State Sen. Amanda McGill made her debut in the world in 1980, the same year CNN signed on.

Three years earlier, the year "Star Wars," the movie, came to theaters, two other Nebraska senators — Philip Erdman and Danielle Nantkes — came to life.

All three are on the young side of  Generation X or the beginning of Generation Y, and as the ranks of those young politicians grow in the state Legislature — six new members born since 1965 join four others already there — an independent, diverse and wireless generation is making its mark.

They grew up in an age that sent both parents out of the house and into the workforce, that televised wars and showed — in painful detail —the flaws of presidents and high-powered leaders  on the nightly news.

The young senators grew up in the virtual world, using a keystroke to get information and communicate with friends all over the world.

Their most immediate impact may well be in beefing up technology in the Statehouse.

McGill, a Lincoln senator elected last month, learned recently that wireless technology is just being phased in to the legislative chamber and hearing rooms. And the senators' Fujitsu laptops don't have the capability for instant messaging.

"I love instant messaging," she said. "So I'm going to have to take a step back in that particular technology I like to use."

She has two cell phones, no land line, and recently bought a BlackBerry wireless handset.

Erdman, elected from Bayard in 2000, when he was 23, may be the only senator who has blogged about his legislative work. He designed Web sites in college and uses  his own, philiperdman.com, to communicate with constituents.

Nantkes, the recently elected senator from District 46 in north Lincoln, hasn't had a land line for four or five years. She has access to the Web on her cell phone, e-mails frequently and sends 50 to 100 text messages a day.

Legislators have used laptops in the chamber since 1997. During the session, they can hook up to  an Intranet to get a steady update on motions, amendments and the like, said Dick Brown, assistant clerk of the Legislature.

They and their constituents have access to videostreaming of all floor activity.

And their access to the Internet during floor debate allows them the luxury of independent research, minimizing dependence on lobbyists for information.

Up to now, there hasn’t been enough demand for the instant messaging, Brown said. But it’s possible it could be added.

 The rapid development of technology has caused Gen X’ers to adapt quickly to change, and to be impatient with a slow pace, which government can sometimes have. They want to make an immediate impact.

And they're focused on the future. How will taxes affect their lives  down the road? How can they invest in children to improve the state in coming decades? What can be done to stop the waves of young people   disappearing from the state for better jobs and more exciting lifestyles?

Thinking about living their entire adult lives under policies formed now brings a different perspective, Erdman said.

Both McGill and Nantkes were political science students of another new senator — Bill Avery of Lincoln, who was born in the bridge between the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers.

Avery says their willingness to serve in public office sets them somewhat apart from others in their generation.

Many of his students in this generation are career-driven and obsessed with their grade point averages, he said.

"They fight for every little fraction, one point on an exam." 

They view those grades as an important stepping stone to good careers, money and lifestyles, he said.

Former generations were more focused on doing the right thing, improving mankind and volunteering in the Peace Corps.

One of the youngest senators to ever serve in the Nebraska Legislature — Baby Boomer Steve Fowler — jumped into office in 1973 from his senior year in college to representing Lincoln’s 27th District. He was 22.

He made a difference quickly, he said, because this Legislature operates on decentralized power.

"Every member has influence from the day they're elected. The power is very distributed," said Fowler, who now lives in California and is a partner in FowlerHoffman, a communication advocacy firm.

Fowler was a University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus activist who beat popular incumbent William Swanson by a narrow margin.

But he was treated courteously, he said.

"Some folks like Senator (Jerome) Warner took time to listen to me and school me," he said.

Fowler stepped right into issues of environmental policy and women's rights, which were being handed down to the states. State governments became more assertive in setting policy and creating programs. And people had greater confidence in the ability of government to solve problems.

As a group, Generation X tends to be cynical about government, having seen many of its leaders' failures without the balance of true heroes emerging.

But these young senators have hope in the potential of government.

"I really don't believe government can be the answer for everything," Nantkes said. "I do think it can be a positive force in people's lives."

They agree a legislative body needs representatives from all generations.

In many ways, Erdman said, there’s not a lot of difference in the generations. Former Sen. Floyd Vrtiska was a half century older than him, but they voted together more times than not.

Nantkes says the Legislature achieves the best public policy by bringing the most diverse set of people to the table.

"The more perspectives we have, the better, more informed decisions we make," she said.

Youth is one factor in shaping the state's outlook, she said, but  definitely not the primary one.

McGill said she feels the younger senators will make an impact sooner, rather than later.

"But I do believe in sitting back and learning from the older  senators," she said. "We have just two years to learn from the people who have been there."

The addition of the younger members has piqued the interest in politics of other young Nebraskans.

Young people showed up to help in Nantkes' campaign and become engaged in others after hers ended successfully. Some of them, she said, are thinking about someday running for office themselves.

Many senators have legislative aides and administrative assistants who are members of Gens X and Y.

McGill's legislative aide is 24. Her administrative assistant was born in 1981.

"Other senators have young staffs," she said. "They are channeling young people into the system."

Avery's administrative assistant is 25.

Erdman said many young people feel they are in a holding pattern, that it will be 20 years before others will listen to them and to their ideas.

But he and the other young senators have an opportunity to break out of that pattern, to conduct themselves in such as way that it brings credibility to themselves and  others like them.

Former Sen. Fowler's advice to them is to stay centered and listen to people who will be honest with them.

They will get a lot of attention, he said, from all sorts of new friends.

"Keep a certain separation," he said. "Track a true course."

Reach JoAnne Young, a member of the Baby Boom generation, at 473-7228 or  jyoung@journalstar.com.