Trump’s popularity slips in latest Military Times poll — and more troops say they’ll vote for Biden

[Rogue Valley]

Trump’s popularity slips in latest Military Times poll — and more troops say they’ll vote for Biden

8/31/20
The latest Military Times poll shows a continued decline in active-duty service members’ views of President Donald Trump and a slight but significant preference for former Vice President Joe Biden in the upcoming November election among troops surveyed. The results, collected before the political conventions earlier this month, appear to undercut claims from the president that his support among military members is strong thanks to big defense budget increases in recent years and promised moves to draw down troops from overseas conflict zones. But the Military Times Polls, surveying active-duty troops in partnership with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, have seen a steady drop in troops’ opinion of the commander in chief since his election four years ago.

In the latest results — based on 1,018 active-duty troops surveyed in late July and early August — nearly half of respondents (49.9 percent) had an unfavorable view of the president, compared to about 38 percent who had a favorable view. Questions in the poll had a margin of error of up to 2 percent. Among all survey participants, 42 percent said they “strongly” disapprove of Trump’s time in office. the dipping popularity among troops — considered by Republican Party leaders to be part of the base of Trump’s support — could prove problematic for the president in the upcoming election. Among active-duty service members surveyed in the poll, 41 percent said they would vote for Biden, the Democratic nominee, if the election was held today. Only 37 percent said they plan to vote to re-elect Trump. “It’s fair to say that Trump is not as popular as Republican nominees have been in the past among this group,” said Peter Feaver, a White House adviser to former President George W. Bush who now works as a political science professor at Duke University. “The bottom line is that in 2020, Trump can’t be claiming to have overwhelming support in the military.”

Trump has diverted military funding, pardoned convicted US war criminals, and smeared veterans and Gold families opposed to his policies.

The retired military people who have departed the Trump administration had scathing remarks about this president. Trump tried to use the US military against peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square.

Trump publicly sacked Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and his twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny out of petty vindictiveness. Trump never chastised Russia for having a bounty on US troops in Afghanistan.

The list goes on and on.

 

[bluesmoke]

Trump’s popularity slips in latest Military Times poll — and more troops say they’ll vote for Biden

Trump has diverted military funding, pardoned convicted US war criminals, and smeared veterans and Gold families opposed to his policies.

The retired military people who have departed the Trump administration had scathing remarks about this president. Trump tried to use the US military against peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square.

Trump publicly sacked Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and his twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny out of petty vindictiveness. Trump never chastised Russia for having a bounty on US troops in Afghanistan.

The list goes on and on.

We sure do pay a lot of attention to the political view of this .64%, that's 64/100th's of a percent, of the voting eligible pop.

 

[Rogue Valley]

We sure do pay a lot of attention to the political view of this .64%, that's 64/100th's of a percent, of the voting eligible pop.

The military WAS solidly behind Trump in 2016. That has now changed.

It's another demographic that is wisely abandoning Donald Trump.

 

[bluesmoke]

The military WAS solidly behind Trump in 2016. That has now changed.

It's another demographic that is wisely abandoning Donald Trump.

Sure does take a lot.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Sure does take a lot.

Yes. Militaries are traditionally conservative. That's another reason this is meaningful.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

We sure do pay a lot of attention to the political view of this .64%, that's 64/100th's of a percent, of the voting eligible pop.

Your ignorance is showing.

The military is made up of more than just it’s uniformed members. Retirees, veterans, their families, not to mention all of the veterans groups around the country, all have a vested interest in what’s best for our active duty brothers and sisters.

Additionally, all Americans who care about the state of our military readiness and welfare of those who put themselves in harms way for our benefit care about his blatant lies "Make it 10 percent. Make it more than 10 percent” (lying to soldiers about a pay raise they would not receive), personal attacks against senior military leadership, and interfering with good order a discipline.

 

[bluesmoke]

Your ignorance is showing.

The military is made up of more than just it’s uniformed members. Retirees, veterans, their families, not to mention all of the veterans groups around the country, all have a vested interest in what’s best for our active duty brothers and sisters.

Additionally, all Americans who care about the state of our military readiness and welfare of those who put themselves in harms way for our benefit care about his blatant lies "Make it 10 percent. Make it more than 10 percent” (lying to soldiers about a pay raise they would not receive), personal attacks against senior military leadership, and interfering with good order a discipline.

And polls taken of those you describe, incl "all Americans", would be diff than the one on which I based my comment, which is true and you cannot refute, for which you gave reason why you can't refute. A very small % holds considerable sway. What, exactly, did I say that is not true? The poll I spoke of was only on active duty personnel. You are ignoring that.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

And polls taken of those you describe, incl "all Americans", would be diff than the one on which I based my comment, which is true and you cannot refute, for which you gave reason why you can't refute. A very small % holds considerable sway. What, exactly, did I say that is not true? The poll I spoke of was only on active duty personnel. You are ignoring that.

I’ll try to simplify my point to make it easier for you to understand.

The .64% (active duty military) that you are attempting to minimize aren’t the only ones who care about what Trump has/hasn’t done for and to our military and it’s members. There are many more Americans with ties to our military and it’s members who disapprove of Trump, in some measure, as part of their overall dissatisfaction.

