[Doug64]

Is it better for the country if the new Congress works with President-elect Joe Biden most of the time or opposes the president most of the time?

• It is better if the new Congress works with President-elect Joe Biden most of the time 53%
• It is better if the new Congress opposes the president most of the time 35%
• Not sure 12%

Republicans

• It is better if the new Congress works with President-elect Joe Biden most of the time 26%
• It is better if the new Congress opposes the president most of the time 57%
• Not sure 17%

Independents

• It is better if the new Congress works with President-elect Joe Biden most of the time 50%
• It is better if the new Congress opposes the president most of the time 36%
• Not sure 14%

Democrats

• It is better if the new Congress works with President-elect Joe Biden most of the time 81%
• It is better if the new Congress opposes the president most of the time 13%
• Not sure 6%

Interesting that the Democrats' "Not sure" number is half to one-third what it is for the other two, and that more than one in eight of them say the new Congress should oppose him most of the time. Makes you wonder just who those one in eight are.

[Doug64]

For a change, here's a couple polls that aren't from Rasmussen. From Axios/Ipsos:

How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

I am proud to be an American

• Strongly agree 50
• Somewhat agree 31
• Somewhat disagree 12
• Strongly disagree 5
• Skipped 2

Republicans

• Strongly agree 73
• Somewhat agree 20
• Somewhat disagree 5
• Strongly disagree 2
• Skipped *

Independents

• Strongly agree 48
• Somewhat agree 32
• Somewhat disagree 13
• Strongly disagree 6
• Skipped 2

Democrats

• Strongly agree 39
• Somewhat agree 40
• Somewhat disagree 15
• Strongly disagree 7
• Skipped --

America is falling apart

• Strongly agree 32
• Somewhat agree 47
• Somewhat disagree 16
• Strongly disagree 4
• Skipped 2

Republicans

• Strongly agree 41
• Somewhat agree 42
• Somewhat disagree 13
• Strongly disagree 3
• Skipped *

Independents

• Strongly agree 29
• Somewhat agree 48
• Somewhat disagree 18
• Strongly disagree 3
• Skipped 2

Democrats

• Strongly agree 29
• Somewhat agree 49
• Somewhat disagree 16
• Strongly disagree 7
• Skipped --

And Gallup has done its latest poll on US political ideology:

• Conservative 36
• Moderate 35
• Liberal 25

Republicans

• Conservative 75
• Moderate 20
• Liberal 5

Independents

• Conservative 29
• Moderate 48
• Liberal 20

Democrats

• Conservative 12
• Moderate 35
• Liberal 51

[Drlee]

Remember this poll the next time I assert that the Democratic Party is a slightly right of center party. And before you refer to defend anyone who calls the Democratic Party "liberal".

You will do that, won't you?

Thank you for posting this tidbit from Gallup. I will reference it periodically.

[Patrickov]

Remember this poll the next time I assert that the Democratic Party is a slightly right of center party.

I think it is all about relativity.

This poll suggests that there's no major leftist group at all in the United States, which means if leftists (leftards) need to find a platform which will even slightly listen to them it will be the Democrats.

This is similar to Hong Kong: Many, if not most, anti-Beijing politician and citizens care for the poor (no less because they are poor themselves) so their utopia is still leftist, but since the CCP had taken over the ultra-left spectrum they are inevitably considered right-wing. Indeed, some of them even embrace this and turned to Trumpism.

[Doug64]

@Drlee, thanks for pointing that out in time for me to fix it. That's Liberal 51 and Conservative 12.

[Drlee]

Liberals are not leftists @Patrickov

[Doug64]

@Drlee, I think you meant that for @Patrickov.

[Drlee]

Correct Doug. My apologies.

[Patrickov]

Liberals are not leftists.

I know that.

As I said, leftists in America have no one to turn to. For some reason, the Democrats seem more likely to listen to them than Republicans. This is different from equating them as leftist, but Democrats are, in this sense, relatively more left than Republicans.

In fact, Sanders once declared himself socialist, which indicates that the Democrats, despite being not leftist, must be more accommodating to leftists than Republicans.

