Gainesville residents need to step outside the liberal echo chamber
We all need to get out more and seek views from numerous sources, especially those with which we differ. We shouldn't believe the “groupthink” that what we and our friends believe reflects the will of the people. And we need to stop ascribing evil motives to those with whom we disagree.
I take part in a weekly dialogue with other retirees. They are bright, well-spoken, generally courteous and very liberal. I am a conservative and enjoy the dialogue. It has taught me a lot but, at times, the discussions get a little frothy, despite a moderator, and reflect the tendency to extrapolate one’s views to voters at large.
For example, we had a discussion about the Parental Rights in Education bill. I support the bill. My view may have induced tachycardia in some and was described by some liberals as transphobic, bigoted, mean-spirited, anti-gay and worse.
My critics believed that nobody supported the bill, other than, to be kind, the evil folks. However, recent polling by Public Opinion Strategies showed strong support among Americans who actually read the bill, and did not rely on characterizations and the screeds of the pundit class.
The poll found respondents supported the language of the bill by a 61% to 26% margin overall, independents by 58% to 26% Democrats by 55% to 29%, Joe Biden voters by 53% to 30%, parents by 67% to 24%, suburban voters by 60% to 30%. Among Americans who know an LGBTQ person, the margin was 61% to 28%.
Again, these are people who read the actual text of the bill. I doubt Santa Claus would get such a plurality from 5-year-olds on Christmas Eve. The lesson is clear. Although liberal views may, for now, dominate Gainesville, education and reaching out to other and different sources may change that.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis is reviled by most of my fellow dialogue participants. They would likely vote for Hunter Biden, Andrew Cuomo or Harvey Weinstein if they ran against him. Fair enough. but in polling against the leading Democratic candidate, Charlie Crist, DeSantis is up by 55% to 34%.
In Florida in 2020, Donald Trump tripled his margin against Biden as compared to his margin against Hillary Clinton. Outside the cocoon, it looks like Florida, despite the caterwauling, is undergoing a structural political shift to rock-solid, common-sense conservatism.
Why? Let me help to explain. Floridians know how DeSantis handled COVID. A recent COVID study by the National Bureau of Economic Research is noteworthy. Among the top 10 states for success in handling COVID — based upon the economy, education and mortality — Florida is sixth, the only large state.
Florida is in the middle on mortality, and given its demographics, that is stellar, but is third for the least education loss (DeSantis stood up for the kids) and 13th in economic performance. Floridians seem to like low taxes, law-and-order, high growth, low unemployment, standing up for the children, protecting the unborn, principled and courageous leadership, the empowering of parents, school choice and integrity.
This support does not make Floridians “deplorables,” but rather normal people who care about their futures and that of their children. I know liberals will not like these numbers and trends. However, until they get out of the tight circle of those who agree with them, reach out and change, the voters will continue to reject the ideologies that liberals surely believe have made Gainesville a model of great governance, courtesy among the elected, fiscal prudence and safety.
Voter ID laws are a great case study. Many wail at the existence of voter ID laws. Fair enough. But step aside from the comfort of a liberal-dominated discussion and consider that 36 states have voter ID laws on the books and six states have strict voter ID laws, which require that voters show a government-issued ID when they vote.
Despite all the frothing to the contrary, 68% of Americans favor strict voter ID laws, including 60% of independents and 50% of Democrats. By race, 70% of whites support them, 66% of Hispanics and 56% of African Americans. A truly amazing show of support for voter ID laws — strict ones — exists once we step outside the liberal echo chamber.
I hope Americans reach out to their political opponents, with respect, consider alternative sources for information, listen and learn.
Edward B. Harmon, a retired mergers and acquisitions attorney and law school professor, is a monthly contributor to the Sun. He lives in Gainesville.
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Edward B. Harmon: Step outside Gainesville's liberal echo chamber
