The new NBC poll shows the threat to our democracy is now the #1 issue for voters.

[fightforfreedom]

That is a big deal. The final campaign push by Obama, Biden, others, may be getting through to the American people.

[WA-03 Democrat]

1. This is the issue since

2015 when Russia starting attacking us

[fightforfreedom]

2. True, but this is the first poll I have seen were it is the #1 issue among voters.

If the Democrats do well this election I am going to give a lot of credit to Obama. People listen to Obama and he has been campaigning on this issue. Our democracy is at risk. Vote!

[WA-03 Democrat]

5. It's a great sign

The world is at war between the authoritative tyrants versus liberal democracies. There is no middle and if we lose our collective lives will suffer.

[RobinA]

32. How Is It

a great sign? My Trumper neighbor thinks socialist libtards are a threat to democracy. I think he and his fellow MAGAs are a threat to democracy. We agree on the existence of a threat, but have very different ideas about what that threat is.

[KS Toronado]

40. Believe it indicates more people will be voting blue to keep/save Democracy

That's why it's a great sign IMO, hopefully idiots like your neighbor will be a dying breed.

[WA-03 Democrat]

45. One party supports Democracy and that is the Democratic Party

The republican party is against the democratic process. The only way they win is if they depress voter turn out gerrymandering and cheat. Republicans have said so. They do not want to expand voter rights, hours, the ability to hand out water in the south where they make it as miserable as possible to vote. Blue states expand and want everyone to vote.

Your republican neighbor would not know political theory if it hit them upside the head.

Ask them to compare and contrast socialism and democracy.

Then name all the countries in Europe that have both.

[Polybius]

13. I think Obama would be in his 4th term right now

That is, if we didn't have that pesky Amendment.

[WA-03 Democrat]

46. While the world may be in a much better place right now

I am in favor of term limits. Look at Obama picture day one vs. eight years later. The job takes a huge toll.

[calimary]

28. Last one I saw a day or so ago, concern for democracy had moved up

to second place from much farther down.

Glad it’s up too now - where it belongs.

Pardon the pun but DEMOCRACY deserves to - um - trump everything else.

[Lovie777]

3. Really?......

I keep seeing articles saying inflation, crimes, inflation, crimes, Pres Biden's un-approval ratings, Democrats in disarray, inflation and crimes, fading abortion issue.

[durablend]

16. You forgot inflation

[FBaggins]

4. It was the #1 issue in their poll last month too

The same goes for September and August.

The problem there is that "threat to our democracy" is up there for both parties. The poll doesn't break down who they think the threat is.

[Sympthsical]

10. They also make economy and cost of living two different questions

I mean, with inflation, they're kind of synonymous things to most people. If you combine those two results into one question - as many other polls do - you see very similar numbers where it's the biggest concern by far.

And you make the same point I did. Why do people think people who pick "Threats to democracy" are all Democrats? Because Kari Lake would like a word . . .

[W_HAMILTON]

20. Do you think people that pick "inflation..."

...are all anti-Democrats or all plan to vote against Democrats?

I mean, while we are questioning the rationale behind these picks, let's be sure to question their underlying assumptions all around. Someone can see inflation as a big problem, but also realize that it is a global problem that no one country can solve alone, much less our country's Republicans, who -- as Obama rightly said -- are proposing the same """solutions""" for that they do everything else: tax cuts for the rich.

[Sympthsical]

29. Because you then read the tabs

If your biggest concern is inflation, which party do you favor? Who's prioritizing it? The polls ask that, and you can see the results in the tabs. Guess who's favored when the inflation question comes up?

Who do you trust to manage it? Well, let's look at the WaPo/ABC poll from today that currently has generalized congressional preference at 48R/47D. So it's about where other polls are.

We're scooting down to Question 8 that begins on page 6 of the data.

"Which political party, the (Democrats) or the (Republicans) do you trust to do a
better job handling X?"

a. The economy - 51% R / 37% D

h. Threats to democracy- 42%R / 43% D

The poll tabs look at these breakdowns.

I get people read no further than poll headlines and wait until someone on Twitter has cherry-picked the number that makes them feel best, but the data is there for everyone to read.

Reality is generally a data-based thing. If people want to build castles in the sky with airy speculative mortar, I can't do anything about that.

[W_HAMILTON]

37. Thank you for proving my point...

...that just because someone lists a particular issue as an important issue for them, it is not a proxy of who they will be voting for, since no one party has a monopoly over any of the main issues -- including even the economic ones.

[Sympthsical]

39. Literally just ignored the data

Look, I can't make anyone read obvious things. It's the Internet, where social media are about feeling the fantasy.

Relatedly, I got roped into reading to children earlier in the week. I had to do a story about Mack the Turtle. Amusing enough. I went with a nervous British accent that was a big hit with the little ones.

So, oi.

[W_HAMILTON]

48. I know you are wont to delve into personal stories...

...but I prefer when you stick to the data, which -- as you correctly pointed out, and which I did read -- shows that there are a healthy amount of Democrats even in those economic factors that pundits try and give completely over to the Republicans.

Thanks for that!

[Emile]

11. Republicans are not big on democracy. Instead of calling our country a Democratic Republic

they call it a Republic. They intentionally leave out the Democratic part that we learned about in school.

[Lonestarblue]

25. That's because the "originalist" Republicans try to convince people that all the amendments

passed the first ten are illegitimate because they are not original to the Constitution.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

50. Exactly

Plus, that #1 spot is 23% of voters, which means that 77% of voters don’t see it as the top issue.

I’m making no predictions for Tuesday, but while good news, I don’t see this is as nearly the big deal that others do.

YMMV

[Peacetrain]

6. ALRIGHTY NOW!!!!!!!!!

[Sympthsical]

7. Not really.

Economy is still the top choice. The poll separates out "Jobs and Economy" from "Cost of Living" which are often combined in inflation concerns. If you just pick the first choice and ignore the other data that is right next to it, you may believe the attempted narrative.

It's important to read the tabs to understand what polls are saying.

I'll also note "Threats to democracy" include the Kari Lakes of the world. Reading it as everyone thinking about it in the same way as we do is a grave, grave mistake. There are plenty of Big Lie types who are very much of a mind that democracy is being stolen from them.

The 48/47 number is encouraging, though. The general ballot seems to have tightened a bit. I wonder if that was the attack on Paul Pelosi and the insanity of the response to it. At this stage, how undecideds break can be determinative in a close election. The Right picked an odd week to let the insanity flag fly.

With numbers that close, I still think we lose the House, 218-225 area. I have been feeling better about the Senate in recent days. 50-51, with 52 possible. It feels like that's about my final prediction.

[Amishman]

12. Unfortunately all of this

Their 'stolen election' stuff would likely fall into this category - in their minds.

[Sympthsical]

17. It absolutely does

Some people seem to see that number and think it's all Democrats or people who feel as we do about Trump and the Right.

Anyone who spends any time reading spaces on the Right (as I do) knows that is very much not the case. There are plenty on that side who are worked up about this stuff. I keep noting Kari Lake because she's such a bright example of the breed, but there are hundreds of other people running for office just like her putting out similar messages.

[Wibly]

18. Economics and Abortion are one issue

Yeah, and the kicker is, to most women, the economy equate directly to the cost of child rearing. The most expensive aspect of their lives is keeping food on the table, a roof over their heads, and the light on, let alone what it costs to have them educated.
Women equate the cost of living to child bearing. They are not going to separate the two.
If is great folly to think that women are not going to directly equate their personal economy with the number of mouths they have to feed.
Add on top of that the fact that GOPers are moving to restrict women's control over the number of mouths they have to feed will not cause the economic concerns to break in favor of the GOP.

[Demsrule86]

33. I think the threat to democracy being a #1 issus is a very good sign for us.

[Sympthsical]

35. The WaPo poll shows the issue split

Which party will better handle threats to democracy. The results are 43D/42R.

That's the problem with not knowing or understanding what the Right discusses among themselves. People make these assumptions based on what's going on within their own limited circles and not seeing the obvious problem.

