The shape of things to come

Ryan Sager writes:

We all know there’s a gap between how old folks feel about same-sex marriage and how young folks feel. What you might not quite grasp is just how tremendous that gap is. A new paper (”Gay Rights in the States: Public Opinion and Policy Responsiveness” [PDF]) by Jefferey Lax and Justin Phillips puts it in a bit of perspective.

Just how big is the gay marriage age gap? Between the under-30 crowd and the over-65 crowd: 35 percentage points.

Or, try this on for size, at the state level: If people over 65 in each state made the laws, 0 states would have gay marriage; if people under 30 made the laws, 38 states would have gay marriage.

Jeff Lax, a co-author of the study cited above offers this chart.

Hat tip: Sean Ferrell

Posted by Jim Naughton on August 25, 2009 1:50 PM | |
Comments (1)

Yes, and you'd have national health care reform if it determined by the opinions of those 30 and under.

http://www.newmajority.com/the-elderly-say-no

Posted by John B. Chilton [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 27, 2009 4:31 PM

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