* Last week, I asked you to help Greta Lindall with her 7th grade science fair project. She and her project partner Orla Byrley unveiled it this week…
* From the acknowledgements…
We have so many people that helped us with this project. We would like to thank Steve and Karen Stivers, Marty Smith, George Abrahams, Anna Sharratt, Adrienne Alexander, Dave Lowitzki, Ty Petersen and Joanna Klonsky for sharing our survey. And the biggest thank you to Rich Miller from Capitol Fax whose post got over half of the responses to our survey. We would also like to thank our parents, Anders Lindall, Julie Sampson, and Mike and Anika Byrley who have supported us so much throughout the project and our whole lives.
They received 600 completed surveys, so that means over 300 of y’all responded to the call. I really do have the best readers. Thanks for helping those kids.
* A few results from their survey…
When we asked about the Green New Deal, Baby Boomers supported it by a 10-point margin (51% support to 41% oppose) and Gen Xers by 9 points (49-40). But Millennials held the most progressive view, supporting it by 19 points (54-35).
Regarding open borders, Baby Boomers opposed them by 12 points (41% support to 53% opposed). Gen Xers weren’t much more liberal, opposing by a 10-point margin (41-51). Millennials again were more progressive, opposing by 7 points (43-50).
When we asked about socialism and capitalism, there was a much bigger difference. In all, 43% of Millennials supported socialism with 53% opposed. That -10 margin was far more favorable than Baby Boomers (32-59, a -27 margin), with Gen X just as conservative at 32-62, a -30 margin. We guess that’s because Millennials identify socialism with Democratic Socialist countries like Sweden and Norway with high levels of happiness, free college and medical care, and familiar stores like Ikea, but Boomers and other older people associate socialism with the Soviet Union and the Cold War.
On the other hand, Baby Boomers supported capitalism by a whopping 75 points (82-7). Dropping about 20 points behind that was Gen X, with a 59-point margin (75-16). Millennials still had a favorable of capitalism but much less than Boomers, only +41 (65-24). Total opposition to capitalism almost quadrupled among Millennials versus Boomers.
It’s a really well-written report.
*** UPDATE *** Greta has also managed to do the impossible…
- Downstate Dave - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 11:50 am:
This is very interesting and I think everyone should be proud of the work being done by these young folks. Bravo!
- Driving a car - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:05 pm:
This is really cool and amazingly well-written.
I think most of the commenters on this blog can relate to being the kid in middle school who was obsessively excited with politics and data — warms my heart that the next generation is already firing on all cylinders. Way to go (and here is where I would use an exclamation point or two)
- West Side the Best Side - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:20 pm:
Well, I know I wasn’t writing reports like that in 7th grade, great work. Also very astute observation about the time period of when people were exposed to socialism to explain their current feelings toward it.
- Perrid - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:20 pm:
A lot of good work.
Both of their ideas for “improving” are good, throwing out the gender question if you’re not going to do anything with it, and simplifying the response scale. I’d suggest an odd number, like 1-5, instead of 1-4, so people can say they’re neutral.
This would be a lot to ask of a 7th grader, but I think asking more than one question per subject would be good too. It’s amazing how slight differences in how you phrase a question changes the answers.
But they already said they had more data they the knew what to do with, so this is more than good enough.
- The Captain - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:37 pm:
This is wonderful.
- JoanP - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:45 pm:
Gosh, when I was in 7th grade, the popular Science Fair project was to put a tooth in a glass of Coke.
Impressive work.,
- SouthSide Markie - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:50 pm:
Impressive work. Any word on how they scored in the Science Fair?
- Fixer - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:51 pm:
Excellent work. And thank you for letting us help.
- Ok Boomer - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 12:56 pm:
Now that is exceptional!
- Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 1:05 pm:
impressive report. Found the closing data interesting
“With Gen Z we also found a remarkable 14-point margin of support for socialism (43-29), more than their 7-point margin for capitalism (50-43)”
- downstateR - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 1:28 pm:
Certainly beats anything I wrote back in the seventh grade. Well done!
- John's Daughter - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 1:39 pm:
Good Work!
But I wonder if they considered that GenX, Boomers and older voters were probably more liberal when they were the age of the Millennials and Gen Z.
Millennials and Gen Z may become less liberal over time too.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 1:44 pm:
Some seriously impressive work here. Congratulations on a job well done.
I’m warmed knowing students like Greta are out there, doing this level of work, and the sky is the limit.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 1:59 pm:
Are you smarter than a 7th grader?
The future looks bright for Greta Lindall
- Rich Hill - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 2:21 pm:
There are college students — and some pollsters — who should be envious of the work these kids have done.
- Bertrum Cates - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 2:48 pm:
= There are college students — and some pollsters — who should be envious of the work these kids have done. =
I was just thinking the same of the latter.
- Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 2:50 pm:
To the update: OW and LP agree. The apocalypse hath cometh. /s
To the post: Having been a judge at middle school science fairs, this is very well done. Not having access to the charts and graphs, but having fully read the Report (incl. the well done Review of Literature), this is probably going to Regionals and maybe even State. Nice work.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 3:05 pm:
=== Greta has also managed to do the impossible…===
Her project even created a miracle.
:)
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 3:23 pm:
Fantastic job by Greta, way beyond her years. Love the title, “Ok Boomer.”
Her dad also does great work in his field.
- A Guy - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 3:30 pm:
Greta has proven by all shadow of any doubt that Baby Boomers have never forgotten going under their desks, putting their heads between their legs, and preparing to kiss their rear-end goodbye. The socialist republic scarred deep.
- FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 3:56 pm:
Impressive. I hope the Judges were impressed too.
- JoanP - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 4:00 pm:
If Greta could get OW and LP to agree on something, she most definitely has a future in politics. Greta for President in 2044 (banned punctuation).
- ChrisB - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 4:17 pm:
I’m just a little sad that she didn’t drop a “Subscribers have the crosstabs” line at the end.
- dbk - Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 5:08 pm:
Let it never be said that there is no meeting of the minds on capfax.
Really impressive conclusions and well-written too (speaking as a former English teacher here).