Discussing politics on Thanksgiving is a tradition that many of us could live without but can’t seem to get away from. It’s especially poignant every four years after the tidal shifts accompanying presidential elections. This year, we saw remarkable outcomes, most notably that voters prioritized bringing down the cost of their Thanksgiving meal over bringing the family together for a civil conversation.
OK, that is an oversimplification, but let’s take a look at the numbers.
Clearly, voters were less concerned about civility than they were about costs.
The two of us, a Republican and a Democrat, have been conducting polling together around civility in our political discourse for decades. For the last five years, we’ve partnered with the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service to dive into just what this means for the state of our politics. We conducted our most recent poll of 800 likely voters right after the outcomes of the 2024 elections. We asked voters which candidate they believed ran a more divisive campaign, who messaged the ability to get things done more effectively, which candidate they thought represented their shared values the best, and much more.
We learned that many voters found Vice President Harris to be someone who is a unifier and ran a less negative campaign as opposed to President Trump, but President Trump had advantages in key areas that propelled him over the top. He was able to effectively message himself as the candidate who addressed the kitchen table issues that most stood out to voters. We’ve seen in exit poll after exit poll that the economy was the issue most on people’s minds on Election Day, and when you look at our findings, you see a pattern that reflects Trump’s win.
When voters were asked, “Which candidate is talking to you about this issue?” we see some of the dynamics in the race represented. Vice President Harris outperformed President Trump in addressing abortion, protecting democracy, sharing my values, and caring about people like me. Fifty-two percent found that Vice President Harris was the candidate who better messaged bringing the country together.
Conversely, voters found that President Trump more effectively talked about the economy, inflation, and immigration, and a majority thought he would be better at getting things done, but most do not expect him to be a unifier in the White House.
Clearly, voters were less concerned about civility than they were about costs. The overall outcome has surprisingly resulted in a drop in political tensions based on the measure we have used for the last five years — largely driven by Republicans who are feeling relief after Election Day.
We measure tension by asking folks where they feel the country is on a scale of one to 100, with one being no division at all and 100 being civil war. We saw a four-point drop since our last poll in March from 70 to 66, the lowest mark in the last five years that we have done this poll. Division scores are highest among Democrats at 70, while independents are at about the total sample’s mean (66) and Republicans see the least division (61). These scores reflect a significant 14-point drop for Republicans, specifically from March, with independents remaining largely the same and Democrats seeing a small, two-point uptick.
Of particular note is the hope respondents share about a brighter future and the possibilities of collaboration between the parties. Despite President Trump’s “trifecta" control, 95% of those polled agreed with the statement, “I want President Trump, Republicans in Congress, and Democrats in Congress to work together to solve the major problems facing this country.” Also, 82% of respondents agreed, “It will be good for the country if President Trump and Congress compromise to find solutions even if this means I will not always get everything I want.”
In what could be a reflection of these hopes, when asked how much division they expect in the country a year from now, respondents predicted a 61 out of 100, a more than 12-point decrease led largely by Republicans in projected division from September 2023.
So how does this impact your Thanksgiving meal this year? Prices are projected to drop this year, pretty significantly, dropping nearly $10 compared to this time last year, when the average cost for a Thanksgiving meal was $67.84, all the way to $58.08. Your Republican relative might take a minute to brag that this is the market reacting to President Trump’s win, but your Democrat relative might say that it’s a sign that Bidenomics is working and the country went down the wrong path on Election Day.
Either way, we know that politics will be debated this Thanksgiving in many homes across the country. We only hope that it’s a little more civil this time around.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.
After years of liberal lockstep, Armenian-Americans seem to be breaking for Donald Trump. This is good news, not just for ethnic Armenians but for all Americans. Let me explain.
The first big break with the status quo came from Armenian Weekly columnist Armen Morian, who recently urged his readership to vote for Trump.
But just take a look at a map, and the significance of Armenia’s role as it relates to Western hegemony becomes clear.
Traditionally, Democrat candidates have pushed for Armenian causes, such as recognition of Armenian genocide. This has generally been enough for Armenians, like many other minority American groups, to nod their heads and go along with the empty promises of the liberal platform.
Morian acknowledges this habit as he makes a solidly persuasive case for why Armenian-Americans should vote for Trump. The Biden administration is simply the latest iteration of the fundamentally anti-human “Establishment” ideology:
For decades the official ideology of the Establishment has been a globalist one that disdains the cultures, traditions and interests of individual nations, beginning with those of the nation they profess to serve: America. They regard men and nations as interchangeable pawns to be played, regardless, and often in spite of, their unique cultures, histories and traditions, which they see not as determinants of policy but obstacles to be overcome on the path toward advancing their ideology.
For Morian, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government is but an extension of this liberal establishment, with Pashinyan and his cronies doing the globalist work of trying to normalize relations between the republic and Turkey, harassing the Armenian Apostolic Church, and sowing division between Armenians of the mainland and of the diaspora, among other things.
Donald Trump himself seemed to vindicate Morian's claims a few days later, when he made a post on Truth Social blaming Kamala Harris and the rest of the Biden administration for doing nothing as Islamic Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed 120,000 Armenians from their historic homeland in Artsakh, which was, up until 2023, a disputed enclave within the boundaries of Azerbaijan.
I surmise that advisers like Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have had something to do with raising his awareness of the crisis in that part of the world.
