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JUNE 27-28,  2023

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE

DISTURBING:  FROM BREITBART:   Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) net favorability rating plunged to an all-time low after his first full month on the presidential campaign trail, a Civiqs poll found.  In December, the Civiqs poll found that DeSantis’s net favorability rating was -1, with 46 percent having a favorable opinion of him compared to 47 percent unfavorable.  As of June 26, DeSantis’s net favorability rating is -22, with just 34 percent of registered voters favoring DeSantis compared to 56 percent who hold an unfavorable opinion. An additional nine percent remained unsure.   Among independents, DeSantis’s favorability has drastically fallen. Compared to December when DeSantis held a +11 favorability rating among the critical voting bloc, he now sits at -22, with just 33 percent of independents holding a favorable view of the Florida governor. The survey also found that 12 percent of independents remain unsure.  DeSantis’s all-time low net favorability rating comes as he has officially been campaigning for president for just over one month.   This is stunning, and potentially alarming.  True, DeSantis has only been a declared candidate for a month, but there is something seriously wrong.  In my view, he is one of the nation's best governors, and would make a fine president.  But fewer and fewer members of the public apparently agree.  Is it his fairly meek speaking style?  Is it his concentration on social values instead of hard issues like the economy, or high crime?  He is widely seen as the heir apparent if Donald Trump should falter.  But if his numbers continue to sink, he will need something, or many somethings, to ignite his campaign.

AH, FAIR HARVARD, OR UNFAIR HARVARD:  FROM COLLEGE FIX:  Shockwaves are moving throughout the behavioral science community after distinguished Professor Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School was recently accused of falsifying data in multiple studies.  Calling the situation a “Clusterfake,” on June 17 a trio of professors published “Part 1” of the multiple allegations of fraud in papers spanning over a decade after examining studies co-authored by Gino, author of the 2018 book “Rebel Talent: Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life.”  Professors Joseph Simmons, Uri Simonsohn and Leif Nelson of University of Pennsylvania, Escade Business School in Spain, and University of California, Berkeley, respectively, accused Gino of the fraud on their blog Data Colada.  “Specifically, we wrote a report about four studies for which we accumulated the strongest evidence of fraud,” they wrote, stating they shared their concerns with Harvard Business School.  Notably, a famous article discussing dishonesty was found to contain fabrications, they wrote.  When will we learn that universities are no more honest or ethical than many other institutions? The history of American universities is a history of greatness mixed with pretty sordid policies, like ethnic quotas and preferential treatment of favored groups.  But, of course, the college name on the diploma is the objective, and most students don't care about the rest.

June 28, 2023       Permalink 

THE NEWEST EXPRESSION OF OUR CULTURE; TELL YOUR FRIENDS:  FROM CBS NEWS: 

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A burglar who can't see something can't steal it either – that is the idea behind a new method of deterring crime by using fog.

As CBS 2's Tara Molina reported Tuesday, the technology behind the fog release is a brand-new way of fighting the mass retail thefts plaguing the city.

In Lincoln Park, one small business was hit by thieves and cleared out twice in a year. The owner knows how badly it hurts.

"My store was robbed almost six months ago, and I still don't have a settlement from my insurance company," the owner said.

It is a problem that has been plaguing business across Chicago for years.

"Look at Michigan Avenue," the Lincoln Park business owner said. "We're down 30 percent. People are just moving out."

Problem, meet solution. It comes in an opaque white box – and it may not look like much at first glance. But it only takes seconds for the box to make the difference.

"DensityUSA's instant fog technology is pretty unique," said Mike Egel, president and chief executive officer of DensityUSA. "When a criminal breaks in after hours, the alarm deploys; the fog deploys, and in seconds, your business is going to be protected."

The reason, Egel said, is because the burglars won't be able to see what they're doing.

"They literally can't see it to steal it," he said.

DensityUSA's non-toxic, no-grime fog tech is being used across the world - successfully, according to Egel. But the tech just started rolling out in the U.S.

"So our line is warn, alert, repel - and the repel actually works," Egel said.

COMMENT:  Read the whole thing.  And think – didn't we once spend our time on things like curing Polio?  I remember something like that...long ago.

