Those election results gave me a lot of hope! I’m also quite skeptical about polls in general; I’ve never been polled, nor has anyone I know. I’m not quite sure who actually gets included in an election poll, but I’m just choosing to believe recent poll results are not a representative sample!
I’ve never been polled, either, despite the knowledge among everyone that I have a big mouth and a head full of opinions, ready to share with the slightest of provocation. (I’ve also briefly … ever so very briefly…worked with KAC way back in the mid ’90s… when her polling company did other industries outside politics… that experience convinced me polls were… less than objective. 😬😳)
So choose to ignore the polls. After all, Hillary was a sure thing. But we saw how Biden is presenting. It’s far short of lackluster. By nature, I remain optimistic. But getting where we need to be is going to require serious soul searching, serious dislocation and realignment. All that takes guts. Pain can’t be avoided. Some momentous moments lie ahead.
"So, let's take a breath, regroup, and recommit ourselves to the fight for a better future."
I love that line. The last couple of weeks have been, to say the least, FUCKING NUTS! And Biden's age-related hiccups have been hard to watch. Honestly, if it were up to me, he'd graciously step aside and throw every single ounce of the Democratic establishment (money, resources, etc) behind Harris.
That said, I've been incredibly disappointed with the seemingly knee-jerk reaction by some of the talking heads - what we used to call influencers before that word had meaning - to demand Biden step aside. The compulsion for people to say "I told you so" when they've been wrong time and time again is strong right now. "We warned you," is probably the most insidious line in politics, especially when it's designed to harm the movement. Democrats, though, and the left more broadly, can't help themselves. They NEED something bright, shiny, and new all the time. I remember the day after Obama took the oath in 2009, Democrats were beside themselves that he hadn't done more already.
I get it, the times require our absolute best. And Biden, no matter how much I love him, ain't that right now. Alas, our democracy is built on rules (true, only the left plays by them) and the rules make it very hard for a "welp, let's start from scratch."
I'm glad, Liz, that you said, "Let's take a breath." We all need to keep calm and carry on, so to speak.
The polls have historically been done mostly by phone. Every year it becomes harder and harder to get response rates that can plausibly be applied to the country as a whole. The company where I spent most of my career used to do such polls. I was not involved. Frankly, what I find hard to believe is that MAGA responds because it requires some intelligence to respond and, with all due compassion, MAGA folk, by and large, are dumb and deluded.
being optimistic is a skill! so grateful for this community for helping me grow it!
and by 9pm i meant 9am 🥲💜!!!!
Those election results gave me a lot of hope! I’m also quite skeptical about polls in general; I’ve never been polled, nor has anyone I know. I’m not quite sure who actually gets included in an election poll, but I’m just choosing to believe recent poll results are not a representative sample!
not believing polls seems like an extremely logical response to me!!
I’ve never been polled, either, despite the knowledge among everyone that I have a big mouth and a head full of opinions, ready to share with the slightest of provocation. (I’ve also briefly … ever so very briefly…worked with KAC way back in the mid ’90s… when her polling company did other industries outside politics… that experience convinced me polls were… less than objective. 😬😳)
So choose to ignore the polls. After all, Hillary was a sure thing. But we saw how Biden is presenting. It’s far short of lackluster. By nature, I remain optimistic. But getting where we need to be is going to require serious soul searching, serious dislocation and realignment. All that takes guts. Pain can’t be avoided. Some momentous moments lie ahead.
beautifully said jim!
"So, let's take a breath, regroup, and recommit ourselves to the fight for a better future."
I love that line. The last couple of weeks have been, to say the least, FUCKING NUTS! And Biden's age-related hiccups have been hard to watch. Honestly, if it were up to me, he'd graciously step aside and throw every single ounce of the Democratic establishment (money, resources, etc) behind Harris.
That said, I've been incredibly disappointed with the seemingly knee-jerk reaction by some of the talking heads - what we used to call influencers before that word had meaning - to demand Biden step aside. The compulsion for people to say "I told you so" when they've been wrong time and time again is strong right now. "We warned you," is probably the most insidious line in politics, especially when it's designed to harm the movement. Democrats, though, and the left more broadly, can't help themselves. They NEED something bright, shiny, and new all the time. I remember the day after Obama took the oath in 2009, Democrats were beside themselves that he hadn't done more already.
I get it, the times require our absolute best. And Biden, no matter how much I love him, ain't that right now. Alas, our democracy is built on rules (true, only the left plays by them) and the rules make it very hard for a "welp, let's start from scratch."
I'm glad, Liz, that you said, "Let's take a breath." We all need to keep calm and carry on, so to speak.
The polls have historically been done mostly by phone. Every year it becomes harder and harder to get response rates that can plausibly be applied to the country as a whole. The company where I spent most of my career used to do such polls. I was not involved. Frankly, what I find hard to believe is that MAGA responds because it requires some intelligence to respond and, with all due compassion, MAGA folk, by and large, are dumb and deluded.