Recent Poll Shows Young People Are Ready for Some R&R

Attention Conservatives: it’s time to turn out the youth vote.

A recent poll conducted by JZ Analytics shows that Mitt Romney has gained the support of over 40 percent of 18-29 year olds—the first time during his campaign and the first conservative candidate to score this high during the primary season.

This isn’t surprising. Young people that were once fired up about President Obama’s vision for change have taken an economic beating. They are looking for bold solutions, and Mitt Romney is providing them.

The biggest problem young American’s face is the lack of job opportunity. While the national unemployment rate has steadily remained above 8 percent for 43 months straight, youth unemployment continues to increase. The Labor Department reported in July that youth unemployment is roughly 16 percent—doubling the national average.

In fact, no President, since the Department of Labor started keeping track in 1948, has had more than two summers with a youth unemployment rate above 16 percent. President Obama has had four.

Given the policies of this administration this is also not surprising. In the first three years of the Obama presidency, America has seen 10,215 new business regulations implemented. 106 of these regulations alone cost businesses $46 billion annually. This is money that would be used on job creation and capital accumulation.

Just how bad are these regulations hurting the American citizens? If you divide the $46 billion cost of regulation by the average median income--$45,000—you get roughly 1 million.

To put it simply, the Obama administration has successfully killed 1 million jobs through business regulation alone.

When the unemployment rate is high across the nation, young people are forced to compete for jobs with people of more experience and credibility. Businesses must cut back in order to survive challenging times, and hiring inexperienced young people is the last thing on their minds.

Mitt Romney is a businessman that understands this. In his economic plan he states that “[r]egulations function as a hidden tax on Americans. Although their total cost does not appear anywhere in the federal budget, the multitude of rules, restrictions, mandates, and directives imposes stealth expenses on taxpayers and businesses, and acts like a brake on the economy at large.”

His solution is to “act swiftly to tear down the vast edifice of regulations the Obama administration has imposed on the economy” by reforming expensive regulations, such as those in ObamaCare and Dodd-Frank, and freeing businesses of the burden so they can put America—especially our youth—back to work.

And yet, in the face of what Investor’s Business Daily has dubbed “The Great Youth Depression,” President Obama has labeled America’s youth as lazy. In his July 26 speech to the National Urban League Convention, he said, “You're competing against young people in Beijing and Bangalore. They're not hanging out. They're not getting over. They're not playing video games. They're not watching 'Real Housewives.' I'm just saying. It's a two-way street. You've got to earn success.”

Under normal circumstances I would agree with the president—had he not put young people in this position in the first place.

Young Americans, who are ready to begin their lives, love independence and freedom. They’re not looking to stay home with Mom and Dad, yet that is one of the only options this administration has given them. Fifty-three percent of recent graduates are unemployed or underemployed and living at home. This is embarrassing and insulting.

Looking forward to November, young Americans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The Romney team is bound and determined to get America back to work, as further proven by the pick of Paul Ryan to join the ticket. Congressman Ryan offers young people hope with his bold solutions, his invigorating appearance, and his youthful presence.

The JZ Analytics poll was conducted before Romney announced his running mate. It would not be surprising if Romney continues to see rising support among Millennials. Young people have endured this economy far too long—they deserve a little R&R.