A reader responds to my earlier post on boomer politicians in which I wrote, “Now that they are much older and hold political power, they are arguably more puritanical–at least in how they govern–than were their parents.” He retorts: “Naah- they’re just scared to tell the truth because they’re afraid it might lose them votes.”
I cannot argue with this, but what is the political dynamic at work? Is the baby boomer electorate so puritanical that they would punish progressive politicians who voiced support for liberalizing or legalizing intoxicants, or simply marijuana? Are Gen-Xers? Gen-Y? I am not sure this changes my fundamental frustration with the boomers whose pontification I used to have to listen to when I was young–especially pontificating by those a few years older than me in Bill Clinton’s age group. (Note to younger readers. Boomers can be divided between those who entered college before or after 1970, and especially between those who were subjected to the serious risk of being drafted and those who, like me, were in the draft lottery after the Nixon drawdown of troops had begun and the number of draftees began to decline. But I digress.)
Or do these formerly moralistic, self righteous boomer politicians (you really had to live through this to understand) lack all courage of their convictions? I have my own theory, but it is of course a sweeping and therefore highly questionable generalization: The “Me Generation” was and remains committed to one overriding principle. Whatever they may happen want at the time. When they wanted to have sex (“free love”) and use drugs they defended this on moral grounds, but when they become parents they don’t want their children to use drugs so they oppose legalization. The constant principle here is what they happen to want at the time. Perhaps all generations are like this as they age, but this generation was unusually noisy when its members were younger about how morally superior they were to their elders (“Don’t trust anyone over 30” they used to say–which used to be called the “Generation Gap”)–as well as to anyone else who disagreed with them. Somehow I think younger readers who are now taught by old boomers know what I mean.
As for me, I was for legalization of intoxicating drugs then, and remain so now. (For my lengthy analysis of the issue see here and here.) And I hasten to add, though I am somewhat embarrassed to admit, that I have never even smoked marijuana–not once–then or now.
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