[Drlee]

That's fair enough. We probably shouldn't use this thread but in a paragraph. There was a time when there were shared US values. The difference between the parties was not particularly significant. This is untrue now. Add to this twofold problem of co-opting terms and the insular messaging of social and even public media and we have the perfect storm for disunity. If you are a democrat or republican on Facebook, the algorithm that makes the site compelling (playing things you like) isolates you from debate from the other side. Twitter only plays to your biases. The bottom line is that we are two nations separated by the way we get our news. Why do Republicans believe the election was stolen? Because it is the only opinion that they hear that is not prefaced by the statement = "Lib'rals believe.....".

[annatar1914]

That's fair enough. We probably shouldn't use this thread but in a paragraph. There was a time when there were shared US values. The difference between the parties was not particularly significant. This is untrue now. Add to this twofold problem of co-opting terms and the insular messaging of social and even public media and we have the perfect storm for disunity. If you are a democrat or republican on Facebook, the algorithm that makes the site compelling (playing things you like) isolates you from debate from the other side. Twitter only plays to your biases. The bottom line is that we are two nations separated by the way we get our news. Why do Republicans believe the election was stolen? Because it is the only opinion that they hear that is not prefaced by the statement = "Lib'rals believe.....".

@Drlee ;

However, I believe that there are significant numbers of people who are politically independent and do not fit into the ''Conservative'' or ''Liberal'' mold in America. There are many people I know who are entirely ''Liberal'', except they vote ''Conservative'' because of Democrat support for abortion and other issues which alienate them from the Democrats. On the other hand, there are many people I know who are socially ''Conservative'' who cannot bring themselves to vote for a GOP candidate because of their economic policies.

It seems to be clear to me anyway that a party which was economically liberal and socially conservative would absolutely and overwhelmingly crush the party Duopoly which runs Washington today, if it could successfully arise. One then might therefore think that the two parties tailor their platforms the way they are for exactly that reason.

[Drlee]

It seems to be clear to me anyway that a party which was economically liberal and socially conservative would absolutely and overwhelmingly crush the party Duopoly which runs Washington today, if it could successfully arise. One then might therefore think that the two parties tailor their platforms the way they are for exactly that reason.

Well there has been talk of a "Christian Democratic Party" for a long time now. The problem with that these days is that what were once bedrock social norms, Gay bad, gay marriage worse, abortion = murder, and such no longer enjoy such broad public support. Gay marriage polls as pretty popular. Anti-abortion messaging has become Ban Abortion messaging and that polls poorly too. There is not a soul, when speaking of abortion, who speaks to concrete steps we can take to dramatically reduce the number of abortions in a nation that does not ban it. And there are such steps. So these one-issue voters, fed by single viewpoint "news" do not even think about alternative parties.

[Doug64]

Correct Doug. My apologies.

No problem. I have to agree, true Liberals still care about things like freedom of speech and association, rare on the Left in the US these days—though you still find some hints of it, like the ACLU’s warning about Big Social Media’s unchecked power after Trump was deplatformed. But you’re also right, this isn’t the thread for it, there’s the Ideology section for that. Come to think of it, I have a thread there I haven’t looked at in months.

[annatar1914]

Well there has been talk of a "Christian Democratic Party" for a long time now. The problem with that these days is that what were once bedrock social norms, Gay bad, gay marriage worse, abortion = murder, and such no longer enjoy such broad public support. Gay marriage polls as pretty popular. Anti-abortion messaging has become Ban Abortion messaging and that polls poorly too. There is not a soul, when speaking of abortion, who speaks to concrete steps we can take to dramatically reduce the number of abortions in a nation that does not ban it. And there are such steps. So these one-issue voters, fed by single viewpoint "news" do not even think about alternative parties.

@Drlee ;

I have a slight caveat about what you have said regarding traditional morality and it's expression within the popular will, but in any case I think once it got going such a party would have the effect I suggest.

And I might add, that it is precisely my consistent ethic of regard for all human life from the womb to natural death and beyond that makes me the Christian-and politically speaking, the Socialist-that I am.

