# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/62 "2017-08-11T18:21:50Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > What does postponing the 2020 election even mean? It means that Republicans would rather have a king than a president. ---
**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, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/63 "2017-08-11T18:22:52Z")
> [@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 I can’t take complaints about this Monkeycage poll seriously because of Fox News’ blatant editorial bias. In fact, I can’t take any complaints about anything seriously for that reason. It’s comforting, in a way. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/64 "2017-08-11T18:31:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It means that Republicans would rather have a king than a president. Huh…here I thought it meant that nearly half of those who responded in this obvious push poll implied…something. But if you want to leap that shark again to claim this means (all?) Republicans would rather have a king than a president, well, that’s an interesting take anyway. It will be hilarious when some 'doper conservative makes similar sweeping and ridiculous claims based on a poll like this about Democrats or left winger types to see the takes of those participating in this thread. I wonder if they will change at all… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/65 "2017-08-11T18:36:33Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Huh…here I thought it meant that nearly half of those who responded in this obvious push poll implied…something. But if you want to leap that shark again to claim this means (all?) Republicans would rather have a king than a president, well, that’s an interesting take anyway. > > It will be hilarious when some 'doper conservative makes similar sweeping and ridiculous claims based on a poll like this about Democrats or left winger types to see the takes of those participating in this thread. I wonder if they will change at all… > > 😛 The problem is that you first have to have a “poll like this about Democrats”. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/66 "2017-08-11T18:39:15Z")
Funny, most of the time when you hear a rumor about the election being postponed or cancelled it’s at the tail end of a two-term incumbent. ---
**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, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/67 "2017-08-11T18:41:10Z")
43.78% of all statistics are made up on the spot. Plus or minus 0.5%. Regards, Shodan ---
**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, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/68 "2017-08-11T18:48:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It means that Republicans would rather have a king than a president. I think it shows confirmation bias in those interpreting the poll results more than anything else. Here’s a [commentary from the Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/poll-republicans/536472/)that seems like a more reasoned interpretation: > [@](#): > > Besides, there are lots of dubious partisan views that show up in polls. Respondents consistently say things that are counterfactual or plainly nuts. How many voters really believed that Barack Obama was a Muslim, or born in Kenya? Probably fewer than told pollsters they did. Even the belief that Trump won the popular vote, which has shown up in other polls, could fall under the same umbrella. As Julian Sanchez has argued, such results look like “symbolic beliefs,” offered mostly to affirm fidelity to a party or politician. In the early ’90s, bumperstickers suggested, “Annoy the media: Re-elect Bush.” In today’s even more polarized, media-hating environment, the temptation to annoy the media, liberals, and Republican elites alike by backing outlandish ideas in polls is even stronger. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > The problem is that you first have to have a “poll like this about Democrats”. It would be like saying that Democrats would rather abandon the constitution than have an election because 67% of Democrats said they would rather have a 3rd Obama term over a potential Clinton Administration [in this also shitty poll.](http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/286105-majority-of-democrats-want-third-term-for-obama) ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/69 "2017-08-11T18:49:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The problem is that you first have to have a “poll like this about Democrats”. I don’t think it will be all that much of a problem. 😛 If you seriously think that a similar push poll couldn’t be used to make Democrats (or anyone else) look bad then you haven’t been following along. I’m quite sure that Fox or someone of similar ilk could and probably have done targeted polls to do just that either during the next Democratic president’s term or during the Obama term. And I’m equally sure that you and others in here would be saying basically that the poll was bullshit. You aren’t saying that here because…well, I’m sure you know why that is. This is the aspect of this board that really is disappointing. Horseshit should be horseshit, even if it aligns with your partisan viewpoint. This poll is horseshit and no conclusion SHOULD be drawn from something like this. But you are drawing it all the say, ain’t ya? Hell, you are even jumping the shark to make even broader brush statements to really go over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/70 "2017-08-11T18:51:19Z")
I wonder, if polled, how many Democrats would support a new Presidential election to happen next week? ---
**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, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/71 "2017-08-11T19:00:44Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Face it, Donald Trump is absolutely miserable every second of his life. Yeah. So much so he’s going to **resign**. In a _Huff_. Because he didn’t expect the job to be so hard. Because he’s ignorant and stupid. Because he’s thin-skinned. Because his administration is in a shambles. Because the intelligence services will force him out. Because it is going to be proved Putin controls him like a hand-puppet. Because he stole 10c in 1956… ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/72 "2017-08-12T07:20:56Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > It would be like saying that Democrats would rather abandon the constitution than have an election because 67% of Democrats said they would rather have a 3rd Obama term over a potential Clinton Administration [in this also shitty poll.](http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/286105-majority-of-democrats-want-third-term-for-obama) I obviously would not agree with them in regards to canceling an election but I can completely understand the sentiment behind it. The presidential term limit rule is not a long established tradition. It came about because Republicans felt bad that they couldn’t beat one president. WhaI don’t agree with it because in a job as important as president you really don’t want to start arbitrarily disqualifying your best candidates. I also oppose the no foreign born leaders for the same reason. Now, what I wouldn’t support is canceling an election; I’d support allowing said candidate to run. I’d imagine that option would trounce the cancel the election one if it was presented as an option. Can’t really do that with the OP though so there is that. Id agree that the polls are equally silly but what I see is their strength ( I don’t believe it’s their purpose exactly ) is not pointing out the craziness of the other party but rather as a gut check to your own beliefs. It can tap the breaks slightly on the out of control hyperbole trains that seem to be the norm in politics today. It’s a way to get people to take a deep breath and reexamine their perspective. In the end, if they can realize that they’re not that crazy yet it can only help. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/73 "2017-08-12T08:20:50Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > The presidential term limit rule is not a long established tradition. It came about because Republicans felt bad that they couldn’t beat one president. It was an informal precedent established by the first president which was maintained for 145 years. An amendment was ratified shortly after the seal was broken and the unbeatable president had since died. It is a cornerstone of the American tradition. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/74 "2017-08-12T08:42:25Z")
If you support postponing an election, you are anti-democracy. You’re for giving the person in power the ability to stop you from voting. It is a lead in to a dictatorship. Supporting a third term is not anti-democracy. We even had a four term president once. Saying you don’t like term limits means nothing. As long as you still had to vote for them, and you were free to vote against them, democracy is satisfied. Calling him Loser Donald is just an intentional insult, and yes, it’s childish. But it’s a childish strategy that worked for Trump, so using it on his followers for him makes sense. Trump just put insults in front of names, and people just assumed the insults were true because they heard them so much. Personally, though I’d stick with “Are we winning yet?” or “So when do we start winning?” I’m trying to find something that riffs on “Make America Great Again,” but nothing witty comes to mind at the moment. Though saying it in a Russian accent would make me giggle for a split second. ---
**Author:** ![Grsz11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Grsz11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grsz11)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/75 "2017-08-12T14:34:41Z")
Remember when these fascists called Obama a dictator? Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/76 "2017-08-12T14:40:11Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Supporting a third term is not anti-democracy. We even had a four term president once. Saying you don’t like term limits means nothing. As long as you still had to vote for them, and you were free to vote against them, democracy is satisfied. You apparently missed the fact that the poll Bone cited asked if they’d like to cancel the 2016 election: > [@](#): > > A strong majority of Democrats would cancel the 2016 presidential election … ---
**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 12, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/77 "2017-08-12T14:49:40Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > It would be like saying that Democrats would rather abandon the constitution than have an election because 67% of Democrats said they would rather have a 3rd Obama term over a potential Clinton Administration [**in this also shitty poll.**](http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/286105-majority-of-democrats-want-third-term-for-obama) > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > You apparently missed the fact that the poll Bone cited asked if they’d like to cancel the 2016 election: Bone didn’t exactly endorse the poll he cited. Good job making it look like he did by not quoting him. Since you cut out the relevant part of the article: > [@](#): > > _A strong majority of Democrats would cancel the 2016 presidential election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump if it meant President Obama could serve another term_, a new poll found. > > **Data provided to The Hill by the conservative polling outlet WPA Research** found that\* 67 percent of Democrats would take a third term for Obama over a potential Clinton administration. > \* > Only 28 percent said they’re ready to move on from the Obama White House, while 6 percent are undecided. No link to the actual poll or the questions used. ETA The italicized parts seem to contradict each other. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/78 "2017-08-12T14:51:30Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > You apparently missed the fact that the poll Bone cited asked if they’d like to cancel the 2016 election: The sentence about the poll actually says: “Data provided to The Hill by the conservative polling outlet WPA Research found that 67 percent of Democrats would take a third term for Obama over a potential Clinton administration.” That doesn’t say anything about canceling an election. I couldn’t find a link to the actual poll questions, though. But I think it’s entirely possible that The Hill just wrote some hyperbolic bullshit to make the article “pop” more. Edit: Ninja’d! ---
**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 12, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/79 "2017-08-12T14:59:28Z")
I have been unable to find the actual poll **Bone** referenced. Almost all the stories point to _The Hill_ story with only one that linked to the poll which returned a [Not Found](https://www.wparesearch.com/uncategorized/two-thirds-of-democrats-prefer-keeping-obama-over-clinton-presidency/) page. ---
**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 12, 2017, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/80 "2017-08-12T15:03:41Z")
However those concerned Democrats weren’t trying to keep out the other side by cancelling the election, just to keep Hillary out. > [@BigT](#): > > Trump just put insults in front of names, and people just assumed the insults were true because they heard them so much. Maybe, _facilis descensus Averno_, Trump is not a good role-model. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264/81 "2017-08-12T15:35:09Z")
[QUOTE=running coach] Bone didn’t exactly endorse the poll he cited. Good job making it look like he did by not quoting him. [/QUOTE] I think you missed Bone’s point, which was that with a targeted push poll you could pretty much get anyone to say something stupid and that such things really don’t give data good enough to draw any sort of conclusions. They are crap. Basically, the only ones who could draw conclusions from either poll are those who are so biased they want to see the worst in the other side and will grasp at any straw(man poll) to validate their opinion. > [@](#): > > No link to the actual poll or the questions used. > > ETA The italicized parts seem to contradict each other. Since we don’t have the poll it’s hard to say. However, had they asked the question in the right way, I have no doubt that they could have gotten such a group to say whatever they wanted them to say, including that Obama should have run for a 3rd term or that the election should be canceled. I doubt those who responded were really thinking about what that means, just sore that Obama was leaving and that seemingly Clinton would be the next President…just as I doubt the reliability of the poll that sparked this thread as an indication that ‘Nearly Half of Pubs Would Support Postponing 2020 Election Reply to Thread’. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-nearly-half-of-pubs-would-support-postponing-2020-election/793264.md?page=5)