Disinherited: How Washington is Betraying America’s Young

This is the book you absolutely need to read if you are a millennial or if you care about one! Arm yourself with the numbers Washington would rather you didn’t focus on.

The Honorable Elaine L. Chao

It’s no secret that the millennial generation’s prospects are lower than their parents’—but this is not an inevitable “new normal,” as we’ve been led to believe. Instead, in a new book, Disinherited: How Washington is Betraying America’s Young (Encounter Books; May 12, 2015), Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Jared Meyer reveal that the millennials’ plight is the result of a generational war taking place in Washington, one in which government policies are systematically stacked against young Americans to bolster their elders.

Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer argue that “this is the first generation of young Americans that our government systematically disfavors and the first generation of Americans whose prospects are lower than those of their parents.”

Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer tell the personal stories of young people Washington has left behind and indicts the policies that are holding them back such as:

• Expanding entitlement benefits that support older Americans at the expense of younger Americans
• The Affordable Care Act’s higher health insurance premiums for young Americans
• Tenure laws that favor older, often ill-qualified teachers at the expense of quality education
• Shuffling of students into four-year colleges regardless of their aptitude, resulting in students drowning in debt with very few job prospects
• Minimum wage laws that make it difficult for young and low-skilled workers to acquire valuable work experience
• Disinherited is a timely book and a warning call to all Americans—young and old—because a country that betrays its young will never fully prosper.

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 is a columnist for MarketWatch.com, 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 government regulations. Meyer is a regular contributor to Economics21, The Washington Examiner, RealClearEnergy.org, and City Journal.

“This is the book you absolutely need to read if you are a millennial or if you care about one! Arm yourself with the numbers Washington would rather you didn’t focus on.”
— The Honorable Elaine L. Chao, 24th U.S. Secretary of Labor (2001-2009)

“The Boomers inherited a world of possibility; they are about to bequeath a mountain of debt. But the future should belong to the young, and Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer show it’s not too late to change course.”
— Blake Masters, Co-author with Peter Thiel of Zero To One (2014), #1 New York Times Bestseller

“In so many ways, public policy is tilted against the young, yet the power is held by those much older. Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer apply a keen eye and a great way with words to showing how in great detail this has got to change. If this book doesn’t make the younger generation mad, I don’t know what else will.”
— Robert Litan, Non-resident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, Author of Trillion Dollar Economists (2014)

“America’s youngest generation is facing unprecedented, multi-faceted challenges. In their new book Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer expose the role an overbearing federal government has played in derailing the future of our children. We need to fix this national scandal. Thank you, Diana and Jared.”
— Jim Blasingame, Author of The Age Of The Customer, Host of the radio program The Small Business Advocate

“The millennials are on their way toward becoming the first generation to achieve a lower standard of living than their parents—and that is not happening by accident. It is instead, as Furchtgott-Roth and Meyer show, a matter of making choices—a matter of poor policy choices and opportunities missed.”
— Kevin Williamson, Roving Correspondent, National Review, Author of The End Is Near and It’s Going To Be Awesome (2013)

“Politicians talk endlessly about the benefits of their programs and regulations they impose on us. This book shows some of the so-called ‘unintended consequences’ that especially hurt young people. Its message should be read and remembered by voters everywhere.”
— Allan H. Meltzer, Allan Meltzer University Professor of Political Economy, Carnegie Mellon University

REVIEWS

How Lawmakers Have Betrayed Our Children, and How We Can Fix It, Heartland, 12-14-15
Americans of Today Ignore Interests of Those to Come, East Valley Tribune, 08-13-15
Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young, Conservative Book Club, 08-12-15
How the Federal Government Betrayed Millennials, Veronique de Rugy, 08-06-15
Letter To A New Voter, Amity Shlaes, 07-29-15
How Millennials Can Turn a Bleak Future Bright, Candice DiLavore, Values and Capitalism, 07-15-15
Millennials and the Elderly, Herbert W. Stupp, The American Spectator, 06-26-15
‘Disinherited’ Shows Destructive Effects of Government Intervention on Youth, Johannes Schmidt, Atlas Network, 06-23-15
The Cynical Political Double-Cross Of Young Americans, Grace-Marie Turner, Forbes.com, 06-23-15
Generation Gaps, Robert Verbruggen, National Review, 06-22-15
Granny Gobbles up the Goodies, Suzanne Fields, Washington Times, 06-17-15
Book Review: Disinherited, Salim Furth, The Daily Signal, 06-08-15
What Does Washington Have Against Kids?, John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 05-27-15
Millennial Malaise: Reversing the ‘disinheritance’ of America’s Young, Lou Ann Anderson, Watchdog, 05-26-15
Government Hurdles Await New College Grads, Abby W. Schachter, Pittsburgh Tribune, 05-23-15
Book Review: ‘Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young’, Alex Verkhivker, America's Future Foundation, 05-22-15
Book Review: "Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Youth”, Randal John Meyer, Orange County Register, 05-19-15
Disinherited: How Washington is Betraying America’s Youth, Chris Sonzogni, GenFKD, 05-18-15
Conservative Writers Tackle Funny Side of Being a Father, Alan Wallace, Pittsburgh Tribune, 05-16-15
Isn't It Time to Stop Betraying America's Young?, Charlotte Hays, Independent Women's Forum, 05-15-15
How The Old-School Education Model Hurts Students, Jason Russell, Washington Examiner, 05-12-15
Review: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young, Matthew Sabas, Townhall.com, 05-12-15
Disinherited: How Food Service’s Tablet Revolution NAILS The Debate On Minimum Wage, Connor D. Wolf, The Daily Caller, 05-11-15
The State Against The Millennials, John Tamny, Forbes.com, 05-10-15
Book Review: ‘Disinherited: How Washington is Betraying America’s Young’, Sarah Stanley, Action Institute, 05-05-15
Disinherited: How the Old Use DC to Steal from the Young, Nick Zaiac, PanAm Post, 05-04-15
Review – Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young, Carrie Sheffield, Opportunity Lives, 04-15-15

