Although Americans of all ages have endured the economic and social changes of the post-industrial era, today's young people are the first to experience its full weight as they try to start their adult lives. But the challenges facing young adults also reflect the failure of public policy to address the changing realities of building a life in the 21st century. As America's new grads and young workers are trying to get into the middle class, they're being hit by a one-two punch: the economy no longer generates widespread opportunity and our public policy is not picking up the slack, much less planning for long-term economic challenges.
