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Could Democrats Be Lying to Pollsters, Too?
Much has been said about whether polls are reliable or not. Some people believe that voters are lying to pollsters because they 
don’t want to admit to anyone—not even a pollster—that they plan to vote for Trump. Whether that is true or not is impossible to determine, but the uncertainty dampens one’s enthusiasm for poll results.
Even if you don’t believe in polls, however, it must be a bit disconcerting even for the most ardent Trump supporter to see how Biden seems to be far ahead. But what if the Democrats are lying to pollsters, too?
Think about it: there are many independents and relatively sane Democrats who will say they are voting for Biden, because the Democrats demand their allegiance. Yet they are learning that Biden has difficulty putting two sentences together; he spent over 40 years in government and had a mixed, if not mediocre track record; he is trying to be a moderate and a progressive at the same time; he proposes new programs that are “hashed-over Trump” ideas or proposals that are too vague to be substantive. So, they may pick Biden when they answer pollsters, but will they push the button for him in the voting booth?
As much as they dislike Biden, however, why in the world would they vote for Trump?
Here are just a few reasons:
- In spite of all the negative propaganda, some of Trump’s successes have leaked out; some Democrats may have benefited from the improved economy before the coronavirus. Trump is actually getting things done.
- Democrats have always celebrated intelligence. No matter how annoying Trump is, he’s crafty. And no matter how smart Biden was 20 years ago, his mind is not operating on all cylinders.
- As of September 2019, Gallup found that trust in the mass media had dropped to 41%. Who knows whether the distrust affects the credibility of the media reports for Democrats?
- Although the media doesn’t report on it, the nastiness expressed by Congressional Democrats against Republicans continues to grow. For those who watched the House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Barr, for example, it was a bash-fest of unimagined proportions.
- Many Democrats in the large cities experiencing riots must be dismayed at the lawlessness and the fecklessness of their mayors and governors. That perception may take the edge off of voting for Trump.
Perhaps most importantly, Democrats could be worried about their very survival: will they die of coronavirus? Will their cities be invaded by rioters who kill them and burn down businesses? Will law enforcement be ineffectual? Will their homes be burned down next? Even if riots aren’t occurring in their cities, will they be next? Will Joe Biden make a difference in this time of crisis? Will there ever be peace in this country again?
Another question they may be asking themselves is whether they can trust their legislators to do anything since the Democrats in Congress have essentially done nothing and many are working remotely. Democrat mayors and governors were given control over managing the coronavirus; many of their actions, however, have been illogical, inept, and destructive. Although there are many people who hate Trump, and their political lives orbit around that hatred, I believe that some Democrats, who might actually be practical, will look at the continuous attacks on Trump and at least start asking questions: as much as I personally dislike him, could he possibly be as bad as the Democrats describe him? How could a man like William Barr, who has always been known as a principled man, be serving a man who is described as so self-serving and incompetent? Should I vote for Biden even though he is showing signs of dementia?
And finally, do we want to vote for a new President when our Democrat leaders, locally and nationally, are putting our lives at risk? At least Trump is the devil we know.
I don’t think the Democrats will vote for Trump in droves, but I think they may be questioning the veracity of their party and wonder if Biden is going to be good for the country. Their votes will count.
Tuesday, November 3 can’t arrive soon enough.
Published in Elections
Why would that make them vote for Trump? Democrats have clearly branded themselves as the party of lockdown, face masks, and an overabundance of caution. Trump is the guy who refused for months to wear a mask in public and organized a major campaign rally during the pandemic.
Because a blind man can recognize that the Blue militias Antifa and BLM are pro-violence and anti-speech.
You’re overrating your own powers of perception. To the left these are mainstream organizations.
The issue is whether the fraud can overwhelm the result.
I hope you’re right. Lots of Democrats own and use firearms, whether for hunting or self-defense. But if most of these new gun owners are Democrats scared to death of all the rioting, looting, and arson, then maybe their votes this November won’t be for the party that wants to take their guns away . . .
brilliant comment!
The real question isn’t who the Always-Vote-Democrats will vote for. They’ll vote for Biden, and explain it to themselves somehow. Dems who voted for Hillary because she wasn’t Trump will do the same for Biden. The presence of a woman on the ticket will help, presumably, unless that person is really seriously awful. Which she could be: Any black-female VP the elites and relatively normal Dem voters are comfortable with will be “problematic” for the #BLM/Antifa whackos who are notoriously uncompromising. Especially given the strong likelihood that Uncle Joe is going to need to be swapped out soon after the swearing-in. The Democrats have stretched themselves a tightrope about as wide and sturdy as dental floss, and the guy who has to walk it can barely shuffle across a room.
And what about the swing voter, or the OOT voter (Obama-Obama-Trump): can the guy who listened to his hopes rather than his fears and voted for the smooth black guy with the good speeches and beautiful family in 2008 and 2012 …only to turn in despair to Trump…is he going to turn around and do it again for Stacy Abrams? Susan Rice? Kamala Harris? Why would he? Even if he is disappointed by how things are going, this is a guy who didn’t find Trump loathsome after Campaign ’16. Why would he hate the man now? Moreover, by voting for Obama, he’ll have already proven, to his own satisfaction if not that of the Wokestapo, that he isn’t a racist. Old White Guy Plus Black Person Who Menstruates isn’t going to provide the same moral oomph.
And then there’s the Sometimes-I-Bother-To-Vote voter. What is there about Biden, or Biden plus Harris or Whoever, that will galvanize her into action? It doesn’t take much civic energy to answer a few poll questions. The pollster does all the heavy lifting; all she has to do is answer the phone and talk about herself. It’s not like she has to go to some boring big room, stand in a boring line with a lot of uncool people wearing masks and fill out a boring ballot. Mail-in ballots won’t be a whole lot better; after all, you’ve got to open the envelope…fill out the boring ballot filled with boring questions about bond issues and school board positions…then you’ve got to find a stamp and put the thing in the mail. Worse than having to send a birthday card to Aunt Mabel, and who ever gets that done on time?
Give this gal a sexy candidate who can dance with Ellen and look cool on late night comedy shows, and okay, maybe she’ll make the effort. But Biden? And Harris? Please.
Meanwhile, Trump voters can’t wait to vote for him.
Thanks, @GrannyDude. This particular point especially got my attention. I don’t know how many people fall into this category, but they could sure be helpful to Trump this time around. Fingers crossed!
I disagree
A good and fair analysis, @misterbitcoin . At least I like it!
Then I would be overrating their powers of perception, but the hoi polloi don’t notice the election until the last three weeks. Their perception then is what matters.