‘It’s just messed up’: Most think political divisions as bad as Vietnam era, new poll shows

[corbe]

‘It’s just messed up’: Most think political divisions as bad as Vietnam era, new poll shows

The Post-U. Md. survey reveals a starkly pessimistic view of the U.S. political system under President Trump.

By John Wagner and Scott Clement  Oct. 28, 2017 
 
Seven in 10 Americans say the nation’s political divisions are at least as big as during the Vietnam War, according to a new poll, which also finds nearly 6 in 10 saying Donald Trump’s presidency is making the U.S. political system more dysfunctional.

The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll — conducted nine months into Trump’s tumultuous presidency — reveals a starkly pessimistic view of U.S. politics, widespread distrust of the nation’s political leaders and their ability to compromise, and an erosion of pride in the way democracy works in America.

<..snip..>

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/democracy-poll/?utm_term=.3493f21a91d3

[corbe]

   I put about as much faith in polls as the majority of Briefers here, but it's a cold, boring Saturday afternoon in Texas, great anticipation for the Astros and Rockets tonight.

[truth_seeker]

Once I returned from my overseas military service during Vietnam, I got into a fist fight with my own father about the war.

Him being Okinawa combat Marine Corps, me being mere rear echelon Army he would have kicked my naïve twenty-something arse.

But in some circles, feelings were intense. We kissed and made up; a part of growing together so to speak.

I do believe the arguments back then were more intelligent. Most of the anti-war movement was non-violent, save the Black Panthers, SDS, SLA, Weathermen, and in Europe a few more.

[corbe]

   @truth_seeker When I got out in 73, I was very disillusioned about the road Nixon/Kissinger took us on becoming somewhat of a pacifist myself and had my Father been in my life at that time he would have passionately and possibly aggressively tried to set me straight.

[Free Vulcan]

Frankly, I don't care. I am tired of civility. The libs have slow boiled us like frogs and now that there's a backlash, the want to go full on #resistance and play their Antifa reindeer games.

I debate with many libs on Facebook, no handles, actual names. Nearly every one is literally psychotic, even the ones that seem nice and reasonable at first. They want their utopia and they want it NOW and they don't care how many eggs they have to break to get it. Push them a little and it just vomits to the surface in full on rage.

So I don't give a crap about 'political divisions'. It's time to put down the blade and bulldoze right over them till they are completely politically broken and reduced to screaming at the sky in their straightjackets. They are not going to stop trying to put the knife in your throat till they are utterly defeated.

[Bigun]

Once I returned from my overseas military service during Vietnam, I got into a fist fight with my own father about the war.

Him being Okinawa combat Marine Corps, me being mere rear echelon Army he would have kicked my naïve twenty-something arse.

But in some circles, feelings were intense. We kissed and made up; a part of growing together so to speak.

I do believe the arguments back then were more intelligent. Most of the anti-war movement was non-violent, save the Black Panthers, SDS, SLA, Weathermen, and in Europe a few more.

LOL!!!

And here I've been thinking I was the only one all these years!


About a week after havin returned home from nam I happened to sit down with my WWII South Pacific Marine father to watch Walter Crankcase tell us what was going on in the world.  I lasted less than ten minutes before yelling " bullshit"  at the tee bee.   My dad questioned me about it and I told him that exactly NONE of that crap he had just heard Walter tell him was true. 

I was able to return home a few days later.

[Bigun]

Frankly, I don't care. I am tired of civility. The libs have slow boiled us like frogs and now that there's a backlash, the want to go full on #resistance and play their Antifa reindeer games.

I debate with many libs on Facebook, no handles, actual names. Nearly every one is literally psychotic, even the ones that seem nice and reasonable at first. They want their utopia and they want it NOW and they don't care how many eggs they have to break to get it. Push them a little and it just vomits to the surface in full on rage.

So I don't give a crap about 'political divisions'. It's time to put down the blade and bulldoze right over them till they are completely politically broken and reduced to screaming at the sky in their straightjackets. They are not going to stop trying to put the knife in your throat till they are utterly defeated.

I currently have around 650 friends on fb.  Used to have more than 900 before I started unloading on liberals a coulpe of years ago.

[Free Vulcan]

I currently have around 650 friends on fb.  Used to have more than 900 before I started unloading on liberals a coulpe of years ago.

You have to let the chips fall. Liberals expect to rant and rave against conservatives and Republicans, and you should have no problem with that in the name of free speech.

You start talking conservatism and they drop you like a hot potato, if they aren't at your doorstep with a mob ready to burn your house down with you in it.

[Fishrrman]

Free Vulcan wrote:
"So I don't give a crap about 'political divisions'. It's time to put down the blade and bulldoze right over them till they are completely politically broken and reduced to screaming at the sky in their straightjackets. They are not going to stop trying to put the knife in your throat till they are utterly defeated."

