If identity meant everything in politics, Bernie Sanders would poll well among senior citizens. In point of fact, Sanders does very well with millennials, but poorly with elderly voters. Why?
Two reasons. First, socialism has a very negative connotation to the elderly, based on their experience during the Cold War, that isn’t shared by millennials. Second, the elderly (correctly) see themselves as being at the mercy of the government; they can’t afford to take any actions which could put their benefits at risk. In their eyes, Sanders is proposing precisely that.
Bernie would respond by saying that his Medicare for All plan is more generous than the current Medicare program, so seniors have nothing to fear. If you simply accept what is on paper on its face, he’s right. The problem is that most seniors simply don’t believe the government can take on so many massive new responsibilities without screwing up, and that the real world effect of the Sanders platform will be to increase their taxes and divert their benefits (which, in their eyes, they have already paid for) to millennials. Given the fairly horrific experience with the rollout of Obamacare, who can say with absolute certainty that they are wrong? In the real world, therefore, their position makes perfect sense. Bernie will never win them over.
A note to my readers: I will be on vacation until Tuesday, July 9. Posting between now and then will be irregular at best.