June 28, 2023       Permalink

JUNE 25-26,  2023

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE

THE DUD:  From Fox:   NBC News reported on Monday that Vice President Kamala Harris has the dubious distinction of having the lowest net-negative rating of modern vice presidents in the history of their polling.  According to a new NBC News poll, only 32% of registered voters have a positive view of Harris, compared to 49% with a negative view, including 39% with a "very negative view." This leaves Harris with a net -17 rating, which NBC News noted is "the lowest for any vice president in the poll’s history." Harris' -17 net rating lined up against the last four vice presidents during their tenures, with Mike Pence -4 in Oct. 2019, Joe Biden +1 in Dec. 2010, Dick Cheney +23 in May 2003, and Al Gore +15 in March 1995.  This is what happens when a candidate is chosen on the basis of identity, rather than quality.  And that identity mentality continues to be dominant in the Democratic Party.  Kamala Harris is still one heartbeat away from the presidency, and that heartbeat appears weak.

MYSTIQUE OF THE COLLEGE EDUCATION COLLAPSING:  From Campus Reform: According to a new report from EAB, an education consulting firm, high schoolers are increasingly feeling mentally unprepared for college as more students express that a degree may not be worth the cost.  “A growing number of high school students point to concerns over affordability as well as academic and mental health preparedness as primary reasons behind their decision not to enroll in college,” EAB stated. “The report summarizes the results of a new survey of more than 20,000 ‘Gen P’ high school students—those whose college-going behaviors have been influenced by the [COVID-19] pandemic.”  Each year, EAB conducts a survey of approximately 20,000 high schoolers to poll students about their college plans.  EAB’s latest findings revealed that 20 percent of students who decided not to attend college immediately after high school indicated that higher education was not worth the cost — a rise from the pre-pandemic level of 8 percent in 2019.  The report also found that 22 percent of high schoolers who declined to pursue a college education felt that they were “not mentally ready for college.” This was an increase from 14 percent reported in 2019.  EAB also cited the National Student Clearinghouse in noting that undergraduate enrollment is down by 1 million students since the coronavirus outbreak of 2019-2020.  It's time for the nation to take a hard look at our colleges and universities.  Any honest accounting would show that many are glorified high schools, and that others have surrendered to wokeness and other social trends.  There is good education available, but the cost in money and time may outweigh the benefits. 

June 26, 2023       Permalink 

THE WEIRD PRESIDENTIAL RACE:  Have you ever seen any presidential race this strange?  As we've written here before, we have an impaired president who may not always know where he is, opposed by the frontrunner of the other party, who is under indictment.  Present that story to any publisher in New York, and your book would be turned down.   Incredibly, Donald Trump has gained still further in the polls.  Clearly, many of his supporters, and some others, believe he's being treated very unfairly.  But he's also getting more doubters.  From Fox: 

Former President Donald Trump continues to lead as the GOP frontrunner after being indicted on federal charges in early June, however, nearly half of GOP voters surveyed are skeptical over whether he should continue to lead the Republican Party, according to a new poll.

A new NBC poll shows a majority of Republican voters would vote for Trump in the Republican primary, with 51% listing him as their number one choice. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came in second with 22% of the votes and former Vice President Mike Pence coming in third with 7%.

These new numbers come in comparison to how the candidates fared with GOP voters back in April shortly after Trump was indicted in New York in connection to hush-money payments made in 2016. 46% of Republican voters supported Trump then and 31% said they were backing DeSantis.

After pleading not guilty to 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in June, a combined total of 77% of GOP primary voters stated the federal charges gave them either minor concerns (14%) or no real concerns (63%). 64% of Republican voters also said the various indictments and investigations Trump faces are politically motivated.

These numbers are then compared to 55% of all registered voters who say the charges give them either major concerns (47%) or moderate concerns (8%).

Trump remains the GOP frontrunner, even when poised in a hypothetical match against DeSantis, with 60% of Republican voters backing the former President and DeSantis receiving only 36%.

However, in a hypothetical Trump-Biden battle, President Joe Biden came out on top with a near majority of the vote (49%). Trump received 45% support. However, a total of 68% of those surveyed stated Biden's mental and physical health was a major/moderate concern for them.

On the flip side, when asked if they agree with Trump remaining the party's leader, nearly half of GOP voters said yes, with 21% saying they believed he was a good president but it was time to consider other leaders.

Trump appeared at a Miami federal courthouse in early June in connection with the classified documents case, marking the first time a former president has faced federal criminal charges. The charges include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

COMMENT:  One of the most striking things about this poll, and others, is how poorly Ron DeSantis is doing with Republican primary voters.  This can turn out to be one of the major political stories of the year, should Trump falter and the Republicans need a replacement candidate.  DeSantis is one of the best governors in America and would, in my view, be an excellent president.  He was the heir apparent only months ago, but, for some reason, many voters don't care for him.  We'll be watching this phenomenon in coming weeks to see if his campaign makes changes.  If you have an opinion on DeSantis, please let us know, or send a submission to our Forum at comments@urgentagenda.com

June 26, 2023       Permalink