(DCNF)—Fox News host Jesse Watters on Thursday lambasted members of Gen Z who supported left-wing Democrats, questioning if they did so out of “laziness.”
Left-wing Democrats aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) recently won multiple primary elections in New York and Colorado — in some cases defeating established incumbents — with the support of Gen Z voters. Following a ten-minute monologue by Watters taking aim at elected officials and candidates backed by the left-wing group, he and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt debated whether Gen Z backed DSA-affiliated candidates out of “laziness.”
“Some of these kids— and I call them ‘kids’ because they’re in their 20s and they’ve never had real jobs and they’re complaining things are expensive. Yes, things are expensive when you don’t have a real job. Do you think that’s getting traction, complaining?” Watters asked Leavitt after the two of them discussed the rise of the DSA’s influence in the Democratic Party.
“Unfortunately, I do, because this generation — my generation, I hate to say it — Gen Z and those younger than me, have been raised with just silver spoons in their mouths, just getting everything handed to them,” Leavitt responded. “That’s not the values this country was [sic] built on. It was built on meritocracy and hard work, pulling up your sleeves, pulling yourself up from your bootstraps, and achieving the American dream. And we need to protect it with all we got.”
Leavitt appeared to blame “liberal indoctrination” more than “laziness” for the members of Generation Z backing left-wing candidates when discussing the trend with Watters.
“Is it laziness?” Watters asked, with Leavitt responding, “A little bit.”
“Is it because the professor said, ‘[The] country’s corrupt, it’s evil, and we just need to shake them down, hand money out’?” Watters followed up.
“It’s laziness and it’s the liberal indoctrination,” Leavitt replied. “You bring up a great point about our education system.”
The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to the White House for comment.
Members of Generation Z were born between 1997 and 2012, according to Beresford Research, a market research firm based out of Annapolis, Md. The Center for Generational Kinetics additionally notes this generation was particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, significant gaps in learning emerged from the prevalence of remote learning as opposed to in-person schooling among the generation, which grew up with smartphones and social media.
Leavitt and Watters’s comments drew fire from Nalin Haley, the 24-year-old son of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
“Ironically, calling an entire generation lazy instead of addressing real problems with cost of living, housing, and employment…IS LAZY. It’s tough even for people that work hard, save, and have good jobs,” Haley posted Friday to X. “The goal of every generation is to leave it better than you found it. That’s simply not happening.”
“Even as a young person, the country I grew up in is becoming unrecognizable. It’s not complaining to want the same quality of life as our parents and grandparents,” Haley continued. “I have yet to see Democrats or Republicans address this issue properly. Economically, they’re one and the same because they’re both controlled by elites and corporate interests. The party that actually starts listening to real everyday Americans first is the party of the future.”
The Department of the Treasury in December 2024 reported the costs of “housing, childcare, healthcare and education” had exceeded the growth in wages since 1990, while non-housing debt almost doubled from 1989 to 2022. Furthermore, many in Generation Z are still living with their parents, according to the agency’s study.
During the Biden administration, inflation hit levels not seen in four decades, with prices rising by over 20%, while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) reached a high of 9% in June 2022. Some experts believed the Biden administration’s hostility to fossil fuel production and massive spending helped fuel such price increases.
Unemployment rates for members of Generation Z have also been higher than the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The unemployment rate for those aged 16-19 reached 14.6% in June 2026, while those aged 20-24 were found to have had an unemployment rate of 7.1%, compared to an overall unemployment rate of 4.2%.
When the first members of Generation Z were born in 1997, the national debt was $5.7 trillion, according to U.S. Debt Clock. The national debt as of Thursday was $39.375 trillion, an increase of nearly 591%.
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.