Cliff’s Take: American Disenchantment
I am really looking forward to a much-needed break and time with family, even as COVID is raging. No traveling this year—a family-lite holiday break.
What a year it has been. I am sure that weeks, months, years from now, we will look back and wonder how we go through it – an election with historic turnout, a massive economic downturn, and, of course, a pandemic. Each of us has had to deal with this troika of events, in our own way. Some of us decided to opt out, others to opt in.
Below, I detail the most relevant data points of the week.
- Nonparticipators. The 2020 presidential election saw historic turnout, but that still leaves more than 80 million who didn’t cast a ballot. What kept them home? Apathy, apathy, apathy. Look at the data.
- Engrained skepticism. Also, non-voters say that it makes no difference who is elected president. It won’t impact on them. So maybe it is apathy, skepticism, apathy? Many Americans don’t feel like they have a stake.
- No Biden honeymoon. Speaking of cynicism, Biden’s honeymoon is over even before wedding day. Presidents in more optimistic decades could expect to begin with approval ratings well in the 60 or 70 percent range. Not so today. This is the effect of our hyper-partisan world.
- No COVID consensus. Again, even while the political world whirs about its business, the virus keeps killing us. But beauty – and sometimes truth – is in the eye of the beholder. Some think the death toll is higher than the official reports would have it; others think it lower. Look at the data.
- Acceptance renewed. Hope is on the horizon. And they call it vaccine. Increasingly Americans want to jump at the opportunity. But will demand outstrip supply? From the data below, maybe.
If you would like to dive into the polling data in more detail, check out my latest interview with Tim Farley.
Take a much need break. I, for one, need it. Be safe, be sane.
For more information, please contact:
Clifford Young
President, U.S.
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2016
[email protected]
For more information on COVID-19 please click here
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