Hear! Hear! Hear!
Well said and worth repeating.

Those of the right would like nothing more than to be left alone in peace, but the leftists/communists will never permit this.

At some point, it's going to become necessary to "stop" them.

Let your imagination envision how this will happen.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Frankly, I don't care. I am tired of civility. The libs have slow boiled us like frogs and now that there's a backlash, the want to go full on #resistance and play their Antifa reindeer games.

I debate with many libs on Facebook, no handles, actual names. Nearly every one is literally psychotic, even the ones that seem nice and reasonable at first. They want their utopia and they want it NOW and they don't care how many eggs they have to break to get it. Push them a little and it just vomits to the surface in full on rage.

So I don't give a crap about 'political divisions'. It's time to put down the blade and bulldoze right over them till they are completely politically broken and reduced to screaming at the sky in their straightjackets. They are not going to stop trying to put the knife in your throat till they are utterly defeated.

 :thumbsup3:

[DCPatriot]

Frankly, I don't care. I am tired of civility. The libs have slow boiled us like frogs and now that there's a backlash, the want to go full on #resistance and play their Antifa reindeer games.

I debate with many libs on Facebook, no handles, actual names. Nearly every one is literally psychotic, even the ones that seem nice and reasonable at first. They want their utopia and they want it NOW and they don't care how many eggs they have to break to get it. Push them a little and it just vomits to the surface in full on rage.

So I don't give a crap about 'political divisions'. It's time to put down the blade and bulldoze right over them till they are completely politically broken and reduced to screaming at the sky in their straightjackets. They are not going to stop trying to put the knife in your throat till they are utterly defeated.

Right there with you!   

[dfwgator]

Not even close.   It was much worse during the Vietnam-era.

[Concerned]

Donald J. Trump on June 4, 2016:

 “I tell you what, Barack Obama has been a terrible president, but he’s been a tremendous divider. He has divided this country from rich and poor, black and white — he has divided this country like no president in my opinion, almost ever.  The one thing I thought he could do is bring people together, and it turned out to be just the opposite. I will bring people together.”  

I remember when many conservatives criticized (and rightfully so IMO) Obama for sowing division in the country, but now that their guy is doing it, it seems as though some of them are now all for division (despite Trump's promise to "bring people together").  Trump’s even dividing the very party he’s supposed to be leading.  From the link in the OP:

“Overall, more Americans say Trump deserves “a lot” of blame for political dysfunction (51 percent) than either the Republican Party (38 percent) or the Democratic Party (32 percent).”

I just can’t see how a President with those kind of numbers on “political dysfunction” can possibly get reelected (especially one who only got 46.1% of the electorate in the first place). 

[dfwgator]

Donald J. Trump on June 4, 2016:

 “I tell you what, Barack Obama has been a terrible president, but he’s been a tremendous divider. He has divided this country from rich and poor, black and white — he has divided this country like no president in my opinion, almost ever.  The one thing I thought he could do is bring people together, and it turned out to be just the opposite. I will bring people together.”  

I remember when many conservatives criticized (and rightfully so IMO) Obama for sowing division in the country, but now that their guy is doing it, it seems as though some of them are now all for division (despite Trump's promise to "bring people together").  Trump’s even dividing the very party he’s supposed to be leading.  From the link in the OP:

“Overall, more Americans say Trump deserves “a lot” of blame for political dysfunction (51 percent) than either the Republican Party (38 percent) or the Democratic Party (32 percent).”

I just can’t see how a President with those kind of numbers on “political dysfunction” can possibly get reelected (especially one who only got 46.1% of the electorate in the first place).

Division isn't always a bad thing.  Sometimes the worst thing you can do is try to please all sides,  and wind up only pissing everybody off.   

[Bigun]

Donald J. Trump on June 4, 2016:

 “I tell you what, Barack Obama has been a terrible president, but he’s been a tremendous divider. He has divided this country from rich and poor, black and white — he has divided this country like no president in my opinion, almost ever.  The one thing I thought he could do is bring people together, and it turned out to be just the opposite. I will bring people together.”  

I remember when many conservatives criticized (and rightfully so IMO) Obama for sowing division in the country, but now that their guy is doing it, it seems as though some of them are now all for division (despite Trump's promise to "bring people together").  Trump’s even dividing the very party he’s supposed to be leading.  From the link in the OP:

“Overall, more Americans say Trump deserves “a lot” of blame for political dysfunction (51 percent) than either the Republican Party (38 percent) or the Democratic Party (32 percent).”

I just can’t see how a President with those kind of numbers on “political dysfunction” can possibly get reelected (especially one who only got 46.1% of the electorate in the first place).

If he keeps doing what he has thus far he will be re-elected overwhelmingly IF he wants to be that is!

