These poll results have warmed the iced over frozen cackles of the snarky, sarcasticky, profaney heart of this old curmudgeon. If in yesterday’s post, I was lamenting the loss of true understanding of democracy in our deep culture, today I am celebrating the addition of old white guy power abuse to our deep culture.
This here Vox article, New Poll Shows Major Shift in how American’s Think about Power, is about survey results released by a private research organization, PerryUndem, concerning the views of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters. They have found a trend that suggests there is a greater understanding and appreciation of the who has power in American politics and who is being controlled by the wielding of that power.
More than ever before, voters were talking about the power white men seemed to have in American society and how they used it to control everybody else.
New poll shows major shift in how american’s think about power
Since 2016 there has been a growing awareness of the concentration of power in white men — I don’t know where most of America has been, but that shit’s been obvious to the rest of us for a long long time — and that they are willing to use it to control anyone who doesn’t agree with them. It seems like there were two galvanizing events driving this consolidation: (1) The election of the Ol’ Pussy Grabber despite the dramatic confession that he grabbed women by the pussy and because he’s a rich old white fart could get away with it and (2) the confirmation of Boof-K the SCOTUS justice that keeps on judicial misconducting.
When asked whether they agreed with the statement, one reason Justice Kavanaugh was confirmed is because white men want to hold onto their power in government, or not, the responses broke down like this:
- 79% of Democratic women agreed
- 71% of Democratic men agreed
- 52% of independent women agreed
- 49% of independent men agreed
- 15% of Republicans agreed
We all know how Ye Olde Blogge feels about iNdEpEnDeNt voters, but these folks are bringing it home with people in the focus group voicing concerns that they’re losing their rights, they’re losing their freedom, they’re losing their control, according to Undem.
The thing that makes this a powerful counter-point to yesterday’s post is that folks are voting with these ideas in mind! Their concerns are not only motivating them to go to the polls and vote for candidates that will move power away from oppressive old white men and towards PoC and women, but also motivating women and PoC to run for office.
Clearly, Repube polling has also picked up on this trend and is the reason that they are doubling down on their voter suppression efforts and use of Russian disinformation.
We really are in a fight for our democracy. At the very least, people are are aware and are voting because of it.
New poll shows major shift in how Americans think about men in power
Trump, Kavanaugh, and #MeToo have changed Americans’ attitudes toward power and control. It could have an effect in 2020.
Anna North 27 September 2019
Three years ago, Americans heard Donald Trump on tape talking about grabbing women “by the pussy.” Two years ago, they learned of the many sexual harassment allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein, which helped kick off the #MeToo movement’s current, most public phase. One year ago, they saw Justice Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to the Supreme Court after Christine Blasey Ford testified that he had sexually assaulted her.
None of this makes headlines as much as it once did, superseded by news like a recent impeachment inquiry into President Trump. But Americans haven’t forgotten.
On the contrary, new polling suggests that the events of the last few years, including the election of Trump, the #MeToo movement, and the Kavanaugh hearings, have helped lead to a fundamental shift in the way many Americans view their government.
Continue reading at Vox Trump, Kavanaugh, and #MeToo changed how Americans think about power – Vox
Photo Attribution
The post photo is the original used by Vox.
The Psy of Life 
Reblogged this on cabbagesandkings524 and commented:
Jalico Jack finds some encouraging news.
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In these results, I see the roots of the Indivisible movement, and the (now sadly diminished) diversity in the Democrat Presidential candidates. I think it has a lot to do with the inescapable, blatant celebration, and naked exercise of that power by Trump & Company.
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Howdy Bob!
I haven’t written about #MeToo for some time, but I think it is easy for us men, especially, to underestimate how angry, upset, and motivated women are right now. With Harvey Weinstein and a few notable others going down for their gross behavior, women felt like the tide was turning. With Roe v. Wade, the Rosie Ledbetter Equal Pay Act, the Violence Against Women Act, and other tangible accomplishments, women are angry that we seem to be going backward. I don’t think we appreciate the anger that has been engendered and is present. It’s like we’ve woken the sleeping giant of the American electorate.
Boof-K’s approval was just one more grevance in a long line. It may be the straw that broke the camel’s back here.
The fear is that the anger will dissipate before the 2020 election, and Trump will be re-elected.
I fear that with the diminished diversity of the Democratic presidential field, we will lose many black voters like we did in 2016 because this is going to be a turnout election.
Huzzah!
Jack
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Turnout is going to be key. Part of that is making sure the purged voters in several States get properly re-registered. I tend to think that women are not going to cool down, in part because Trump will keep being horrible and the GOP will continue to legislate against them whenever and wherever it can, and there will be SCOTUS decisions. Another influence will be the Climate Crisis Kids hammering on their parents, especially their Moms.
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Howdy Bob!
I hate to say it, but more and more I’m thinking Biden is going to be the nominee. As much as I like Warren and think she’d be the right person at the right time much like Obama was, I think Biden is the safe choice. He brings with him too many parts of the coalition: African Americans, women, party stalwarts, centrists. He leaves out the far left progressives. He may not be able to generate the enthusiasm that Obama did, though. He’ll probably be more like Clinton in that regard. Hopefully, he gets a young dynamic running mate like Stacy Abrams who will be seen as his successor. And, hopefully that will raise turnout and enthusiasm enough to convince people to vote unlike in 2016.
I heard the head of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin on the Rachel Maddow Show the other night. He was talking very positively about the voter purge being an organizing challenge in which they contact every purged voter and get them re-registered. Similarly, the Democratic Party is well organized in Georgia because of Stacy Abrams who is addressing voter registration as her special mission.
I take your point about the Climate Kids, much like the Stoney Douglas Kids were in 2018, who are still around just not in the limelight as much. There is no shortage of motivated factions to vote against Trump and the GOP. The Democratic nominee also needs to give them something to vote for.
I can’t imagine the mood of the country settling into apathy. I can only imagine it remaining stirred up and motivated. Right now, the GOP is doing a good job of motivating women and PoC’s to vote. Hopefully, the Dems won’t screw it up… again!
Huzzah!
Jack
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If the Dems do manage not to screw it up, and do win, there will be a Constitutional crisis. Trump will cry fraud and say the results are illegitimate. We have seen would-be dictators in many places try, and often succeed in rejecting election results that go against them by declaring a national emergency and suspending normal process.
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Howdy Bob!
I’ve been studying on this very thought for a year or so now. It will be the moment of truth for the Congressional and judicial Republicans. Will they quit the SOB then or will they go full-on tin-pot third world dictator? One of the reasons we turned the 2000 election over to the Supremes was because we couldn’t tolerate the chaos of not knowing if we’d have a federal government on 20 January since Florida couldn’t get its recount to finish before then. How well will we tolerate the mishegas of such a refusal to accept a certified election? I’m assuming a Roberts court will come down on the side of a certified election and the rest of the government will fall in line and accept that ruling, but who the fuck knows. They bought off Kennedy, they could easily buy Roberts
These are not Happy New Year thoughts, are they?
Huzzah!
Jack
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No, they’re not. That is one reason to hope for removal before then. Trump has already laid out the narrative that the entire impeachment process, even the Constitutional definition of the process is invalid. He will do one of two things if he is removed, either refuse to accept the verdict and call on his supporters to defend him (armed), or, like Nixon, resign when the tide has turned, complaining ever after of how unfairly he was treated and continue to try to get back in power even if it takes civil war. Given his personality, he must do one or the other.
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Howdy Bob!
I tend to think he will refuse to leave. His narcissism is such that he cannot believe that he is wrong or guilty or that any opposition to him is anything other than traitorous illegitimacy. He sees himself as being synonymous with the state as all petty authoritarian dictators do. Hopefully, when it push comes to shove, discretion becomes the better part of all of our valor and we decline the invitation for widespread violence in his defense similar to the reaction to the Stock Market Crash at the start of the Great Depression.
Huzzah!
Jack
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I agree. It is said that no untrue thing is ever said in jest, and he has “joked” about being President For Life and founding dynasty. In a way, it may be that the crisis he will precipitate will be the stimulus that leads Americans (enough of us) to find the way back to our Better Angels from the disease of scorched earth partisanship.
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Howdy Bob!
If we failed the civics test in 2016 and the last three years have been one long cram session, I pray we pass the 2020 civics test. If we don’t defeat Trump and re-take the Senate in 2020, then I fear we lose our democracy and return to a pre-WWI international and economic order. Hopefully, the silver lining of the Trump dark cloud is that we have awakened the sleeping giant of women and PoC voters who are willing to use the ballot as their solution.
Huzzah!
Jack
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A hope shared
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