Getting Older and Younger at Warp Speed

2012 looms large as the focus of the United States is on the presidential election in November, and Democrats and Republicans battle for the highest elected position in the land. Debates will focus on the economy, the use of the military, and how we fund programs such as Social Security and Medicare. We will talk about immigration, education, health care, the divide between the rich and the poor, and gay rights. But underneath the surface of all these issues is the great transformation that is taking place as America's six generations move into key points in their life stages.

Social Security is an issue because the Baby Boomer Generation is moving into retirement. Education is an issue because the Digital Generation will be hitting middle school with a different mindset than any generation before it. The economy is an issue because millions of ready-to-work Millennials are entering the workforce at a time when companies are downsizing.