The future of American politics turns out to be – the past.
The millennial generation have been fawned on, cosseted, and spoiled by marketers, politicians and pundits since they arrived on the scene . But in 2016, they seem a long way from power. The most exciting election in modern history – well, since Bush v Gore in 2000, when the first millennials were being born – is seeing the rise of the last Millennials.
Hillary Clinton wouldn’t just be our first woman President. She’d be the oldest President ever elected, at 69.
Donald Trump couldn’t claim the first record – but he would get the second. He’s even older – he’d be 70 at election
And Bernie Sanders, who got millions of youngsters ‘Feeling the Bern’? If he had succeeded, he might have been a 75 year old Commander in Chief – at an age the Pope forces Cardinals to retire!
So what’s up with these Silver Surfers? Our political leaders have ripped up the rule book. They don’t understand Snapchat, hell, they don’t understand email. But they are tired of being written off. Psychotherapist Merritt Juliano argued
Women over 60–so often absent from fashion magazines, and marginalized in television and film–can be made to feel invisible to the rest of society. This is a major risk factor in developing anxiety and depression, the most common non-neuropsychiatric disorder among the elderly.
Women over 60 are about to get the most visible champion they have ever had. Bernie Sanders was mocked on Twitter, but fired up crowds of young women. Trump, a media superstar, dominated all social media. Perhaps it’s because young people expect to live longer – and don’t want to write themselves off. When we see Chrissy Brinkley dancing ‘Roxy’ in Chicago at 57, it’s thrilling. Rupert Murdoch, 80, is known for his uncensored Twitter. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the greatest action star of several generations, dominates a large constituency of underground cult followers on Reddit, Periscope, Snapchat and other under-the-radar communities – well, under the radar for most people over 40.
Donald Trump’s combover is already a star of the internet – but maybe people should look at the dye job, not the bald spot. In the new power politics, age beats youth – mature beats millennial. Time for Trump to age great-fully? Come on, Donald – join Hillary, and let’s Make America Gray Again!
