Aging in America, Part Five :: California - A Case in Point

The aging of America has vast economic and political implications. According to the 2013 report "Social Security's Impact on the National Economy," by the AARP Public Policy Institute, "The impact of Social Security benefits... is significant in every state - whether big or small, rural or non-rural. Not surprisingly, California, with the largest economy of the 50 states, showed the biggest employment, output and tax revenue impacts, with 888,000 jobs, $147.4 billion in output and $8.7 billion in state and local tax revenues from spending these benefits [Social Security benefits] in the state. In Florida, the state showing the second largest impact, Social Security benefit payments supported 739,000 jobs and accounted for $107.8 billion in output and $5.6 billion in state and local tax revenues."

According to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), roughly one out of five Californians 65 and up is living in poverty. Wikipedia indicates that of the total U.S. population, California ranks first among states with citizens living in poverty, one in four, compared to the national average of one out of eight. These statistics have significant political and economic implications for California, which require more in-depth study that cannot be fully addressed in this space.

Those economic effects have political implications. Referenced here are likely California voter facts quoted from "The Age Gap In California Politics," authored by Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek and Jui Shrestha, "The age gap in registration rates and likelihood of voting persists." In summary, older Californians are more interested in politics and trust state government less. Younger Californians are more liberal, while older voters are more partisan and conservative.

51% of young Californians express little or no interest in politics.

33% of the state's adult population is age 18 to 34 and of them, 18% are likely to vote.

(The shares of middle-aged likely voters is about equal.)

Additionally, "California's racial/ethnic and immigrant composition varies across age groups. The distribution of race/ethnicity and immigration status across age groups reflects a rapidly changing social landscape. Latinos outnumber whites in the youngest age group (45% to 26%), while whites outnumber Latinos in the oldest age category (71% to 14%).

"The share of Asians declines with age. The proportion of blacks is similar across all age groups. Similar proportions of those in the youngest (21%) and oldest (22%) age groups are immigrants, while those in the 35 to 44 age group are most likely to be immigrants (48%)."

In short, voter registration and voting in California increases sharply with age. Those wishing to run for or stay in elected offices are going to need to be mindful of an aging California and America. The significant economic impact on all sectors of the economy, society, culture, family life and the standards of living we have come to expect cannot be swept under the rug any longer. The crisis is upon us.

In part six, the final in this series on the implications of an Aging America, the investigation is about what is being done in San Diego and elsewhere to address the aging crisis.