AUTHOR OP-EDS

How Millennials Get the Short End of the Policy Stick, National Review, 06-26-15
Millennials and the GOP: The Need to Restore Lost Economic Opportunity to America’s Young, Republican Policy Committee, 06-23-15
The Transatlantic war on Millennials, CapX, 06-18-15
The Affordable Care Act Is Unaffordable for the Young, Tax Notes, 06-15-15
Old Money: How the Fed’s Actions Harm Millennials, Sound Money Project, 06-08-15
Millennials Can't Afford to Ignore Washington, RealClearPolitics, 05-30-15
Disinherited, Future of Capitalism, 05-26-15
Regulation's Stranglehold On Millennials' Futures, Forbes, 05-25-15
How Occupational Licensing Harms the Young, RealClearPolicy, 05-22-15
Washington Is Betraying America’s Young, Tax Notes, 05-21-15
Obamacare Is a Horror Story for Young Americans, National Review, 05-19-15
Dear Class of 2015, You’re in Big Trouble, Wall Street Journal, 05-13-15
The Free Market’s Cost Is the True Cost, New York Times Room for Debate, 05-12-15
Education Reform That Works, City Journal, 05-12-15
How Government Debt Disinherited the Next Generation…and How To Fix It, Fiscal Times, 05-12-15
College Grads are Drowning in Student Loan Debt, GenFKD, 05-12-15
Community Colleges Offer Low-Cost Path To Well-Paying Jobs, Daily Caller, 05-11-15
Young Americans Have Yet Another Debt Burden, Wall Street Journal, 05-11-15
Unpaid Internships: Do As Congress Says, Not As It Does, The Federalist, 05-11-15
The Young Lose From a Higher Minimum Wage, Townhall.com, 05-09-15
Teachers' Unions Throw Students Under the Bus, RealClearMarkets, 05-07-15
Occupational Licensing Laws Hurt New Graduates, Watchdog.org, 05-07-15

TELEVISION

Author Jared Meyer Explains Negative Impacts of Raising the Minimum Wage, MacIver Institute, 08-11-15
Author Jared Meyer Goes After Burdensome Government Regulations, MacIver Institute, 08-07-15
Author Jared Meyer Talks About the Future of Young People in America, Generation Opportunity, 07-09-15
Millennials and the GOP, House Republican Policy Committee, 06-23-15
EWTN News Nightly with Brian Patrick, 06-08-15
Why Millennials Are Leaning Conservative in 2015, Fox News, 05-14-15
"The Hard Line" with Ed Berliner, 05-12-15
The Millennials’ Raw Deal, Wall Street Opinion Journal, 05-11-15

EVENTS

Millennials Tell Government to Back Off, MacIver Institute, 07-31-15
Rising to the Challenge: The Need To Fix Entitlement Programs, American Action Forum, 07-15-15
Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America's Young, The Federalist Society, 07-14-15
Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young, Heritage Foundation, 06-08-15
Book Discussion on Disinherited, CSPAN, 05-20-15
Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young, Family Research Council, 05-19-15

PODCASTS

Washington’s Betrayal of America’s Young, Acton Institute, 07-22-15
Washington’s War on the Young, Ayn Rand Institute, 07-21-15
Washington and Westminster’s War on Young People, Young Voices, 06-09-15
Red State, "Coffee and Markets", 05-27-15
RealClearRadio
Hark, "Federalist Radio Hour", 05-15-15
Five Ways the State Is Stiffing the Young, "Tom Woods Show", 05-14-15
Independent Women's Forum

RADIO

Steve Mayo Show
"Small Business Advocate with Jim Blasingame, 07-15-15
Sack Heads Radio Show, 07-08-15
Jim Bohannon Show, 07-06-15
American Family Association, "Today's Issues," 05-27-15
Wisconsin's Public Radio, "The Joy Cardin Show", 05-21-15
"Small Business Advocate with Jim Blasingame", 05-18-15
1320 WILS "Capital City Recap with Michael Cohen", 05-15-15
Conserative Talk Radio "David Boze Show", 05-07-15
Epic Times "Jerry Doyle Show", 03-30-15