A Defense of Generation X As Its Moment Approaches

I was on A.J. Rice’s Dangerous Laughter podcast recently, and we got into a discussion about Generation X.

Actually, that’s not quite right. I’ll explain in a minute.

What brought on the subject was that “Right Here, Right Now” column I wrote after Callais v. Louisiana was decided at the Supreme Court, and state legislatures across the South started redrawing congressional districts. I opened that column with an aside, part of which was that as a proud member of Generation X, I’m ready to see the boomers and the leftovers of the “Greatest Generation” — as though Mitch McConnell and Bernie Sanders qualify for that — get out of the way and let my people run the country. (RELATED: ‘Right Here, Right Now’)

I didn’t expect that aside to be what generated so much of a reaction. I didn’t mean to insult anybody by saying it, and yet the boomers came out of the woodwork to vocalize their offense. I found that bizarre — most of the baby-boom generation are in their 70s, or at least their late 60s. That means retirement age. It means you aren’t generally running anything in the private sector anymore, though there are exceptions. And if younger, stronger, more stamina, more curiosity work in the real world, it’s not off the wall to think it also works in government.

Particularly when you look at the performance of those old farts in control in D.C., most of whom even the boomers don’t generally have much use for.

I just thought everybody would understand that point. But apparently I was wrong.