There is an old and familiar saying; “Truth is stranger than fiction.” In contemporary America, this has never been truer. In fact, at the highest levels of our national government, there is a prima facie case to be made that this golden platitude is the current day rule rather than the exception.
As I’ve noted previously, there are times when the gist of a story has already been presented, and just doesn’t need re-visioning or embellishing. This particular news item is about as straight forward as it gets. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans think Trump has committed crimes…before taking office. Let that sink in. And let’s be clear. That is not 64% of Democrats, or of independents, but 64% of “all” respondents.
There’s more (the “it gets worse” part). The poll found that 65% of all Americans believe Trump is not honest. Moreover, it’s worth keeping in mind that since the end of 2017, the low end of the spectrum of Americans who feel that way was 57%. In other words, a majority of Americans have believed this about Trump, for more than a year, and the number has grown.
It’s fair to say, most people think politicians are dishonest. In this light, when compared to his counterparts, he fares slightly better, but, even at that, half of respondents say he’s less honest than past presidents. Expand that picture and you’ll find only 20% of respondents – and less than half of Republicans, say he’s more honest than past presidents.
And…
· Over 70% of Americans, including more than 1/3 of Republicans, say Trump is not a good role model for children
· Half of respondents said they were more likely to believe Michael Cohen, versus 35% who said they believe Donald Trump, while a plurality of Americans think Cohen told the truth in his testimony. Yes, the same Michael Cohen who pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, last year, was deemed more believable than Donald Trump.
· A slightly larger number of respondents, 45%, think Trump has committed crimes while in off, versus 43% who believe he has not.
· Most Americans, including a quarter of Republicans think Congress should investigate Cohen’s claims.
· Overall, Trump’s approval rating was 38%, while 55% disapproved.
From a pro-Trump perspective, despite the mind-numbing parade of negativity represented by the preceding array of data, there was good news. The poll showed that 49% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, and more important, I presume, 35% of respondents were in favor of initiating impeachment proceedings, while 59% oppose.
As a pragmatist, I must admit that I have a working theory about that last statistic. First and foremost, zero Republicans want Trump impeached. Obviously, that does not a majority make. However, Democrats and independents have acquired an appreciation for strategic design. They understand all too well that, were the House to indict Trump on impeachment charges, the Senate, as was the case with Bill Clinton, is all but certain to rebuff them, and opt not to convict him of any charges. This, while ostensibly a monumental waste of time, would quite possibly give an individual who was elected the first time without a majority of the popular vote, just enough wind beneath his wings to create a second lightning strike. In other words, they don’t want to chance it.
I have maintained for the entire Trump tenure that the best and foremost chance to rid the upper echelon of America’s government of its current scourge is to vote the rascals out. With that in mind, do not, I repeat, do not read the bulleted items and conclude that the work has been put in, and it’s a done deal. Trump had an unbelievable amount of baggage in 2016; today he is President. A different 2020 outcome is not a given. Do, however, remember, a “Majority of Americans Think Trump has Committed Crimes: It Gets Worse!”
I’m done; holla back!
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Consult the links below for more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post:
http://www.fortune.com/2019/03/05/quinnipiac-university-survey-poll-trump-approval-michael-cohen/
https://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2019/03/majority-of-americans-think-trump-has.html
https://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2019/03/majority-of-americans-think-trump-has.html
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