# Poll: Nearly Half of Pubs Would Support Postponing 2020 Election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 10, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264 "2017-08-10T17:10:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/41 "2017-08-10T21:37:55Z")
Be funny if you only got elderly [del]deranged[/del] shut-ins longing to talk. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/42 "2017-08-10T22:26:36Z")
1/2 the population has a 100 or less IQ. It’s not surprising that half of any large political party are daft. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/43 "2017-08-10T23:10:01Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > 1/2 the population has a 100 or less IQ. It’s not surprising that half of any large political party are daft. And the other half are all brainiacs, I suppose? ---
**Author:** ![PrimalEnvy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/85f322/32.png) [@PrimalEnvy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrimalEnvy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/44 "2017-08-10T23:55:56Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Do you know how polling works and for what purpose? > > I don’t know why everyone is so anxious to defend these people. I suspect that if we had a properly administered poll result that indicated 99% of republicans supported executing all democrats, people would be rushing to say “99%? That’s not all republicans!” or “I’m sure democrats would do the same thing, both sides are the same, you’re just too blind to see it, unlike me who is super smart” Yes, I know how polling works. But in this case, I do doubt the validity of comparing the small sample to the entire population. The fact that _anybody_ would support the postponing of the presidential election is terrifying, yes. If even 5% of all Republicans would support that, given any non-apocalyptic reason by President Trump, democracy would certainly be at risk in the US. As the article states, if this were to actually be proposed, many people would (hopefully) change their answer. Keep in mind, though, that 1. I am not from the US, and 2. I am not of voting age. Maybe I just don’t have all the info. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/45 "2017-08-11T00:27:30Z")
> [@PrimalEnvy](#): > > If even 5% of all Republicans would support that, given any non-apocalyptic reason by President Trump, democracy would certainly be at risk in the US. According to what seems to be a more reliable survey, about 1 in 6 Americans would prefer military rule to democracy: [https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/opinion/across-the-globe-a-growing-disillusionment-with-democracy.html](https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/opinion/across-the-globe-a-growing-disillusionment-with-democracy.html). So, yeah, we shouldn’t take it for granted. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/46 "2017-08-11T01:17:34Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > All polling works like that. Do you think there is ever a poll where all 300M Americans are asked to respond? Kinda. We did it back in November 2016. Well, the eligible voters at least 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/47 "2017-08-11T02:52:01Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Kinda. We did it back in November 2016. Well, the eligible voters at least 🙂 That poll had a self selection bias, unfortunately. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/48 "2017-08-11T02:56:23Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Kinda. We did it back in November 2016. Well, the eligible voters at least 🙂 And that poll makes this one all the more credible. It’s not like Trump tried to hide his authoritarian impulses; people willingly voted for someone knowing that he was an authoritarian and that he didn’t play by rules. They just naively believed that he would know his limits, know what lines not to cross. We don’t really need this poll. We already have the information that we need, and the evidence tells us that American democracy is not long for this world. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/49 "2017-08-11T03:04:15Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Kinda. We did it back in November 2016. Well, the eligible voters at least 🙂 You know which caveat I almost tacked onto the end of that post? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/50 "2017-08-11T06:42:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > All polling works like that. Do you think there is ever a poll where all 300M Americans are asked to respond? Actually, yes, there is. We do it every 10 years…it’s called the Census. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/51 "2017-08-11T07:49:01Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > According to what seems to be a more reliable survey, about 1 in 6 Americans would prefer military rule to democracy: > [https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/opinion/across-the-globe-a-growing-disillusionment-with-democracy.html](https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/opinion/across-the-globe-a-growing-disillusionment-with-democracy.html). So, yeah, we shouldn’t take it for granted. It is mainly overlooked how much the USA is part of the Americas. Apart from schooling the rest of them, it itself conforms to the militaristic fascination that has made the Latin countries special. Compared to non-American cultures ( excepting China which had warlords fairly recently, and a CCP much more militaristic than the Soviet Union ) the USA has had a considerable proportion of presidents with extensive military rank. Civilian presidents make up a quarter; generals and above make up a quarter. Colonels and less make up a half. However odd this history seems to outsiders, it does mean many Americans — especially those who are super-patriots — are going to feel comfortable with decision-making in the hands of the forces they trust the most. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/52 "2017-08-11T09:16:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Poll: Nearly Half of Pubs Would Support Postponing 2020 Election Of course they would; it would mean more drinking time! (So who else opened the thread thinking it was about Public Houses?) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/54 "2017-08-11T10:57:36Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > According to what seems to be a more reliable survey, about 1 in 6 Americans would prefer military rule to democracy: > [https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/opinion/across-the-globe-a-growing-disillusionment-with-democracy.html](https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/opinion/across-the-globe-a-growing-disillusionment-with-democracy.html). So, yeah, we shouldn’t take it for granted. Growing militarism is a concern to me. It’s getting to be that we can’t have a holiday anymore without communal fellating of the military. We’re supposed to tell everyone in uniform thank you for their service. Now we have a significant portion of the electorate perfectly happy with an incompetent ignorant buffoon in the White House who wants to be a strongman dictator, and it’s okay with all of them because he pisses off people who disagree with them. I’d like to see other polls ask this or similar questions. The rule of law and democracy have never been more at risk than they are right now. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/55 "2017-08-11T11:54:09Z")
This is why I can’t take complaints about Fox News all that seriously. The WaPo does a poll which is not far short of fake, and uses it to claim that half of Republicans want to postpone the election. #fakenews, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/56 "2017-08-11T16:10:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This is why I can’t take complaints about Fox News all that seriously. The WaPo does a poll which is not far short of fake, and uses it to claim that half of Republicans want to postpone the election. > > #fakenews, > Shodan Your logic is less than sound. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/57 "2017-08-11T16:16:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This is why I can’t take complaints about Fox News all that seriously. The WaPo does a poll which is not far short of fake, and uses it to claim that half of Republicans want to postpone the election. > > #fakenews, > Shodan Nothing to back your claim. That figures, running coach ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/58 "2017-08-11T17:09:31Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Slightly lamer because it’s just as dumb but wordier. > > Face it. He’s rich, has a hot ex-model wife and is the goddamn POTUS. If that’s losing then I never want to win again. It is possible to hate the guy without being an idiot about it. I’m doing right now, in fact. Face it, Donald Trump is absolutely miserable every second of his life. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/59 "2017-08-11T17:19:08Z")
Hey if that keeps you warm at night… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/60 "2017-08-11T17:40:48Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Nothing to back your claim. Nothing to back **my** claim? Oooookay then. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/61 "2017-08-11T17:50:51Z")
What does postponing the 2020 election even mean? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264.md?page=4)