Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

What We've Learned So Far
Townhall.com ^ | November 5, 2020 | Jackie Gingrich Cushman

Posted on 11/05/2020 9:20:56 AM PST by Kaslin

It's not surprising that the presidential election between President Donald Trump and the Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, was not decided on Election Day. The votes will continue to be counted, and there is a good chance there will be recounts in areas where counts are very close. It might very well end up in the courts.

What we do know is that Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate will more than likely remain Republican. While the presidency might be too close to call, we have a few clear takeaways.

First, Trump has brought about an increased interest in politics and participation. We had the highest turnout since 1900, with almost 70% of those eligible to vote projected to do so. This is fantastic.

Second, the pollsters were wrong, wrong, wrong -- again. After listening for months to pollsters' predictions of a Democratic blowout, we know that, whatever the final result, there was no Democratic blowout. From now on, when you hear "poll," think "unreliable."

Third, with the loss of Democratic seats in the House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will have less power. The far-left coalition will grow louder, and this could lead to a flip of the House to the Republican side in 2022.

Fourth, the country is evenly split overall, but there is also a split between major metro and rural areas. The Democrats' mantra has been that it's due to a shift in demographics in metro areas. Trump picked up vastly more support from Latino voters in Texas and Florida than he did in 2016. Starr County, Texas, is 96% Latino, the highest percentage of Latino residents of any U.S. county. With over 98% of the county votes in, Biden was up by five points, while in 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won by more than 10 points. It appears that Trump also picked up larger percentages of black Americans.

While Democrats have promoted the concept that demographics are destiny, they are not. Saying demographics are destiny -- lumping individuals into a group based on their demographics -- is prejudice. Democrats will be hard-pressed to accept this fact.

Fifth, we need to bring our election infrastructure into the modern world. This election appears to be moving from the voting booth into the courts. It's appalling that states can't report votes faster and on a more consistent basis. Because we are a republic and voting practices are controlled by each state's secretary of state (in Georgia, they're run and controlled by county officials), there are vast differences in how states count votes.

As Colin Kalmbacher wrote for Law and Crime on Sept. 15: "Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar (D) issued guidance to counties that local election officials cannot perform on-the-spot signature analysis. Effectively, this means that ballots cannot be rejected because an election official believes the voter's signature on a ballot envelope does not match the signature on file." Additionally, in Pennsylvania, where ballots used to be counted only if they were received by 8 p.m. on election night, the state now allows for votes to be counted if they arrive by Nov. 6.

Sixth, the national press is clearly biased toward the Democratic Party. Whether this is due to their personal disdain for Trump or because they are mostly reporting from large metropolitan areas that are skewed Democratic, they don't represent the views of many Americans. With the advent of interconnectivity, online news channels and the ability to broadcast from any location in America, the traditional news media are already beginning to fracture and eventually will reconsolidate in ways we cannot imagine.

Seventh, legal pundits are going to be in demand this week as the presidential results move from vote counting to the courtroom. Expect news coverage to focus on maps of blue versus red, further polarizing the electorate.

Finally, with results this close, there is no mandate, no matter who wins in the end. We should all take a breath, step back and think about how we can work together, even with those on the opposite side of the aisle, to make our country better. It's not enough to scream that the other side is wrong. Instead of resorting to condemnation, we could all use a bit of intellectual humility and curiosity. Along the way, we might very well learn something about one another -- and ourselves.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2020preselection; ballots; electionday
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last

1 posted on 11/05/2020 9:20:56 AM PST by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
It's appalling that states can't report votes faster and on a more consistent basis.

In Dem-run states, that's not a bug, it's a feature.

2 posted on 11/05/2020 9:23:04 AM PST by dirtboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

These writers need to stop pretending that the pollsters are simply “wrong”. They are paid propaganda artists for the RATs and, basically, traitors.


3 posted on 11/05/2020 9:23:22 AM PST by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Article says nothing. And the PC platitude about working together and civility is the GOp establishment cop out for collaborating with the reds.

Politics is politics and everyone is as entitled as a liberal their political campaign and stance.

Why does a gay person be allowed to use orientation as a political claim while the rest of us should be robbed of our political identity claims under such idiocy as working together which no liberal and no sinner will ever follow - since sin is a prime reason of the shrewdness and dominance of the sinner over the sinless.

Townhall is a cesspool of these milk toast gelded PC Bush type republicans


4 posted on 11/05/2020 9:26:20 AM PST by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security in hates:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
Finally, with results this close, there is no mandate, no matter who wins in the end.

That's BS.

We held on to the Senate.
We gained in the House.
President Trump may end up with over 300 votes in the EC.
We won the popular vote.
We set a record, since 1960, for non-White votes going to Republicans.

2020 is a big win for Republicans. Let's not call it a Democrat win and let's not call it a tie either.

5 posted on 11/05/2020 9:26:57 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (If White Privilege is real, why did Elizabeth Warren lie about being an Indian?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Seruzawa

Yup.

“Wrong” is when you make some major errors in one direction and some major errors in another direction.

When you make all the errors in one direction, that is lying and cheating.


6 posted on 11/05/2020 9:27:56 AM PST by cgbg (We shall fight on beaches, on grounds, the fields, the streets, the hills. Never surrender. WC)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

Bogus polls to prop up the results from ballot harvesting.

Also explains why Slow Joe didn’t really bother to get out of the basement to campaign. No need to solicit votes when you can manufacture them!


7 posted on 11/05/2020 9:27:59 AM PST by parmamenian (and so it goes!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Seruzawa

Stuff it Jackie! The democrats committed massive fraud! That is the only thing to understand from this election.


8 posted on 11/05/2020 9:28:41 AM PST by CalWildcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
...what we've learned so far...


9 posted on 11/05/2020 9:31:18 AM PST by yoe (President Trump works for We The People - not China as Biden has and will.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
We should all take a breath, step back and think about how we can work together, even with those on the opposite side of the aisle, to make our country better.

When someone constantly lies to you, humiliates you, and punches you in the face, its difficult to counsel cooperation and good will.

10 posted on 11/05/2020 9:31:36 AM PST by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

This country is starting to feel like the fall of Rome.


11 posted on 11/05/2020 9:31:37 AM PST by stuck_in_new_orleans
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin; All

“Third, with the loss of Democratic seats in the House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will have less power. The far-left coalition will grow louder, and this could lead to a flip of the House to the Republican side in 2022.”

Something worth holding on to during these Trying Times!


12 posted on 11/05/2020 9:38:31 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin; All
"We should all take a breath, step back and think about how we can work together, even with those on the opposite side of the aisle, to make our country better."


13 posted on 11/05/2020 9:41:11 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: Kaslin

......Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate will more than likely remain Republican......

That almost certainly happened because Republican and Republican-leaning voters voted STRAIGHT Republican tickets, including for President!!!!

If any states that elected Republican Congress-menbers went for biden, that was almost certainly the result of FRAUD, probably by dumping of spurious “mail-in ballots”!!!!

The fraudulent results of the Presidential elections in these states must be challenged by the President’s lawyers, and remedied by the Supreme Court!!!!


15 posted on 11/05/2020 9:53:34 AM PST by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yoe

biden is almost certainly the most worthless candidate for President in American history!!!! He’s too demented to serve as President, he’s a total CROOK, and he is compromised by communist China!!!!

kamala, who would soon become President if biden wins, is also compromised by communist China:

https://thebl.com/politics/kamala-harriss-husband-and-his-companys-ties-to-the-ccp-could-affect-the-campaign-for-the-vice-presidency.html

Her behavior at the Kavanaugh hearings, among many other things, show her to be EVIL!!!! And when she ran for President in her own right, her own Democrat voters rejected her soundly.

The USA does NOT need the bided-harris ticket. Trump is our legitimate President!!!!


16 posted on 11/05/2020 10:02:07 AM PST by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
Finally, with results this close, there is no mandate, no matter who wins in the end. We should all take a breath, step back and think about how we can work together, even with those on the opposite side of the aisle, to make our country better.

That's a hard pass.

They've sewn the wind. Let them reap the s#!tstorm.

17 posted on 11/05/2020 10:28:21 AM PST by gogeo (It isn't just time to open America up again: It's time to be America again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

The president won the popular vote?


18 posted on 11/05/2020 10:30:27 AM PST by july4thfreedomfoundation (Wipe ANTIFA off the face of the Earth. Indict Soros, too...their sugar daddy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

This is your second conciliatory townhall piece today so far


19 posted on 11/05/2020 10:37:46 AM PST by wardaddy (I applaud Jim Robinson for his comments on the Southern Monuments decision ...thank you run the tra)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: parmamenian

You have to wonder if the gook flu wasnt released by china and the deep state to massively promote mail in ballots.


20 posted on 11/05/2020 10:47:22 AM PST by ScholarWarrior
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson