Young People Upset with Biden's Economic Policies, Not Just Gaza Conflict

Former Obama adviser Van Jones warns that young Americans are increasingly disillusioned with President Biden's leadership, citing their worsening economic prospects as a major factor.

Former Obama adviser Van Jones has sounded the alarm about the growing dissatisfaction among young Americans with President Biden's leadership, both domestically and internationally. While some young people may have concerns about Biden's foreign policy stance on the Gaza conflict, Jones argues that their anger has been simmering for years due to their grim economic outlook.

"It should be a wake-up call," Jones said on CNN's "News Central." "Young people are upset, and it's not just the situation in Gaza. The economic prospects for young people are miserable."

Jones points to rising prices for essential goods, stagnant wages, and a lack of affordable housing as major factors contributing to the economic misery faced by young Americans. He emphasizes that this frustration has been building for years, regardless of which party is in power.

"That's been building under Obama, it's been building under Trump, it's building under Biden," Jones said. "We just do not have a pathway for young people to be able to pay off their student debt, get a house."

Jones believes that Biden needs to address the economic concerns of young people more directly and specifically. He suggests that symbolic gestures, such as canceling student loan debt, will not be enough to appease their frustration.

"There's a symbolic piece around student loans," Jones said. "That's not going to be enough for Joe Biden."

Jones's warning comes amid a New York Times poll indicating that former President Donald Trump has made significant gains with voters who would normally be in Biden's coalition, including young people and minority voters. The poll found that Trump and Biden are essentially tied among 18-to-29-year-olds and Hispanic voters.

Jones believes that the results of the poll are alarming and underscore the need for Biden to address the economic concerns of young voters. He argues that the frustration among young people is not just about Gaza but about their own future prospects.

"People are looking at this AI wave and are worried about what job, what career path-and so that pain has to be spoken to directly and specifically," Jones said. "And I think that we're not yet feeling, hearing a full-throated approach to the young people."

Jones concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing the economic concerns of young Americans. He warns that if Biden fails to do so, he risks losing their support and jeopardizing his presidency.