As an ethnic Armenian myself, these developments are all fine and dandy. If the Armenian-American community can wake up from its liberal slumber and manage to find its conservative spine, I can call that progress.
But why should you care? Why should you care about the political goings-on of the Republic of Armenia and about the Armenians in general? After all, Armenians make up a tiny minority in America. Their vote most likely won’t make a dent in the election.
Likewise, the Western perception of Armenia and Armenians is barely existent, if it even exists at all. What does this tiny nation located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East have to do with you?
Well, allow me to appeal to your sense of geopolitics. On the surface, Armenia comes off as a backwater post-Soviet country tucked away from the rest of Europe under the Caucasus mountain range. It doesn’t contribute much in terms of GDP, as its 1991 statehood came with significant disadvantages: It's completely landlocked on all sides and neighbored by two bloodthirsty enemies — Turkey and Azerbaijan.
But just take a look at a map, and the significance of Armenia’s role as it relates to Western hegemony becomes clear.
Armenia is the lone obstacle standing in the way of Turkey’s pursuit of establishing a pan-Turanic land and sea bridge that would span Europe and Asia. Contrary to public perception, the bonds these nations share are less based on Islam than they are on ethnicity.
The nations highlighted in the graphic are all demographically composed of ethnically Turkic peoples. And if they were to establish that pan-Turanic land and sea bridge, you can bet your bottom dollar they would throw the power of that newfound Turanic empire around.
Some scenarios you can expect with the rise of the pan-Turanic empire:
And if you think this isn’t coming down the pipeline, just look at both Greece and Armenia as your prime examples of what happens when Turks become the power brokers.
The Hagia Sophia is no longer a church. Every major Armenian church and historical site has either been destroyed or retroactively cast as an ancient Turkish site. The ruthless predation of the Turkic world has remained only regional for Christians up until now, but it can very easily become international, very soon.
What stands in the way is Armenia. That’s it.
That is why the Azeris just cleaned out 120,000 Armenians from their ancestral homeland with military force. It’s why the traitorous, globalist Armenian government is pushing to “normalize” relations between itself and Turkey and Azerbaijan. And yes, it’s even why Iran considers Armenia’s territorial integrity a “red line” that it would not tolerate Azerbaijan breaching.
It’s also why I want you, the reader, to be aware of this pressing issue.
If Donald Trump becomes president, especially with advisers like Vivek Ramaswamy and RFK Jr. on his team, there will be a real opportunity to ward off this threat.
What I’m pushing for is not more taxpayer-funded aid to yet another region of the world. Instead, I'd like us to siphon the power, influence, and money away from antagonists like Turkey and Azerbaijan, whom we help out a lot.
The Middle East can be very stable, if we want it to be. That it happens to be occupied and governed by non-Christians is an anomaly — for much of history, Christians were in charge. A restoration of a Christian Middle East must be on the table as an agenda item for the next administration.
The Democrat mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, has received a subpoena from federal prosecutors as an investigation into his 2021 campaign and possible illegal foreign influence continues.
Sometime last month, Adams, City Hall, and his campaign committee were subpoenaed. The subpoenas demanded text messages, documents, and other communications, sources told the New York Times, which first reported the story earlier this week.
'We don’t do quid pro quo; we follow the law.'
The investigation actually began when Adams first ran for mayor in 2021 but did not come to light until last November, when the FBI and other officials raided the home of Adams' chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs.
The investigation is said to involve allegations that Adams engaged in a quid pro quo with prominent leaders in Turkey.
Adams fast-tracked a new Turkish consulate high-rise in Manhattan, the New York Post reported, allegedly pressuring the NYFD to give the building clearance despite safety concerns. Adams did not deny involving himself in the issue but claimed he did so as part of his responsibilities as mayor.
Investigators are attempting to determine whether members of the Turkish government made illegal donations to Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign. They are also apparently looking into free business-class upgrades Adams has allegedly received from Turkish Airlines.
Adams previously told a Turkish outlet that Turkish Airlines "is my way of flying."
Adams and his representatives have adamantly denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
"We don’t do quid pro quo; we follow the law," Adams previously stated, according to PIX11. "Whatever they’re looking for, we’ll fully cooperate, and I’ll let them do their job without interference."
His attorneys, Brendan R. McGuire and Boyd M. Johnson III, have similarly denied the allegations, claiming they have conducted a parallel investigation and have unearthed nothing untoward.
"To be clear, we have not identified any evidence of illegal conduct by the mayor," the lawyers said in a joint statement. "To the contrary, we have identified extensive evidence undermining the reported theories of federal prosecution as to the mayor, which we have voluntarily shared with the U.S. attorney."
Adams' chief spokesperson, Fabien Levy, made similar comments.
"As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has been clear over the last nine months that he will cooperate with any investigation under way. Nothing has changed," Levy said.
"He expects everyone to cooperate to swiftly bring this investigation to a close."
Despite these denials, the allegations seem to have taken a toll on Adams' popularity. His approval rating has dropped, and several outlets noted that three Democrats have already signed up to challenge Adams in the 2025 mayoral primary.
The Post reached out to federal officials for comment but did not receive a response.
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In a largely congenial pre-Thanksgiving press conference, Karine Jean-Pierre served the White House press corps a turkey dinner and expressed her gratitude for all the media have done for the Biden-Harris administration over the past four years. “Thank you. No, really, I mean that,” Jean-Pierre, who was wearing a tall, black pilgrim hat, gushed from […]
And now it's Joe Biden's legacy too.
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