cure the high cost of living and cultural despair young Americans are facing. This isn't about jobs; it's about a wholesale loss of faith in the American nation and its future.
For instance, a Politico poll last week showed 55 percent of Americans aged 18–24 believe the American Dream no longer exists; only 15 percent believe it does, with the remainder being unsure. Only 42 percent of Americans under 30 believe the next generation will be better off than their parents', compared with 68 percent of those over 65.
The Danger of Wanting Change for Change’s Sake
The most dangerous aspect of the Politico poll is that 64 percent of Americans aged 18–24 think the U.S. needs “radical change.”
Their voting patterns in the last two presidential elections bear that out. They swung 21 points for Trump in 2024 from 2020. But last week’s elections show they can just as easily snapped back to the far Left.
Young voters aren't just rejecting the status quo; they're shopping for radical alternatives. Mamdani, with his calls for rent freezes, universal healthcare, emptying prisons, and government-run grocery stores, promises a sharp break from “the system.”
The corrosive pessimism gripping young voters—fueled by economic betrayal and cultural denationalization—threaten to ignite a destructive cycle of political experimentation each election. This will eventually elect someone who will do lasting damage to the American republic. Republicans need to figure out now how to reignite opportunity for young Americans and combat the tax-funded anti-American propaganda that makes them believe they have no reason to conserve anything about America’s culture and free market system that have made it such a great nation despite its challenges.
Republished with permission from Restoration News.
Jacob Grandstaff is an Investigative Researcher for Restoration News specializing in election integrity and labor policy. He graduated from the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
