iPods and Government

Reform does some interesting research. This is the organisation that coined the term iPod - the generation between 18 and 34 years old who are Insecure, Pressurised, Over-taxed and Debt-ridden. In the US they are called Generation Broke.

Reform believes the balance of taxation and public spending has tilted against young people, so that they now face an unfair burden, without being able to expect many of the benefits; and this at a time when their economic profile is already difficult.

They are also faced with increasing levels of debt from higher education, much stronger labour market competition, lower growth in earnings and acute difficulties in getting onto the property ladder. I agree wholeheartedly.

There is a new Reform report about how the iPods react to Government. Since the number of younger people who vote is about half of that of the 65+ it would seem with a large slab of disinterest.

It is not a bad report but it would have made it much better if there was some quantitative comparison of their views against those of an older age group. I found myself agreeing with most of the points that the younger people were making. I don’t think I am alone, which makes me think that the report was more about the mood of the Brits than about a specific age group. Dick Stroud