[Doug64]

Here's this weekend's round-up of polls. Anyone that wants to check out any possible links over the next week can go to the link to the left. (Anyone wanting more details on a particular poll, just ask):

Twenty-three percent (23%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending January 7, 2021. This week’s finding is down three points from a week ago. It is the lowest number since President Trump was elected. The percentage of Likely U.S. Voters who said the country was heading in the right direction never previously fell below 24% during Trump’s presidency. This week's number is the lowest since the week of July 10-14, 2016, when just 21% said the country was heading in the right direction. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters believe the nation is headed down the wrong track, up two points from a week ago. A year ago at this time, 40% said the United States was heading in the right direction, while 55% said it was on the wrong track.

The Rasmussen Reports Immigration Index for the week of January 4-7, 2021 fell to 95.0 from 97.2 the week before. This is the lowest it’s been since December 2019. The Index has closed below its baseline for the past five weeks and eight out of the last nine weeks, indicating voters are looking for tighter immigration control from the incoming Biden administration.

28% of Likely U.S. Voters think U.S. taxpayers should pay reparations to black Americans who can prove they are descended from slaves. 58% are opposed to slavery reparations. Fourteen percent (14%) are undecided. Support for reparations has increased from 21% in April 2019; opposition is down from 66%. Whether or not they support reparations themselves, however, 53% of voters say it is at least somewhat likely that the government will approve reparations payments to slavery descendants with Biden in the White House and Democrats controlling Congress. Twenty-five percent (25%) say it is very likely the government will approve reparations payments, while 28% say it is not very likely, 12% say it is not at all likely and 7% are not sure. Remarkably, voter groups that are more opposed to reparations are slightly more likely to believe Biden and Congress will approve payments to descendants of slaves. For example, 66% of white voters oppose reparations, but 53% of whites say it is at least somewhat likely the government will approve such payments, whereas 60% of black voters support reparations, but only 45% of blacks think the government is at least somewhat likely to approve payments.

54% of Likely U.S. Voters say the news media have too much power and influence over government decisions, while 10% say the media don’t have enough power and 31% say the media have about the right amount of power. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of voters expect the news media’s influence to increase under Biden’s presidency, while 17% say media power will decrease and 39% expect it to stay about the same. Republicans are more than twice as likely as Democrats to say the media have too much influence. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of GOP voters say the media have too much power and influence over government, compared 34% of Democrats and 51% of voters not affiliated with either major party. President Trump has frequently accused the media of promoting “fake news” and not surprisingly, 92% of voters who strongly approve of Trump believe the media have too much influence. Among voters who strongly disapprove of Trump, 58% say the news media have too little power and influence over government.

20% of Likely U.S. Voters think it would be better for the country if Trump attends Biden’s inauguration next week. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 32% say it would be worse for the country if Trump attends Biden’s inauguration, and 41% say it will have no impact. Fifty-four percent (54%) say it is at least somewhat likely that there will be a peaceful transition of power from Trump to Biden, with 27% of those saying a peaceful transition is very likely. Twenty-three percent (23%) say a peaceful transition is not very likely, and 17% say it is not likely at all. A slender 51% majority of voters think it is at least somewhat likely President-elect Biden will be able to unite the country, with 22% of those saying it is very likely Biden can unite America, but a partisan divide is apparent in response to that question. While 80% of Democrats think it is at least somewhat likely Biden can unite the country, 49% of Republicans say it is not at all likely Americans will unite under Biden’s presidency.

28% of American Adults say America is winning the war against COVID-19. Fifty-three percent (53%) say the U.S. is not winning against the coronavirus and 19% are not sure. Forty-six percent (46%) say they’re personally more concerned about the health impact of the coronavirus, not much higher than the 42% who say they’re more concerned about the financial impact. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure which concerns them more. Partisanship affects how people view the coronavirus pandemic; 46% of Republicans say we’re winning the war on COVID-19, but 65% of Democrats say we are not. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 19% say America is winning against the coronavirus, 53% say we’re not and 27% are not sure.

