[Goose]

There's a pretty significant number of conservative Christian voters (across all ethnic backgrounds) who think that Trump's anti-abortion stance is sufficient for their votes (identity politics).  (Are there more SCOTUS seats in play through 2024?  Huh.)

That's where their analysis starts and stops.  And their churches encourage this (despite tax-exempt status).

As much as I attempt to fight this idea, it is unfortunately true. There are a significant number of people who simply will not vote for anyone who doesn't want to overturn Roe vs. Wade. That is where it starts and ends for those voters.

I do however believe there is an even more serious problem demonstrated in this election. I fear that most people were voting AGAINST the other candidate, not voting FOR the one for which they cast their vote. I am one of those voters. Biden would not normally have any chance of gaining my vote. His positions (in so far as we actually know them) on most issues do not match mine. He got my vote because I have believed all along that Trump had no business even being NEAR the presidency, let alone holding it. Biden is at least a functioning adult and as far as I know an honest man. Trump is neither IMHO. I know their are plenty of Trump voters that are fully aware of how bad Trump is, but they really abhor what the believe Biden stands for socially and/or economically. Thus their vote AGAINST Biden despite the fact the consider Trump as "less than ideal". The R v W voters can be considered in this category.

The problem is that we cannot have a democracy based on what we are against. It has to be based on what we are for. As a Republican, if we had offered a decent candidate (instead of Trump) we probably could have won in a landslide, or at least forced Biden to actually campaign on issues. What could have been. I just hope that both parties can generate some candidates with real principles and real ideas that have some leadership ability. FWIW, I would have preferred Obama to Biden, and that is saying a lot.

It will be interesting to see Biden's approach to working with the Senate on COVID-19 legislation. I really hope Biden is able to get some kind of a working consensus on things where their is substantial agreement, and that he stays away from issues for which that is not the case, at least initially. We need to do some things to restore the economy while killing "as few people as possible" in the attempt. Sad it has reached that point, but IMHO it unfortubnately has. We are in search of a viable solution. An optimal one is probably beyond our grasp at this point.

[Goose]

There's a pretty significant number of conservative Christian voters (across all ethnic backgrounds) who think that Trump's anti-abortion stance is sufficient for their votes (identity politics).  (Are there more SCOTUS seats in play through 2024?  Huh.)

That's where their analysis starts and stops.  And their churches encourage this (despite tax-exempt status).

As much as I attempt to fight this idea, it is unfortunately true. There are a significant number of people who simply will not vote for anyone who doesn't want to overturn Roe vs. Wade. That is where it starts and ends for those voters.

I do however believe there is an even more serious problem demonstrated in this election. I fear that most people were voting AGAINST the other candidate, not voting FOR the one for which they cast their vote. I am one of those voters. Biden would not normally have any chance of gaining my vote. His positions (in so far as we actually know them) on most issues do not match mine. He got my vote because I have believed all along that Trump had no business even being NEAR the presidency, let alone holding it. Biden is at least a functioning adult and as far as I know an honest man. Trump is neither IMHO. I know their are plenty of Trump voters that are fully aware of how bad Trump is, but they really abhor what the believe Biden stands for socially and/or economically. Thus their vote AGAINST Biden despite the fact the consider Trump as "less than ideal". The R v W voters can be considered in this category.

The problem is that we cannot have a democracy based on what we are against. It has to be based on what we are for. As a Republican, if we had offered a decent candidate (instead of Trump) we probably could have won in a landslide, or at least forced Biden to actually campaign on issues. What could have been. I just hope that both parties can generate some candidates with real principles and real ideas that have some leadership ability. FWIW, I would have preferred Obama to Biden, and that is saying a lot.

It will be interesting to see Biden's approach to working with the Senate on COVID-19 legislation. I really hope Biden is able to get some kind of a working consensus on things where their is substantial agreement, and that he stays away from issues for which that is not the case, at least initially. We need to do some things to restore the economy while killing "as few people as possible" in the attempt. Sad it has reached that point, but IMHO it unfortubnately has. We are in search of a viable solution. An optimal one is probably beyond our grasp at this point.