Majority prefer full-time jobs over further dependency on parents for health insurance

Contact: Matthew Faraci, 202-997-1636; David Pasch, 202-230-7947; both with Generation Opportunity 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Generation Opportunity, with over 4 million fans on Facebook and direct grassroots engagement with over a quarter million young Americans, today released additional results from their comprehensive nationwide survey of young adults ages 18-29.

STATEMENT BY PAUL T. CONWAY, PRESIDENT OF GENERATION OPPORTUNITY

"Young Americans are very concerned about the poor economy, the lack of meaningful, full-time jobs, and the intrusiveness and costs of many of the President’s policies, especially the Affordable Care Act. A majority believe that it violates the First Amendment and most know that their future earnings will go to pay for the cost of that law, as well as other initiatives that are adding to the national debt," said Paul T. Conway, President of Generation Opportunity and former Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Labor under Secretary Elaine L. Chao. "When you consider the costs young adults are already paying under the current economy -- with nearly a quarter saying they have or will delay getting married and nearly a third saying they have or will put off starting a family -- it is no wonder that so many are highly engaged as the election draws closer. They know their concerns are not represented in Washington, D.C., and that the continuation of failed economic policies is a threat not only to their futures and the economy, but also to our culture."

Conway also served as Chief of Staff of the United States Office of Personnel Management under Director Kay Coles James and as Confidential Assistant under Secretary William Bennett at the United States Department of Education.

YOUNG AMERICANS -- ON HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY

• 53% of Millennials say the requirement in the new national healthcare law that all insurance providers, including religious institutions such as Catholic hospitals and insurers, must provide birth control and sterilization services even if it is contrary to basic tenets of their faith is a violation of freedom of religion under the First Amendment of the Constitution; only 35% believe the requirement is Constitutional. 

• 61% of Millennials say the availability of more quality, full-time jobs with health insurance plans is more important than the ability to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until they are 26. 

• 84% of young people ages 18-29 had planned to but now might delay or not make at all a major life change or move forward on a major purchase due to the current state of the economy (Accepted multiple responses) (Randomized):

• 38% - Buy their own place;

• 32% - Go back to school/getting more education or training;

• 31% - Start a family;

• 27% - Change jobs/cities;

• 26% - Pay off student loans or other debt;

• 25% - Save for retirement;

• 23% - Get married;

• 12% - None of the above (accepted only this response);

• 4% - Do not know/cannot judge (accepted only this response).

YOUNG AMERICANS -- ELECTION 2012 KEY ISSUES

• 76% of Millennials plan to vote in the election for President this year.
   
• Only 38% believe that today's political leaders reflect the interests of young Americans.
   
• Only 36% of Millennials agree with the statement "generally speaking, things in the United States are heading in the right direction."
   
• 72% would decrease federal spending if given the opportunity to set America's fiscal priorities.
   
• Only 29% say that the economic policies coming out of Washington are helping them.

METHODOLOGY
 
For Generation Opportunity, the polling company, inc./WomanTrend conducted a nationwide online survey of 1,003 American adults ages 18-29 between July 27 and July 31, 2012. Randomly selected online opt-in panel participants were sent an invitation to the survey via email which included a secure link to the online questionnaire. Quotas were used to ensure the survey was representative of the larger 18-29 year old nationwide population with regard to race, region, and gender. The data were NOT weighted. The overall sampling margin of error for the survey is ±3.1% at a 95% confidence interval, meaning that the data obtained would not differ more than 3.1 percentage points in 95 out of 100 similar samples obtained.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY 
Generation Opportunity is a non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(4) organization that seeks to engage everyone from young adults, to early career professionals, college students, young mothers and fathers, construction workers, current service men and women, veterans, entrepreneurs, and all Americans who find themselves dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to create a better tomorrow.
 
Generation Opportunity operates on a strategy that combines advanced social media tactics with proven field tactics to reach Americans 18-29. The organization’s social media platforms - "Being American by GO," "The Constitution by GO," "Gas Prices Are Too Damn High," "Lower Taxes by GO," "Keep Texas Awesome," "Jersey Proud," and "We Like Small Government" on Facebook - have amassed a total fan base of more than 4 million. The pages post links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.

Read about Generation Opportunity here; visit "Being American by GO" on Facebook here, "The Constitution by GO" on Facebook here,  "Gas Prices Are Too Damn High" on Facebook here, "Lower Taxes by GO” on Facebook here, "Keep Texas Awesome" on Facebook here, "Jersey Proud" on Facebook here, and "We Like Small Government" on Facebook here.

For our Spanish-language page – Generación Oportunidad – click here.

Follow us on Twitter @GenOpportunity.