Tag Archives: polls

This and That

The voting is over, but the fireworks are just starting. 2024 should be interesting and that should go higher than a nuclear blast cloud. The past voting and the upcoming election should make everyone leery about paying a great amount of time viewing polls. This past election showed polls as being wrong because the polls had Republicans leading by, in most cases, a large margin and I see they mostly use anti-Biden polls. I, personally, am glad the polls were wrong, not only here in Virginia but across the United States. Although I am not female, I still have an opinion on abortion and I believe the woman should choose for herself, not someone telling her what she can or cannot do. That one issue influenced the election and made the polls wrong.

               Flipping to another political issue. Boebert. Did you hear about the congressional bill that was being debated and congresswoman Boebert objected to it because money was to go toward the illegal immigrants? The congressman that was presenting the bill had to explain to her in length that there was zero amount of money in the bill that is allocated toward immigrants. She still did not understand and then went on a rant about President Biden and what he was and was not doing. She consulted with a congressional aide and, low and behold, she only read a portion of the bill and assumed the rest. There are a few more like her and a couple that are worse.

               One of the largest issues that is on the burner are the two wars. This issue is so hot I really don’t want to touch it, but I must touch a small piece of it. I will only say what my feelings are and, I know, I will have people coming at me from both sides.

               I don’t like war (I’ve been there, done that) but there have always been wars. From the beginning until now. As for the Israel-Hamas War I believe Israel is justified for fighting after being attacked. I have a heavy heart for the hostages, but this is war. As far as destroying Gaza, my heart is twice as heavy, but the Palestinians are culpable. They do not want Israel to exist either, and they knew that tunnels were being dug underground (their homes, hospitals, and other buildings (on one television interview it could be heard) and they did not say or do anything about it. They can not cross the border for safety and that country is a semi-Arab country. Why? The Republicans are saying Biden is not doing enough especially by saying he wants a pause in the war, he did not say cease fire. Hamas does not respect either and they are very cruel. They cut off the head of women, children (including babies), and execute unarmed men/women. I must side with Israel. If someone hit me, why would people not expect me to hit back.

               The war in Ukraine has some of the same overtures. They were jumped and territory was occupied. Rumors are out about Putin being gravely ill and there are some saying he is dead; however, the war goes on. The Russians intentionally destroyed entire cities and targeted civilians and hospital. How many screamed about that? How many crowded protests were there? Why is there a call from the Republicans to defund them? Explain it to me as if I were a five-year-old.

               There is much, much more on my mind, not counting my personal problems. I don’t let much bother me because there isn’t much I can do about it except vote when the time comes.

Polls

The voting is over, and I am now waiting for the other shoe to drop. Trump is almost out of ammo and will shoot off his mouth for as long as he can. However, in this election Trump was not the problem. As in past elections, pollsters had it wrong. That is why I only half hear them when they are talking. I could never put trust in them because, in my mind, a pollster can be in the back pocket of anyone. I believe they only say what is paid for and that depends on which side of the aisle they are on.

               Thinking back to the olden days, I remember the television ratings. They would always announce that many telephones were called, and many people were talked to with many surveys filled out. But what I remember most is over the many years I was never called. I was never talked to. I never filled out a survey. I do not know anyone that can say they have. Who took those surveys? Are the ratings true? Where is the proof? I saw a large amount of television shows I did not like and, if I had my way, would not renew them for another season. It is the same today.

               The same thing can be said about the pollsters. Where do they get their information? Does anyone take a survey? I have never done neither and do not know anyone that have, and I know a lot of people think the way I think. If a pollster, before or after an election, talk to me I will stay as neutral as I can and say what they want to hear, whether it is true or false. I believe this is what have been happening and the pollsters are taking all of it as the truth and a news scoop.

               There are a lot of polling companies and I wonder how they stay in business. Where do they get their money? With so many errors in polling, why would a company or individual pay for a fifty-fifty chance of what the poll say is true. I can roll dice and have the same odds. For years, the polls have been wrong on almost everything yet almost everyone believe in them. I guess I am an oddball.

               Maybe Trump can blame everything that have happened of the poll and pollsters. Maybe that was part of his base. Maybe the pollsters can tell us what Trump is going to do. When they tell me, I will think the opposite and probably be correct. I do not trust anything the polls say and never will. Knowing the poll record, it is hard to believe anyone does.

This President

I am supposedly living in the most democratic country in the world but, after the President’s latest gross comment, and if he should win re-election, I have my doubts. We, meaning the people of the United States of America, have always had a peaceful and smooth change of power from one President to the next. We have never had a President that have to think about whether he would peacefully step aside and let the elected President take over. This is something that happens in a dictatorship not in a democratic country.

What make this seem so viable is the fact that his cult-like followers are okay with anything he says and does. All he must do is say he desire a certain action to happen, legal or illegal, and someone, somewhere will attempt to make it happen. As for me, I am neither republican nor democratic. I have voted for people in both parties. I am not in the organized independent party; I follow my own mind. However, living through this political mess, if a republican came to my house and said it was raining, I will go outside to see for myself.

Some of you may remember how a cult leader had his members commit mass suicide and others, that were not present at the mass suicide, still adored the cult leader, even after knowing the truth. The Republican party, today, have the same mindset. There is not anything to compel them to envision things that is not what the cult leader wants them to see or think. To stand-by and let mass slaughter happen (COVID-19?) is nothing if the cult leader say it is okay and want it.

As a teenager, during the Civil Rights era, I have marched, been beaten by the police (plus all that went with that at the time), helped teach adults how to vote and what to expect at the polls (up to and including counting jelly beans in a jar, poll tax, etc.), plus many other things which include sit-ins. That was more than fifty years ago and here we are, only a little have changed. They are actively attempting to suppress the vote, as they were fifty years and more ago, because the wannabe dictator need to stay in power. Is he afraid of going to jail if he is out of office? But that is another writing, among many, for another blog.

I am a senior citizen, an old man, and I never thought I would see a Black President, but I have. I never thought I would see so many varied people of color in Congress, but I have. I expected and saw our Black President blatantly opposed in everything he tried to do, and it was announced to the world that it was going to happen by the people that did it.

So, why should I not believe this President when he says he is not going anywhere, even if he loses? Then there are the people that can (and maybe will) help him illegally stay in office. He has stacked many courts, federal agencies, and now there is an attempt to overload the Supreme Court. Every Republican Senator have gone back on their word and will certify a replacement.

Secret recordings have been heard and his ex-employees have stated the obvious feelings and dealings of this President, yet his cult-like followers and enablers are still there. I have acquaintances that are Republican and loves this President dearly, therefore, I have concluded that there is not a thing that can be done or said to change their mind. I am almost ashamed to call them an acquaintance.

All I can say, at this point, is for everyone to vote and let the election tell us where we will go from here. If you do not vote, you can never say anything about what happens in your life. You will just take what is given to you without any say. My life is coming to an end and I can say that I have done what I could when I could and will continue until I die. It is now up to you younger people to carry the torch and never give up.