… Age–much more than class, race, gender, or even ideology–differentiates pro-Clinton and pro-Sanders voters. …
Generations are culturally marked by the critical historical events that occurred when their members were quite young, say, roughly ages 18 to 28. Experiencing the Great Depression or the Vietnam War, for example, during late adolescence or early adulthood has lasting consequences. …
Political scientists generally believe that the earliest votes people cast largely bind those voters to a political world view and a party for the rest of their lives. Thinking of Bernie Democrats and the Hillary Democrats in terms of generations rather than age provides some leverage for explaining this huge (or “y-u-u-u-g-e”) contrast. CONT.
Claude Fischer, Berkeley