41% of Likely U.S. Voters say life for the average American will change for the better with Democrats in control of the White House and both houses of Congress. Forty-four percent (44%) of voters expect life to get worse, 9% say it will have no impact on the life of the average American, and 6% say they’re not sure. Not surprisingly, expectations break down along party lines. Seventy-one percent (71%) of Democrats say life will get better for the average America now that Democrats are in charge in Washington, while 72% of GOP voters say life will get worse. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 50% say life will get worse with Democrats in control of the federal government, 33% say it will get better, and 10% expect life to stay about the same. A similar division is apparent when voters are asked if they expect politics in Washington to become more partisan or more cooperative over the next year. Sixty-six percent (66%) of Republicans expect partisanship to increase, while 50% of Democrats say D.C. politics will become more cooperative in the coming year. Among unaffiliated voters, 45% say politics will become more partisan, 30% expect more cooperation, and 25% are not sure.

50% of Likely U.S. Voters say Trump should be removed from office before January 20 because of last week’s riot at the Capitol by some of his supporters. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Democrats support removing Trump from office now, as do 23% of GOP voters and 41% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Asked if Trump should be prosecuted after he leaves office in connection with the Capitol riot, voters are evenly divided, with 48% in favor and 47% opposed to prosecution. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats say Trump should be prosecuted, while 75% of Republicans are opposed to such prosecution. Among unaffiliated voters, 50% are against prosecuting Trump after he leaves office, while 41% support prosecution. Media coverage since the Capitol riot apparently influences opinions about whether Trump should be removed from office and prosecuted. Among voters who say they have followed news stories about last week’s riot very closely, 75% say Trump should be removed from office before January 20, and the same percentage support prosecuting him after he leaves office.

And Trump's latest weekly approval numbers, not much difference from last week:


• Strongly Approve: 35% (-1)
  
• Strongly Disapprove: 42% (-1)
• Total Approve: 48%
• Total Disapprove: 52% (+1)

And over the past month:


• Strongly Approve: 34% (-1)
• Strongly Disapprove: 43%
• Total Approve: 47%
• Total Disapprove: 51%

[Doug64]

From a Politico/Morning Consult poll of Registered Voters:

• Illegal immigration is a “critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 35%
• Illegal immigration is “an important but not critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 34%
• Illegal immigration is “not an important threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next ten years: 21%
• Don’t know or have no opinion: 9%

Republicans

• Illegal immigration is a “critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 56%
• Illegal immigration is “an important but not critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 30%
• Illegal immigration is “not an important threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next ten years: 8%
• Don’t know or have no opinion: 6%

Independents

• Illegal immigration is a “critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 30%
• Illegal immigration is “an important but not critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 35%
• Illegal immigration is “not an important threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next ten years: 21%
• Don’t know or have no opinion: 14%

Democrats

• Illegal immigration is a “critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 23%
• Illegal immigration is “an important but not critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years: 38%
• Illegal immigration is “not an important threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next ten years: 32%
• Don’t know or have no opinion: 8%

[Drlee]

Uh Doug?

How about the same polls you used trying to sell Trump? Do you not want people to see how popular Biden is in comparison?

Immigration is off the table though it is a personal hot button for you.

We will have an immigration bill and it will pass. We will have some form of amnesty. Both the republicans and democrats want to be rid of this rock in their backpack.

[Istanbuller]

Uh Doug?

How about the same polls you used trying to sell Trump? Do you not want people to see how popular Biden is in comparison?

Immigration is off the table though it is a personal hot button for you.

We will have an immigration bill and it will pass. We will have some form of amnesty. Both the republicans and democrats want to be rid of this rock in their backpack.

That will result in a huge failed state. Refugees ask for their $2000 checks.

[Doug64]

Uh Doug?

How about the same polls you used trying to sell Trump? Do you not want people to see how popular Biden is in comparison?

Patience, they’re coming this weekend as usual.

[Drlee]

That will result in a huge failed state. Refugees ask for their $2000 checks.

Garbage. Where do you get this shit? Tell me Doug. If we got immigration reform with a path to citizenship when do you think the first of these new citizens would actually be minted? Get a grip.

Turn off Fox News and just sit and think for awhile.