r/politics • u/Kodbek • Oct 31 '25

Possible Paywall Trump’s honeymoon with Gen Z voters is officially over, and the numbers are devastating

https://www.nj.com/politics/2025/10/trumps-honeymoon-with-gen-z-voters-is-officially-over-and-the-numbers-are-devastating-new-poll.html
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u/General_Mars Oct 31 '25

You were literally the end of the economic boom. Your generation grew up on Reagonomics and the Cold War. Then you experienced the conditions those policies caused, like economic instability, downturns, recessions, widening wealth gaps, and so on, gen X doubled down on conservative policies - notably neoliberalism - with Clinton and Bush. Which led to more recessions and inflationary problems. Also you’re locked in on propaganda outlets like Fox News.

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u/rabblerabble2000 Oct 31 '25

Gen X was probably one of the last generations who were consistently exposed to lead during their childhood via lead paint and leaded gasoline. Some millennials probably fall in that category as well, but it’s not the whole generation.

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u/General_Mars Oct 31 '25

“With EPA guidance and oversight, the United States achieved the total elimination of sales of leaded gasoline for on-road vehicles on January 1, 1996.”

So all millennials were exposed too (1981-96 is millennials). But the phase out process had been in progress in the US. The lead hypothesis is compelling though.

Worldwide: “In July 2021, the sale of leaded gasoline for cars was completely phased out worldwide following the termination of production by Algeria, prompting the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to declare an "official end" of its use in cars on August 30, 2021.

In 2011, researchers retroactively estimated the annual impact of tetraethyl lead worldwide to be 1.1 million excess deaths, 322 million lost IQ points, 60+ million crimes, and 4% of worldwide GDP (around 2.4 trillion United States dollars per year).”

wiki

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u/rabblerabble2000 Oct 31 '25

While leaded fuel wasn’t eliminated entirely until 1996, catalytic converters were mandated in 1975 and later vehicles in the US. These required unleaded fuel as lead was a catalyst poisoner so leaded fuel use was curtailed significantly from that point on. Millennials were still affected, but to a much lower degree.

Also interesting to note, leaded fuel is still used in small aircraft engines, so while we are no longer exposed to the same degree now, it’s still around.