In this case, a lot of people on the Right have their own form of "Worrying about democracy" this cycle. Kari Lake's trying to ride it to victory as we speak.

And, again, threat to democracy isn't the #1 issue. The OP is reading the poll in a very specific way. It continues to be the economy and inflation.

[progressoid]

49. It's like the ubiquitous "is the country headed in the right direction?" question.

I would answer no. And my right wing neighbors would also answer no but for COMPLETELY different reasons.

[KPN]

8. It better fucking be! Otherwise, it's already lost.

[BlueIdaho]

9. About Fucking Time!

Now that the GQP has declared a war on our constitution, threatened to end Social Security, openly hates women and Jews, embraces Nazis, Putin, North Korea, and global fascism - maybe it’s time for people to wake the fuck up and see the enemy within.

Let’s just hope it’s not too late.

[republianmushroom]

14. About time

[BradBo]

15. The worlds at war against oligarchs. Russian, American, European, Asian take your pick.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

19. Yet many of the pundits are panning Biden for pointing this out

Fuck 'em.

[Hamlette]

21. I'd guess half of those "threat to democracy" votes are election deniers.

it is unreliable.

[GoodRaisin]

51. Unfortunately, true.

Not sure it’s half, but it’s a lot.

[kimbutgar]

22. Everyday I post memes on Facebook stating our democracy is on the line

I really tried to not be political on Facebook but losing our democracy is the most crucial thing in our country now.

[bucolic_frolic]

23. If you close with strength, you win

[AngryOldDem]

24. Then they need to vote like it.

I’m not so sure they will, though.

But they’ll wake up on Wednesday, or in a month, or in a year, or in 2024 and wonder what the hell happened to this country. Then it will be too late.

If people can’t find their way out of the lying, disinformative echo chambers, we’re done.

[aggiesal]

26. Any link to this story? n/t

[NullTuples]

27. But how was it worded? I can see MAGA answering as if Dems are the threat...

...or abortion or trans people or Black people or....MAGA don't tend to use a whole lot of critical thinking when answering such questions. They may well just answer that "the threat to Democracy" is the biggest issue because they have few real issues and they've been told Joe Biden is a threat to democracy.

And so on, especially any of the election deniers.

[Kaleva]

42. +1

[LakeArenal]

30. Ranking issues doesn't tell any story to me.

If I say Economy is 1 is one thing. If my #2 is like a nano less important: Then my third is a nano and a half less important, does that really clearly define what’s most important.

If I say equality is my issue, does that means women's rights are less important. Are they the same things?

[Warpy]

31. I imagine that article about white suburban women turning to the GOP

because inflation was #1 was just a lot of hooey and probably based on some woman at a suburban cocktail party whining to a GOP operative about how her cheapass husband hadn't increased her household allowance for 2 years and inflation was killing the budget.

Losing our democracy has always been the #1 issue, espeically after a bunch of unelected RWNJs overturned Roe because their religious dogma was more important to them than the rule of law they swore to uphold.

Inflation is up there, for sure, but most people understand it's a result of printing loads of money during the pandemic combined with price gouging by companies that don't want to lower their prices and lose their huge profits.

[Martin68]

34. If that is true, Democrats should win with a landslide.

[ColinC]

36. Is we one poll that showed it split 50/50

For who is best to handle it. My reaction:

[PXR-5]

38. I saw this was the #2 concern

among Republicans on TV this morning!

😆

[Kaleva]

41. Magahats believe left wing radicals are a serious threat to democracy

[iemanja]

43. Keep in mind that can mean different things for different party voters

Republicans can see it as about voting integrity--their term, not mine.

[ProfessorGAC]

44. Are We Sure?

I have concerns about polls like this because RWNJs will answer this affirmatively too, since they believe that election fraud nonsense.
So, it may rate highly but the solutions being sought might be polar opposites.

[Quixote1818]

47. Video from 1 month ago

[oasis]

52. K and R

[live love laugh]

53. Guess who else thinks this? MAGAts.

[TheFarseer]

54. If true, that's probably good

I say probably because delusional MAGA twits think the Ds are trying to steal the election too. However, I find this extraordinarily hard to believe.