It may be the ultimate example of the old phrase "the urgent pushes out the important." Except that it's been both of those - to many of us - for a while now. Honest to God, I think the first time I heard about this issue I was in high school and that was a long, long time ago.
And now for something completely different...I hear you're changing your geography. Drop me a note, give me a call, let's catch up!
I would say that the single biggest issue is the future of the United States of America as a democratic republic (which is, as George Wallace might put it, simply a more pointy headed way of saying what Todd and Jon have already said).
I'm guessing the reason "Something else" is the leading choice is that it's capturing a lot of folks - like me - who agree with you.
And to be clear, while my concern for the state of our union is substantially driven by the prospect of Mr. Trump's return to office, it is only the leading factor not the only factor. I look at the polarization of our political system - right down to the lowest units of government - along with the demonization of one's political opponents, the oceans of money sloshing through the system almost untraceably, the extreme gerrymandering of districts, the pick-your-own-version-of-reality balkanization of the media, the yet-to-be-understood impacts of the technologies we've all adopted ourselves and handed to our children and the loss of trust in almost every institution and profession and there's plenty to worry about!
And, as they say, if hope is not a strategy, worry alone falls short of hope. I know I need ready answers to the most basic criticisms of Biden: "He's a socialist." "If rebuilding the middle class is socialism, I'm all in." "He hasn't done anything worthwhile." "[insert accurate number here] trillions of dollars dedicated to upgrading roads, bridges, universal Internet accessibility -- the infrastructure that will fuel a healthy economy for decades to come -- isn't nothing. Trump just talked about it."
My theory is that the right side of the political spectrum has irreversibly splintered: there's the traditional conservatives of my youth who are the inheritors of the Republican tradition and a more populist faction that - unless somebody wants to offer an alternative name - seems to have gathered under the MAGA banner. The latter is unified and motivated and solidly behind Mr. Trump but the election will turn IMHO on how many of those in the former category make their peace - however uneasy - with him as their nominee.
Lots of those folks made that peace in 2016 because of - you pick 'em - taxes, abortion, the courts, etc. along with a lot of people who said "maybe he'll rise to the office" or "I want a businessman in the office" and a big chunk of people who said, "Why not? The way it's going isn't working for me and my family, maybe he'll be different."
This time around, count me skeptical of anyone who hopes he'll be better than his rhetoric and profoundly disappointed in those who are willing to help elect a man who is openly threatening retribution against political enemies and other anti-democratic actions because they can get regulatory reform or a more favorable tax plan in exchange.
I share the perspective and the disappointment, and add to it a disappointment that while Democrats currently appear far more disciplined than Republicans, I fear that that perception could quickly fade in the heat of a presidential campaign and in the absence of compelling political communication, which goes beyond sounding the alarm about MAGA Republicans and makes clear how Americans are better off today than they were four years ago.
I see the polls and tend to believe them at a very broad level: a growing number of Black voters no longer reflexively align with the Democratic party. Ditto Hispanics. Similarly, I broadly believe the MAGA wing of the right is pushing women, moderates and college-educated voters toward the Democrats or at least into the third-party or none-of-the-above categories.
But, as Joe Biden is fond of saying, "Don't compare me to the Almighty, compare me to the alternative" and - by-and-large - the story of hardcore MAGA candidates in 2018, 2020 and 2022 is mostly a losing one. For those reasons, I'm not hyperventilating - yet - about the head-to-heads.
The fact that we’re killing the planet trumps everything else. And the whole Trump disease is number two.
It may be the ultimate example of the old phrase "the urgent pushes out the important." Except that it's been both of those - to many of us - for a while now. Honest to God, I think the first time I heard about this issue I was in high school and that was a long, long time ago.
And now for something completely different...I hear you're changing your geography. Drop me a note, give me a call, let's catch up!
I would say that the single biggest issue is the future of the United States of America as a democratic republic (which is, as George Wallace might put it, simply a more pointy headed way of saying what Todd and Jon have already said).
I'm guessing the reason "Something else" is the leading choice is that it's capturing a lot of folks - like me - who agree with you.
And to be clear, while my concern for the state of our union is substantially driven by the prospect of Mr. Trump's return to office, it is only the leading factor not the only factor. I look at the polarization of our political system - right down to the lowest units of government - along with the demonization of one's political opponents, the oceans of money sloshing through the system almost untraceably, the extreme gerrymandering of districts, the pick-your-own-version-of-reality balkanization of the media, the yet-to-be-understood impacts of the technologies we've all adopted ourselves and handed to our children and the loss of trust in almost every institution and profession and there's plenty to worry about!
And, as they say, if hope is not a strategy, worry alone falls short of hope. I know I need ready answers to the most basic criticisms of Biden: "He's a socialist." "If rebuilding the middle class is socialism, I'm all in." "He hasn't done anything worthwhile." "[insert accurate number here] trillions of dollars dedicated to upgrading roads, bridges, universal Internet accessibility -- the infrastructure that will fuel a healthy economy for decades to come -- isn't nothing. Trump just talked about it."
Single biggest issue (not included in the options) is preventing Trump and most republicans from ever having the controls of government again
My theory is that the right side of the political spectrum has irreversibly splintered: there's the traditional conservatives of my youth who are the inheritors of the Republican tradition and a more populist faction that - unless somebody wants to offer an alternative name - seems to have gathered under the MAGA banner. The latter is unified and motivated and solidly behind Mr. Trump but the election will turn IMHO on how many of those in the former category make their peace - however uneasy - with him as their nominee.
Lots of those folks made that peace in 2016 because of - you pick 'em - taxes, abortion, the courts, etc. along with a lot of people who said "maybe he'll rise to the office" or "I want a businessman in the office" and a big chunk of people who said, "Why not? The way it's going isn't working for me and my family, maybe he'll be different."
This time around, count me skeptical of anyone who hopes he'll be better than his rhetoric and profoundly disappointed in those who are willing to help elect a man who is openly threatening retribution against political enemies and other anti-democratic actions because they can get regulatory reform or a more favorable tax plan in exchange.
I share the perspective and the disappointment, and add to it a disappointment that while Democrats currently appear far more disciplined than Republicans, I fear that that perception could quickly fade in the heat of a presidential campaign and in the absence of compelling political communication, which goes beyond sounding the alarm about MAGA Republicans and makes clear how Americans are better off today than they were four years ago.
I see the polls and tend to believe them at a very broad level: a growing number of Black voters no longer reflexively align with the Democratic party. Ditto Hispanics. Similarly, I broadly believe the MAGA wing of the right is pushing women, moderates and college-educated voters toward the Democrats or at least into the third-party or none-of-the-above categories.
But, as Joe Biden is fond of saying, "Don't compare me to the Almighty, compare me to the alternative" and - by-and-large - the story of hardcore MAGA candidates in 2018, 2020 and 2022 is mostly a losing one. For those reasons, I'm not hyperventilating - yet - about the head-to-heads.