I was having breakfast with my uncle last week, who happens to be a lifelong Republican, when our conversation turned to politics. We typically steer clear of politics, given the mixed party affiliations at the table, so I was surprised when he said he would have a hard time supporting Donald Trump in the upcoming elections. He bluntly stated, "He is just SO dumb!" His son, also a Republican, shared the sentiment. However, neither of them particularly favors Joe Biden either.
On the other hand, my fiancée and her sister, despite being Democrats, have their reservations about Joe Biden, feeling he's not progressive enough. That makes four people I know who, if asked, would express disapproval of Biden, yet might still find themselves voting for him. I wonder if this sentiment is reflected in polling data or if it's merely anecdotal. Is there evidence suggesting this is a broader trend? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Trump is clearly ramping up the “rigged” election talk, and it will most certainly only increase. What, if anything, can happen—either before or on election day—to possibly stop what may now be the inevitable “hair on fire” speech at 10:00 pm on election nite if things don’t seem to be going DJT’s way? Thank you!
Ok, so here's the question I've been trying to find an answer to for awhile: How do you- or how does anyone- keep your anxiety/mentality/emotions in control in the face of all that's happening now and may well happen in November? I'm a high school history and government teacher, and it feels like our electorate has only limited knowledge of either of those topics, which is leading us (further) down a deep, dark hole. I'm struggling a bit to maintain an even keel over all this, and I don't think I'm alone in that. Any suggestions outside of drinking heavily or putting my head in the sand...?
Bradley - Excellent question. I am also a government teacher and I really struggle with trying to maintain that even keel.
While I work diligently to be objective, it's impossible to run from the abnormality of the situation. I try to highlight that with kids as much as possible, without being heavy handed. But, sadly, as you said, much of our electorate simply does not care. In a classroom of 30-40, I know that on the daily only 10-12 of those are paying attention. And I'd say half of those are only being rituallistacally compliant. So the half that are paying attention in our classrooms(or at least mine....through very unscientific observation!) seems in line w the rest of the electorate.
I wish I had more for you but keep fighting the good fight. Remember that there are kids listening and impacted by your efforts to enlighten while be fair-minded. Reaching and impacting ONE kid is more than many do in a lifetime.
House Republicans are saying that no new legislation is need to "fix the border", and that Biden could fix the border problems by taking Executive Action. How much validity does this argument have?
Welcome back, Chris!! I did miss you and your emails. I look forward to your post about how your mini Spring break was for you & your family.
Re TFG's legal delay tactics - annoying as heck, more so because they seem to be working. But the premise is that he would win in November. What if he doesn't win and all those cases can move forward? You've mentioned that he will have a hold on the R party and be a prominent figure in politics until he dies...do you think if he were to lose the election (I know he will claim he didn't) and he is tried and hopefully convicted of some of his 80+ indictments that his grip lessens and he begins to fade into oblivion? Simplistic wishful thinking on my part?
Another question - what are your thoughts about the dangers of someone (or some country) coming to his rescue so he can post the 500+ MM bond and then use that for "favors" if he makes it back to the White House?
What kind of bloodbath will we have if Trump wins? Can we expect purges, including from among their followers, such as many dictators had? Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro …..
Liz Cheney said she would not be a Republican if Trump was the nominee. We'll, he's the nominee. Will she be changing her affiliation to an independent? What are the chances she explicitly endorses Biden?
First, I don’t think she will change her party affiliation. Second, I think her help is minimal to Biden since she doesn’t like the McCains have strong roots in AZ, and Wyoming is unquestionably red state. Third, I think she might run for president herself, such as running for no labels platform.
Many legal analysts have opined that Judge Aileen Cannon is blatantly favoring Donald Trump in her rulings for the Florida Documents case (particularly regarding recent rulings), and hypothesizing about her removal as the presiding judge. Can the 11th Circuit Court just step in and replace her, or does it have to be done via a filing from Jack Smith's team? If that were to happen, does the Trump team have an option to appeal the decision (e.g. if it was a decision by a 3-judge panel, could Trump request the full Circuit Court review the decision)? And, if it were to happen, would that add another delay while a new judge got up to speed on the current status of the case. It seems a no-nonsense judge would speed things up by denying unsupportable motions and filings from the Trump defense team.
Glad you had time with your family, Chris! Our kids grow older fast (my boys are now 30, 28, and 27), so enjoy this time while you have it!
So there are a *lot* of opinions about poll results, particularly this far from the election, but more than whether they’re right or wrong in their conclusions, one thing that can be instructive is the change over time of these same polls. We’re now seeing these same polls that had Trump at a slight edge now indicating that Biden has the slight edge.
From Jan/Feb timeframe to March:
Emerson +1 Trump now +2 Biden
TIPP +2 Trump now +2 Biden
Ipsos +0 (tied) now +2 Biden
KFF +4 Trump now +3 Biden
Civiqs +0 (tied) now +1 Biden
FAU +4 Trump now +2 Biden
You’ve commented a *LOT* about the polls, so what do you think of this slow but steady change in each poll, relative to where they were just a few months ago? What does that tell us? What is your analysis of these changes? Will it matter for November? Will it change the media’s “narrative” at all?
