Disinherited : How Washington Is Betraying America's Young

Tens of millions of Americans are between the ages of 18 and 30. These Americans, known as millennials, are, or soon will be, entering the workforce. For them, achieving success will be more difficult than it was for young people in the past.

This is not because they are less intelligent, they have worked less hard, or they are any less deserving of the American dream. It is because Washington made decisions that render their lives more difficult than those of their parents or grandparents. Their younger siblings and their children will be even worse off, all because Washington has refused to fix the problem.

This book describes the personal stories of several members of this disinherited generation. Their experiences are not unique. It is impossible to hear these stories and not understand that holding back a nation’s young is the antithesis of fairness and no way to make economic or social progress.

Their stories are an indictment of America’s treatment of its young. A nation that prides itself on its future has mortgaged it. A nation that historically took pride in its youth culture has become a nation that steals from its young. People who should have fulfilling, productive lives are sidelined, unemployed, or underemployed.

Meanwhile, America expects millennials and others of the disinherited generation to pay higher taxes for government programs that benefit middle-aged and older Americans, many of whom have better jobs and more assets.

It is time someone told the full story of the crisis facing America’s young. The future of America can be saved, but only if our government’s betrayal comes to an end. It is a war without victors, only victims. The birthright of the America’s young must be restored, and the time to do so is now. This book explains how.

Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former chief economist of the U.S. Department of Labor, is director of Economics21 and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. She has served in the White House as chief of staff of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush, as deputy executive secretary of the Domestic Policy Council under President George H. W. Bush, and as an economist on President Reagan's Council of Economic Advisers. Ms. Furchtgott-Roth is the author or coauthor of five books, including Women's Figures: An Illustrated Guide to the Economic Progress of Women in America (AEI Press, 2012). She is a columnist for MarketWatch and Tax Notes.

Jared Meyer is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. His research interests include microeconomic theory and the economic effects of governmental regulations. He explains economic topics through references to popular culture and sports, and has appeared on multiple TV and radio shows, including NPR and the BBC. Mr. Meyer is a regular contributor to Economics21, The Federalist, RealClearEnergy, and City Journal.