NEWS AND OPINION:
FARMERS: 50% BACK TRUMP, 32% BIDEN
The heartland has some good news for President Trump. A survey of farmers and rural Americans finds that they favor the president over Democratic nominee Joseph R. Biden by a wide margin, according to DTN, a Minneapolis-based research and marketing firm specializing in agriculture, livestock, crops and other related fields.
With Zogby Analytics, the firm reached out to the farming community for their research, shared with Inside the Beltway.
“The survey of more than 1,000 adults in rural counties in the United States revealed the majority of rural farmers are likely to elect Donald Trump in the 2020 election, despite most believing that U.S. agriculture is worse off than four years ago. The majority of rural Americans would vote for President Trump — 50% for Trump, 32% for Biden, 11% not sure,” the poll analysis said.
The respondents credit White House policy for positive developments.
“According to our recent survey, 57% of farmers believe that President Trump‘s focus on agriculture has improved their farming and ranching financial outlook. Furthermore, 53% approve of the job that Donald Trump has done as president. Both of these data points are strong indicators as to why farmers prefer President Trump over Joe Biden in the coming election,” Grey Montgomery — the organization’s senior vice president-agriculture and managing director of content — tells Inside the Beltway.
The survey also revealed key concerns for the farming community: 62% claimed strength of economy is the biggest issue driving their decision on the election, followed by health care (48%), protection of the Second Amendment (39%), trade (28%) and climate change (27%). The poll of 1,000 U.S. adults in rural counties was conducted Sept. 1-9 and will be released at a future date.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump and his campaign have a cordial relationship with this grassroots population.
“The rural and agricultural community is one of the earliest and most important foundations of the United States. Since day one, President Trump has recognized the contributions of farmers and ranchers across the country and has enacted policies to ensure the prosperity of rural America,” notes the mission statement of Farmers and Ranchers for Trump, one of 38 voter coalitions within the Trump campaign.
THE BARRETT PRESS
The media had mixed messages about Judge Amy Coney Barrett and her public debut at the White House on Saturday as a Supreme Court justice nominee, witnessed by an enthusiastic audience that included her seven children, evangelist and Attorney General William P. Barr. A few stray headlines:
“Senate Dems ready tactics to muck up Supreme Court confirmation” (Politico); “Amy Coney Barrett’s debut shows she will be a tough adversary for Democrats” (CNN); “Amy Coney Barrett and the new, old anti-Catholicism” (New York Times); “Democrats feel boxed in on strategy for Barrett confirmation fight” (Axios); “What we know about Amy Coney Barrett’s judicial abortion record” (CBS); “More Catholic baiting levied against Amy Coney Barrett from the left” (CNSNews.com); “Amy Coney Barrett, Supreme Court nominee, is Scalia’s heir” (The Associated Press); “Trump says overturning Roe v, Wade ‘certainly possible’ with Amy Coney Barrett” (The Guardian); and “Amy Coney Barrett: A New Feminist Icon” (Politico Magazine).
SHUNNING BARRETT
Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii have already refused to meet with Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
“I think it is very petty of them not to even open the door and sit down and have a conversation. But this is how the left treats conservative women,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn told Fox News on Sunday.
The Tennessee Republican, incidentally, is the author of the new book “The Mind of a Conservative Woman: Seeking the Best for Family and Country,” published Sept. 1 by Worthy Books. It calls upon readers to ‘reject our society’s liberal bias against conservative women.”
A ‘SENSITIVE’ EVENT
Much media coverage characterizes the presidential election as a free-for-all, a brawl, a battle. Google considers it to be a “sensitive event,” complete with a new policy.
“Google will halt election advertising after the polls officially close for the U.S. presidential election, a move designed to limit false messages about the outcome of the contest. The largest internet company said advertisers will not be able to run ads referencing candidates, the election or its outcome,” reports Bloomberg News, which says the policy also applies to YouTube.
“The company is treating the election as a ‘sensitive event,’ such as natural disasters, where it prohibits ads that may capitalize on tragedies,” Bloomberg advised.
ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Need some escapist reading material? The National Trust for Historic Preservation has some new catalogs available for those who, yes, want to travel. The material include information on such things as flexible payment terms and “travel protection plans” which provide coverage for disruptive “scenarios.”
The fare for 2021 include U.S. destinations like a cruise on the Great Lakes and tours of historic homes in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania — plus imaginative land and rail journeys overseas, including a trip to London and surrounding counties titled “Wartime Codebreakers & Flying Aces.”
Find it all at NationalTrustTours.com under the catalogs heading.
POLL DU JOUR
⦁ 62% of the global population worry that their nation is “on the wrong track.”
⦁ 45% cite concerns about COVID-19; 39% worry about unemployment.
⦁ 30% cite poverty; 27% crime and violence; 27% political corruption.
⦁ 21% cite health care; 13% taxes, 11% moral decline.
⦁ 10% cite immigration control, 9% the rise of extremism, 6% terrorism.
Source: An Ipsos poll of 27,00 adults in 27 countries conducted from Aug. 21 to sept. 4 and released Friday. Respondents could cite multiple concerns and this is a partial list. The 27 countries are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.
⦁ Helpful information to jharper@harperbulletin.
