This is really pretty, but if we're going to argue about generational balance of power, we really need some information on when each generation became old enough to join the Senate.
I've tweaked the graphic to add a marker for when the eldest members of each generation hit age 40. This isn't the minimum legal age to become a Senator, but in practice it's a good consistent milepost.
You can see the pattern much more clearly. While /u/deliciousmonster says the Boomers "got off to an exceptionally slow start", they entered the Senate in small numbers at about the same age the Silent Generation did. The real standout is Generation X, who were delayed by a whole decade compared to the previous two generations.
The millennials are also joining a bit later for their age than the Boomers did, but much younger than Generation X.
The first Boomer senators were elected at age 33 (Quayle, Nickles.)
The first GenX senators were elected at age 40-43 (Rubio, Ayotte, Lee.)
The first Millennial senator was elected at age 33 (Ossoff.)
![image showing [OC] Which Generation Controls the Senate?](ccfd34a2-ac85-53dc-81b3-48c6247e8a57.jpg)
getthegreenguy on January 21st, 2021 at 15:25 UTC »
Who’s the one poor soul representing Millennials right now? Ossoff I guess?
workingatbeingbetter on January 21st, 2021 at 15:49 UTC »
Since there are a number of different ways to define generations, this is what OP is using:
Name Birth Years Missionary Generation 1860-1882 Lost Generation 1883-1900 Greatest Generation 1901-1927 Silent Generation 1928-1945 Baby Boomers 1946-1964 Generation X 1965-1980 Millennials 1981-1996EDIT: I tried to make a table on mobile. I failed. I’ll change it when I get home. Fixed for formatting.
agate_ on January 21st, 2021 at 18:04 UTC »
This is really pretty, but if we're going to argue about generational balance of power, we really need some information on when each generation became old enough to join the Senate.
I've tweaked the graphic to add a marker for when the eldest members of each generation hit age 40. This isn't the minimum legal age to become a Senator, but in practice it's a good consistent milepost.
https://imgur.com/a/2le904A
You can see the pattern much more clearly. While /u/deliciousmonster says the Boomers "got off to an exceptionally slow start", they entered the Senate in small numbers at about the same age the Silent Generation did. The real standout is Generation X, who were delayed by a whole decade compared to the previous two generations.
The millennials are also joining a bit later for their age than the Boomers did, but much younger than Generation X.
The first Boomer senators were elected at age 33 (Quayle, Nickles.)
The first GenX senators were elected at age 40-43 (Rubio, Ayotte, Lee.)
The first Millennial senator was elected at age 33 (Ossoff.)