Washington, DC – (1/5/12) – Generation Opportunity President Paul T. Conway, former Chief of Staff of the US Department of Labor, responds to today’s announcement by the White House of a Summer Jobs+ initiative:

“After all but ignoring the negative impact the poor economy has had on the lives and dreams of young Americans, the Obama Administration today announced a short-term effort to create temporary opportunities for young people through a mix of ‘internships, mentoring relationships and job shadowing programs.’ Ironically, after gluing the feet of the private sector to the floor through more regulations, higher taxes, and an anti-business/anti-job creation agenda, they are now asking employers to run full speed ahead and hire young workers. The reality is that the private sector would already be hiring and would have real, challenging, and satisfying jobs available for young people to launch them into their careers were it not for the extreme amount of government intervention in the private sector through job killing regulations and taxes.

“If Washington leaders want to show true empathy for those without jobs and have a real impact, they would stop pretending they have any expertise with job creation, admit their policies are the barriers to youth employment, and let private employers do what they do best.”

Generation Opportunity commissioned a poll with the polling company, inc./WomanTrend (April 16 – 22, 2011, +/- 4% margin of error) and a highlighted result for all young Americans ages 18-29 appears below:

Delayed Dreams Resulting from a Poor Economy:

• 77% of young people ages 18-29 either have or will delay a major life change or purchase due to economic factors:

44% delay buying a home;

28% delay saving for retirement;

27% delay paying off student loans or other debt;

27% delay going back to school/getting more education or training;

26% delay changing jobs/cities;

23% delay starting a family;

18% delay getting married.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY