• takeheart@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I feel like when comparing over a such a vast time scale party affiliation becomes less useful as a metric.

    Society and mores have changed so much over the last 80+ years that it’s better to ask about specific questions or habits like: Do you support a smoking ban in public spaces? or Schools should provide free meals to students: yes/no and see how the answers develop over time.

    • lars@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
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      5 months ago

      Similarly erratically, Nate Silver of 538 fame was pretty sure American Democrats would be more hesitant to wearing masks during a pandemic than Republicans would be because Democrats were known for more of a my-body-my-choice philosophy.

      • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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        5 months ago

        I read his personal blog a bit recently, and I was surprised by how much he talks about the “woke left”. If I ever met him, I’d want his take on all the statistics that, to me, make that group out to be mostly a straw man.