[Concerned]

If he keeps doing what he has thus far he will be re-elected overwhelmingly IF he wants to be that is!

Perhaps, but the data I’ve seen indicate otherwise.  After all, the poll from the OP seems to indicate that this level of political division is perceived negatively by the vast majority:  the poll says that 7 in 10 say the “nation’s politics have reached a dangerous low point” and 7 in 10 “view the Trump administration as dysfunctional”.  That doesn’t seem overly positive to me, and when coupled with a 38% approval rating (per Fox News), this data certainly doesn’t seem like results that will get a President who got 46.1% of the electorate re-elected. 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/25/fox-news-poll-storms-erode-trumps-ratings.html

[Bigun]

Perhaps, but the data I’ve seen indicate otherwise.  After all, the poll from the OP seems to indicate that this level of political division is perceived negatively by the vast majority:  the poll says that 7 in 10 say the “nation’s politics have reached a dangerous low point” and 7 in 10 “view the Trump administration as dysfunctional”.  That doesn’t seem overly positive to me, and when coupled with a 38% approval rating (per Fox News), this data certainly doesn’t seem like results that will get a President who got 46.1% of the electorate re-elected. 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/25/fox-news-poll-storms-erode-trumps-ratings.html

Polls = propaganda! And that's all there is to that! 

They are there to drive opinions! NOT measure them!

[dfwgator]

Perhaps, but the data I’ve seen indicate otherwise.  After all, the poll from the OP seems to indicate that this level of political division is perceived negatively by the vast majority:  the poll says that 7 in 10 say the “nation’s politics have reached a dangerous low point” and 7 in 10 “view the Trump administration as dysfunctional”.  That doesn’t seem overly positive to me, and when coupled with a 38% approval rating (per Fox News), this data certainly doesn’t seem like results that will get a President who got 46.1% of the electorate re-elected. 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/25/fox-news-poll-storms-erode-trumps-ratings.html

Most people think nothing significant happened before they were born, and think that there's actually something new under the Sun.

[Concerned]

Polls = propaganda! And that's all there is to that! 

They are there to drive opinions! NOT measure them!

This thread is about the results of a poll.  Folks who like Trump's campaign of political division seems to be celebrating those poll results (and the associated division).  When other results from this poll which some Trump supporters don't seem to like are cited (e.g., Trump's political dysfunction), they're called "propaganda".  Fox News has his approval rating at 38%.  Look if you've got data that contradicts or otherwise indicates all this data is wrong and that Trump will indeed be re-elected "overwhelmingly" "if he keeps doing what he has thus far", I welcome seeing it.  I like data and evidence. 

[Bigun]

This thread is about the results of a poll.  Folks who like Trump's campaign of political division seems to be celebrating those poll results (and the associated division).  When other results from this poll which some Trump supporters don't seem to like are cited (e.g., Trump's political dysfunction), they're called "propaganda".  Fox News has his approval rating at 38%.  Look if you've got data that contradicts or otherwise indicates all this data is wrong and that Trump will indeed be re-elected "overwhelmingly" "if he keeps doing what he has thus far", I welcome seeing it.  I like data and evidence.

Obviously you don't know me very well!  I don't give one hoot in hell about ANY for public consumption poll because I was in that game and know it from the inside out!  It's one of the MAJOR tools used by the media to lead people around by the nose!

[Concerned]

Obviously you don't know me very well!  I don't give one hoot in hell about ANY for public consumption poll because I was in that game and know it from the inside out!  It's one of the MAJOR tools used by the media to lead people around by the nose!

I don't know you at all.  Look, if you don't like my data and evidence, that's certainly your prerogative.  I was just hoping to see what data and evidence you're using to base your conclusion about Trump's "overwhelming" re-election on (if he continues doing what he's doing).
 

[Bigun]

I don't know you at all.  Look, if you don't like my data and evidence, that's certainly your prerogative.  I was just hoping to see what data and evidence you're using to base your conclusion about Trump's "overwhelming" re-election on (if he continues doing what he's doing).

That's part of the not for public consumption stuff and if I told you it would become public! 

[Sanguine]

Once I returned from my overseas military service during Vietnam, I got into a fist fight with my own father about the war.

Him being Okinawa combat Marine Corps, me being mere rear echelon Army he would have kicked my naïve twenty-something arse.

But in some circles, feelings were intense. We kissed and made up; a part of growing together so to speak.

I do believe the arguments back then were more intelligent. Most of the anti-war movement was non-violent, save the Black Panthers, SDS, SLA, Weathermen, and in Europe a few more.

Yeah, I remember getting caught in one of those "non-violent" protests as a kid.  Just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

[DCPatriot]

I currently have around 650 friends on fb.  Used to have more than 900 before I started unloading on liberals a couple of years ago.

....and Trump supporters.