OK, that’s more than one question, Chris! Answer whichever one is more interesting to you! 😉
I'm in grumpy old man mode. Why? Where to begin? Like so many others, I am frustrated to see "your favorite president" gaming the system to use the very principles and safeguards he rails against to protect him from accountability for the various crimes he has been charged with committing. I'm frustrated that the Democrats have been letting Republican narratives that bear little resemblance to reality go essentially unchallenged. I'm frustrated that a small group of elected or appointed officials are promoting and, in a growing number of cases, implementing agendas that completely disregard the will of the majority of the constituency they were elected or appointed to serve. And, to add insult to injury, I'm now being told by CNN.com that I must sign up for a free account or be limited to the number of stories I can access each day. To quote Bill H. in CNN customer support: "We are constantly working to create a more relevant news experience for our users, and are asking some users to register and create free CNN accounts in order to get access to more CNN content, exclusive features and services.
Registration is completely free and any information you provide, including your email address will comply with our privacy policy. Also, if you chose not to register, you can still access several articles a day without registering."
What kind of nonsense is this? My reply to Bill H.: "I appreciate the response, but I’m not interested in sharing any of my personal information at this time. Maybe if you send me your personal information first, I’ll reconsider."
Do you see light anywhere at the end of the tunnel?
Either way, thanks for letting me vent...and keep up the good work.
Curious your thoughts about how the press should cover Trump, particularly in terms of trying to say he and Biden are basically equal in terms of who they are, it's just that one is a Democrat and the other is a Republican (in theory). I find it a disservice to make this equivalency. Trump is a proven liar, tax cheat, wanna-be dictator, and so much more (none of which is good). I realize repeating this over and over again may not make for thrilling news, but it's the truth and not brining it up every time Trump is covered seems to me to be a dereliction of duty. Also, the apparently prevailing belief that somehow their are guardrails keep him and his supporters from going too far (if elected), seems naive at best. I don't know how he can't be seen (and treated) as a threat to the future of this country. Thoughts?
I know that a sitting president can't or won't be put on trial in a court of law. That said, if he wins, what protections does Trump have, exactly? Also- which cases can still be pursued after his term ends...assuming he and his "people" allow it to end... and would they be?
Hi Chris
I was having breakfast with my uncle last week, who happens to be a lifelong Republican, when our conversation turned to politics. We typically steer clear of politics, given the mixed party affiliations at the table, so I was surprised when he said he would have a hard time supporting Donald Trump in the upcoming elections. He bluntly stated, "He is just SO dumb!" His son, also a Republican, shared the sentiment. However, neither of them particularly favors Joe Biden either.
On the other hand, my fiancée and her sister, despite being Democrats, have their reservations about Joe Biden, feeling he's not progressive enough. That makes four people I know who, if asked, would express disapproval of Biden, yet might still find themselves voting for him. I wonder if this sentiment is reflected in polling data or if it's merely anecdotal. Is there evidence suggesting this is a broader trend? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Trump is clearly ramping up the “rigged” election talk, and it will most certainly only increase. What, if anything, can happen—either before or on election day—to possibly stop what may now be the inevitable “hair on fire” speech at 10:00 pm on election nite if things don’t seem to be going DJT’s way? Thank you!
Ok, so here's the question I've been trying to find an answer to for awhile: How do you- or how does anyone- keep your anxiety/mentality/emotions in control in the face of all that's happening now and may well happen in November? I'm a high school history and government teacher, and it feels like our electorate has only limited knowledge of either of those topics, which is leading us (further) down a deep, dark hole. I'm struggling a bit to maintain an even keel over all this, and I don't think I'm alone in that. Any suggestions outside of drinking heavily or putting my head in the sand...?
Bradley - Excellent question. I am also a government teacher and I really struggle with trying to maintain that even keel.
While I work diligently to be objective, it's impossible to run from the abnormality of the situation. I try to highlight that with kids as much as possible, without being heavy handed. But, sadly, as you said, much of our electorate simply does not care. In a classroom of 30-40, I know that on the daily only 10-12 of those are paying attention. And I'd say half of those are only being rituallistacally compliant. So the half that are paying attention in our classrooms(or at least mine....through very unscientific observation!) seems in line w the rest of the electorate.
I wish I had more for you but keep fighting the good fight. Remember that there are kids listening and impacted by your efforts to enlighten while be fair-minded. Reaching and impacting ONE kid is more than many do in a lifetime.
Welcome back! Of course you were missed!
House Republicans are saying that no new legislation is need to "fix the border", and that Biden could fix the border problems by taking Executive Action. How much validity does this argument have?
Welcome back, Chris!! I did miss you and your emails. I look forward to your post about how your mini Spring break was for you & your family.
