As a Gen-Xer, I come by my political cynicism naturally--growing up in the shadow of Watergate and so on. Never got involved in any campaign until last year. Inspired for the first time, I worked countless hours for Obama, signing on as a caucus precinct captain, serving as a delegate to the state convention, and making hundreds of phone calls during the general. Speaking with many others of my age group, also involved for the first time, I found that we all shared in common a dread of the other shoe dropping, what with politicians being politicians.
What kept us going was the sheer unrestrained enthusiasm of the 20-somethings who really believed in this guy's ability to bring about change. I saw this extend to an even younger group in the form of my teen and pre-teen kids who waited in freezing temps for hours to see Obama, joined in registration drives and generally did everything they could here in the heart of McPalin country (Tom Tancredo's former district) to fight for change.
This belief in the power of democracy was so refreshing. And, as recently as a few months ago, it was still holding, with polls showing those under 30 to be way less cynical about government than those older or than in previous times going back decades (in my youth, I remember exactly 2 people who displayed this kind of belief in democracy.... and everyone thought they were nuts).
So what happens if Obama sells out his base of supporters on health care? What if he folds on the public option and then continues with the pattern he's displayed on financial reform, torture accountability, gay marriage and the other issues his base cares about so much? I'm not talking about the mid-terms or even 2012. I'm talking about the long-term political mood of a generation that is overwhelmingly in favor of progressive reforms being given the shaft and being told to STFU about it.
Will the Millennials disengage like the Gen-Xers? Will they retrace the path of their boomer parents (idealistic hippies to selfish yuppies)? Will they keep fighting within the system? Take the fight outside the system?
I know politicians will be politicians and that this is merely that other shoe dropping. But I am still incredibly frustrated and angry. Seems to me that, having raised everyone's hopes so high, having energized the youth so much, having engaged (and relied upon) the grass roots in a way that no other candidate in recent memory has done, he owes a special responsibility to fight for real change.
If he comes out swinging on Wednesday, fighting for the public option, the base will be with him, regardless of the outcome. No bill or a less than perfect bill, if he at least has a bloody nose to show for it, progressives will stick by him and will work twice as hard to elect more progressives to Congress. But if he sells us down the river for nothing, I really fear not just for health care, but for the loss of another generation of civic involvement.