April Jobs Numbers and Young Americans: Statement by Generation Opportunity President Paul T. Conway, Former Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Labor

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Generation Opportunity President Paul T. Conway, former Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) responds to the April 2012 jobs numbers:

“These numbers tell a heartbreaking story about the reality young Americans face each day. Young Americans continue to suffer the impacts of the President and his administration’s bad economic policies, the resulting poor economy, and the overall lack of opportunity. The administration has failed to listen closely to the needs of young adults – they want meaningful, full-time jobs in a career path of their choice to get on with their own lives. Instead, the Obama administration continues to push a vision that offers less hope and less opportunity. Nearly every week, administration officials appear on college campuses and at gatherings of young Americans to brag about how the federal government is expanding to take over more of their healthcare, education, job training, and other decisions – where is the hope in that?”

Generation Opportunity commissioned a poll with the polling company, inc./WomanTrend (April 16 – 22, 2011, +/- 4% margin of error) and highlighted results for all young Americans ages 18-29 appears below:

Young Americans – Majority Disapprove of President Obama’s Management of Youth Unemployment, Washington Out-of-Touch:

• Just 31% of 18 – 29 year-olds approve of President Obama’s handling of youth unemployment.
• 69% say the current leadership in Washington fails to reflect the interests of the younger generation.
• 59% of overall Millennials agree the economy grows best when individuals are allowed to create businesses without government interference.

Young Americans – Lives and Dreams Delayed by the Poor Economy:

• 77% of young people ages 18-29 either have or will delay a major life change or purchase due to economic factors:
  
  
  • 44% delay buying a home;
  • 28% delay saving for retirement;
  • 27% delay paying off student loans or other debt;
  • 27% delay going back to school/getting more education or training;
  • 26% delay changing jobs/cities;
  • 23% delay starting a family;
  • 18% delay getting married.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY

Generation Opportunity is a non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(4) organization that seeks to engage everyone from young adults, to early career professionals, college students, young mothers and fathers, construction workers, current service men and women, veterans, entrepreneurs, and all Americans who find themselves dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to create a better tomorrow.

Generation Opportunity operates on a strategy that combines advanced social media tactics with proven field tactics to reach Americans 18-29. The organization’s social media platforms – “Being American by GO,” “The Constitution by GO,” and “Gas Prices Are Too Damn High” on Facebook – have amassed a total fan base of more than 3 million. All three pages post links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal General Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.

Read about Generation Opportunity here; visit “Being American by GO” on Facebook here, “The Constitution by GO” on Facebook here, and “Gas Prices Are Too Damn High” on Facebook here.

For our Spanish-language page – Generación Oportunidad – click here.