Re TFG's legal delay tactics - annoying as heck, more so because they seem to be working. But the premise is that he would win in November. What if he doesn't win and all those cases can move forward? You've mentioned that he will have a hold on the R party and be a prominent figure in politics until he dies...do you think if he were to lose the election (I know he will claim he didn't) and he is tried and hopefully convicted of some of his 80+ indictments that his grip lessens and he begins to fade into oblivion? Simplistic wishful thinking on my part?
Another question - what are your thoughts about the dangers of someone (or some country) coming to his rescue so he can post the 500+ MM bond and then use that for "favors" if he makes it back to the White House?
Let’s talk bloodbath.
What kind of bloodbath will we have if Trump wins? Can we expect purges, including from among their followers, such as many dictators had? Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro …..
Welcome back!
So… if Donald Trump declares bankruptcy to evade judgment, what happens then?
Liz Cheney said she would not be a Republican if Trump was the nominee. We'll, he's the nominee. Will she be changing her affiliation to an independent? What are the chances she explicitly endorses Biden?
First, I don’t think she will change her party affiliation. Second, I think her help is minimal to Biden since she doesn’t like the McCains have strong roots in AZ, and Wyoming is unquestionably red state. Third, I think she might run for president herself, such as running for no labels platform.
Many legal analysts have opined that Judge Aileen Cannon is blatantly favoring Donald Trump in her rulings for the Florida Documents case (particularly regarding recent rulings), and hypothesizing about her removal as the presiding judge. Can the 11th Circuit Court just step in and replace her, or does it have to be done via a filing from Jack Smith's team? If that were to happen, does the Trump team have an option to appeal the decision (e.g. if it was a decision by a 3-judge panel, could Trump request the full Circuit Court review the decision)? And, if it were to happen, would that add another delay while a new judge got up to speed on the current status of the case. It seems a no-nonsense judge would speed things up by denying unsupportable motions and filings from the Trump defense team.
Glad you had time with your family, Chris! Our kids grow older fast (my boys are now 30, 28, and 27), so enjoy this time while you have it!
So there are a *lot* of opinions about poll results, particularly this far from the election, but more than whether they’re right or wrong in their conclusions, one thing that can be instructive is the change over time of these same polls. We’re now seeing these same polls that had Trump at a slight edge now indicating that Biden has the slight edge.
From Jan/Feb timeframe to March:
Emerson +1 Trump now +2 Biden
TIPP +2 Trump now +2 Biden
Ipsos +0 (tied) now +2 Biden
KFF +4 Trump now +3 Biden
Civiqs +0 (tied) now +1 Biden
FAU +4 Trump now +2 Biden
You’ve commented a *LOT* about the polls, so what do you think of this slow but steady change in each poll, relative to where they were just a few months ago? What does that tell us? What is your analysis of these changes? Will it matter for November? Will it change the media’s “narrative” at all?
OK, that’s more than one question, Chris! Answer whichever one is more interesting to you! 😉
Hi Chris,
I'm in grumpy old man mode. Why? Where to begin? Like so many others, I am frustrated to see "your favorite president" gaming the system to use the very principles and safeguards he rails against to protect him from accountability for the various crimes he has been charged with committing. I'm frustrated that the Democrats have been letting Republican narratives that bear little resemblance to reality go essentially unchallenged. I'm frustrated that a small group of elected or appointed officials are promoting and, in a growing number of cases, implementing agendas that completely disregard the will of the majority of the constituency they were elected or appointed to serve. And, to add insult to injury, I'm now being told by CNN.com that I must sign up for a free account or be limited to the number of stories I can access each day. To quote Bill H. in CNN customer support: "We are constantly working to create a more relevant news experience for our users, and are asking some users to register and create free CNN accounts in order to get access to more CNN content, exclusive features and services.
Registration is completely free and any information you provide, including your email address will comply with our privacy policy. Also, if you chose not to register, you can still access several articles a day without registering."
What kind of nonsense is this? My reply to Bill H.: "I appreciate the response, but I’m not interested in sharing any of my personal information at this time. Maybe if you send me your personal information first, I’ll reconsider."
Do you see light anywhere at the end of the tunnel?
Either way, thanks for letting me vent...and keep up the good work.
Yes!!! I am very glad you are back so that when I check daily I find something!!! :)
Me too!
I did miss you! Looked for post..lol. Can't wait to hear about trip!
I was looking for posts too!
Curious your thoughts about how the press should cover Trump, particularly in terms of trying to say he and Biden are basically equal in terms of who they are, it's just that one is a Democrat and the other is a Republican (in theory). I find it a disservice to make this equivalency. Trump is a proven liar, tax cheat, wanna-be dictator, and so much more (none of which is good). I realize repeating this over and over again may not make for thrilling news, but it's the truth and not brining it up every time Trump is covered seems to me to be a dereliction of duty. Also, the apparently prevailing belief that somehow their are guardrails keep him and his supporters from going too far (if elected), seems naive at best. I don't know how he can't be seen (and treated) as a threat to the future of this country. Thoughts?
I know that a sitting president can't or won't be put on trial in a court of law. That said, if he wins, what protections does Trump have, exactly? Also- which cases can still be pursued after his term ends...assuming he and his "people" allow it to end... and would they be?