NEWS AND OPINION:
Partisan discord and jittery voters seem to be the hallmarks of politics at the moment. The Republican Party has managed to sneak by Democratic Party rivals however, so says a major pollster.
“The two major political parties remain unpopular in the U.S., with 56% of Americans viewing the Republican Party unfavorably and 58% saying the same of the Democratic Party,” reports Lydia Saad, director of U.S. social research at Gallup.
“Although both parties are about equally disliked, the public chooses the Republican Party over the Democratic Party by healthy margins when asked which will better safeguard the nation’s prosperity and security,” she said.
“Fifty-three percent of Americans believe the Republican Party will do a better job of keeping the country prosperous over the next few years, whereas 39% choose the Democratic Party,” Ms. Saad continued
“A slightly larger majority, 57%, have greater faith in the Republican Party to protect the country from international terrorism and military threats, while 35% favor the Democrats,” she says.
“Republicans’ 14-percentage-point lead in public preferences for keeping the country prosperous is up from a 10-percentage point margin last year and is its widest advantage on this measure since mid-1991,” Ms. Saad noted.
The poll of 1,016 U.S. adults was conducted Sept. 1-23 and released Tuesday.
TWO MILLION HATS
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has an update on one of the candidate’s signature symbols — the familiar bright red ball caps emblazoned with the phrase “Make America Great Again.”
“We’re approaching an incredible milestone: Nearly 2 million hats sold!” the campaign said in an emailed announcement shared with Inside the Beltway. One future hat, however, is marked for fame.
“Even as the radical Democrats continue to drag President Trump through witch hunt after witch hunt, our MAGA movement truly is the most dedicated and unbreakable in our nation’s history – and the numbers prove it!” the enthusiastic message said.
“But what better way to honor your place in our incredible movement than the one and only ‘Commemorative Two-Millionth MAGA Hat’ hand signed by President Donald J. Trump!” the message declared.
GETTING PRACTICAL
Hiring practices in the federal government can be slow and laborious indeed, but some new legislation may offer an alternative.
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the MACE Act 394-1 on Monday night. This bipartisan bill is aimed at modernizing federal cybersecurity job requirements to foster a more competitive workforce. The bill was introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace, South Carolina Republican, and co-sponsored by Rep. Katie Porter, California Democrat.
“The MACE Act eliminates unnecessary degree barriers for federal cybersecurity jobs, opening doors to talented individuals with exceptional skills. By focusing on qualifications directly relevant to job performance, the bill ensures equal opportunities and combats biases in hiring,” noted the background information.
Such thinking could be helpful. There is currently a shortage of over 700,000 cybersecurity professionals nationwide, the information said.
Ms. Mace also recalled some history, citing Bill Gates, the legendary co-founder of software giant Microsoft.
“Today, a brilliant computer whiz who drops out of Harvard after a year or two – as Bill Gates did – would stand little chance of securing a federal cybersecurity job. We often hear from the other side of the aisle that the federal government should be a ‘model employer’ and the elimination of unnecessary degree barriers ensures the federal government is such an employer. We look forward to seeing our bill hopefully signed into law soon,” Ms. Mace said.
VIVEK GETS GUTSY
Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy is emphasizing a personal quality in a new campaign ad simply titled “Guts.” It is now airing in Iowa and New Hampshire, and focuses on one nation in particular.
“The only candidate with the guts to take on China: Conservative Vivek Ramaswamy. The number one threat we face in the United States today — Communist China. Vivek Ramaswamy knows victory over our enemies means putting America first,” the ad advises.
“We’re serious about declaring economic independence from China. We will not depend on an enemy for the shoes on our feet or the bones in our pockets. And you know what’s going to happen? China is going to fold. Conservative outsider Vivek Ramaswamy for president,” the spot concludes.
It was released through AmericanExceptionalismPAC.org, the candidate’s political action committee.
FOXIFIED
During the week of Sept. 25 - Oct. 1, Fox News Channel enjoyed the largest audience in the entire cable realm — news and non-news programming alike — according to Nielsen Media Research.
The network attracted 2.2 million primetime viewers, compared to ESPN with 2.1 million, MSNBC (1.5 million), HGTV (743,000) and Hallmark Channel (743,000). CNN drew 574,000 viewers. In addition, Fox News also aired 66 of the top 100 news telecasts for the week.
The standout programming was “Democracy 24: Fox Business Republican Primary Debate,” with an audience 9.5 million; an additional simulcast of the debate on Fox News Channel also attracted 6.7 million viewers.
POLL DU JOUR
• 81% of U.S. adults say college professors should not be allowed to express racist views.
• 80% say professors should not be allowed to express sexist views.
• 74% say professors should not be allowed to express anti-LGBTQ views.
• 69% say professors should not be allowed to promote views of a specific religion.
• 69% say they should not be allowed to promote views of a specific political group.
• 59% say they should not be allowed to invite academic speakers accused of using offensive speech.
• 50% say they should not be allowed to teach a curriculum that includes polarizing ideas.
• 38% say they should not be allowed to conduct a scientific study on a topic students find offensive.
SOURCE: An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll of 1,095 U.S. adults conducted Sept. 7-11.
• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.