 

[Kerry Won Ohio]

And polls taken of those you describe, incl "all Americans", would be diff than the one on which I based my comment, which is true and you cannot refute, for which you gave reason why you can't refute. A very small % holds considerable sway. What, exactly, did I say that is not true? The poll I spoke of was only on active duty personnel. You are ignoring that.

The poll I spoke of was only on active duty personnel.

Which makes it even worse for Trump. I never thought I would see the day where most active duty military favor a Democrat in the White House.

This tells you how badly Trump has damaged the Republican Party's relationship with the military. Military members do not like Trump's offensive rhetoric about the military and they don't like how Trump constantly kisses Putin's ass, like the traitor that he is.

 

[swing_voter]

The military always votes republican.

What happened to get the military to switch to democrat?

 

[Kerry Won Ohio]

And polls taken of those you describe, incl "all Americans", would be diff than the one on which I based my comment, which is true and you cannot refute, for which you gave reason why you can't refute. A very small % holds considerable sway. What, exactly, did I say that is not true? The poll I spoke of was only on active duty personnel. You are ignoring that.

Factually, you may be correct. However, you are 100% wrong about the implications. This is very bad news for Trump and the Repug Party, that a very conservative organization like the military is turning against them.

 

[The AntiDonald]

We sure do pay a lot of attention to the political view of this .64%, that's 64/100th's of a percent, of the voting eligible pop.

All these people have extended families. I would adjust your percentage. It will of course mean something considering on average, only 1/2 of eligible voters participate.

 

[Irwin Corey]

The military always votes republican.

What happened to get the military to switch to democrat?

D J T. <--Period

 

[RaleBulgarian]

The military always votes republican.

What happened to get the military to switch to democrat?

Easy. Be a total lying sack of shit who insults living and dead fellow service members.

 

[bluesmoke]

I’ll try to simplify my point to make it easier for you to understand.

The .64% (active duty military) that you are attempting to minimize aren’t the only ones who care about what Trump has/hasn’t done for and to our military and it’s members. There are many more Americans with ties to our military and it’s members who disapprove of Trump, in some measure, as part of their overall dissatisfaction.

I'm not minimizing them. They are, though, a minimal number. In fact, my wording is of giving such a small number great influence. The many more Americans you speak of will most likely more oppose Trump than active duty personnel.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

I'm not minimizing them. They are, though, a minimal number. In fact, my wording is of giving such a small number great influence. The many more Americans you speak of will most likely more oppose Trump than active duty personnel.

In part, because of their relationship with a service member, which was my point. Your assertion fails to recognize the significance of the military’s extended influence in elections.

 

[bluesmoke]

Which makes it even worse for Trump. I never thought I would see the day where most active duty military favor a Democrat in the White House.

This tells you how badly Trump has damaged the Republican Party's relationship with the military. Military members do not like Trump's offensive rhetoric about the military and they don't like how Trump constantly kisses Putin's ass, like the traitor that he is.

Just a note. It’s more that active duty disfavor having Trump in the WH than favor having a Dem, IMO.

Of course, Trump is not technically a traitor, though I’m totally with the sentiment. He’s un-American and un-Patriotic. You can’t be in love with a communist dictator like Kim, openly speak-up for a world power leader like Putin (who wants to destroy western democracy) against our own IS, do the same with other dictators, and speak openly in admiration of authoritarian leaders and call such a man patriotic and pro-American.

 

[bluesmoke]

Factually, you may be correct. However, you are 100% wrong about the implications. This is very bad news for Trump and the Repug Party, that a very conservative organization like the military is turning against them.

To be clear, the implication is that a poll of everyone does already show, obviously, higher % of many more voters against Trump than that of active duty personnel.

Yes, turning the military is turning against the Reps. Moreso than for the Dems.

 

[lwf]

The military always votes republican.

What happened to get the military to switch to democrat?

D J T. <--Period

Absolutely. Donald Trump was always going to eventually tank the Republican Party by making it look clownish and incompetent and driving away voters. He was little more than a "Hail Mary" Hillary foil, elected for the sole purpose of seating one, and now probably two, conservative justices.

With the exception of the Supreme Court, I see Donald Trump as the grim reaper of the Republican party, clearing the way for liberal Democrat dominance into the future.

 

[bluesmoke]

All these people have extended families. I would adjust your percentage. It will of course mean something considering on average, only 1/2 of eligible voters participate.

I can’t adjust my %. It’s not my %. It’s THE %. And, we DO pay a lot of attention to active duty personnel. That’s a fact. The extended families you mention, for instance. Many of us have extended families. All my cousins will vote for Trump. But they wouldn’t pay attention if I were to say I was voting against Trump because of how He insulted my (their) ancestry. I rather doubt they would if I were active duty.

I would adjust your ½. But I gave an exact figure. You could probably rationalize that, say, 55% since 1960 is ballpark ½.

 

[Moderate Right]

Trump’s popularity slips in latest Military Times poll — and more troops say they’ll vote for Biden

Trump has diverted military funding, pardoned convicted US war criminals, and smeared veterans and Gold families opposed to his policies.

The retired military people who have departed the Trump administration had scathing remarks about this president. Trump tried to use the US military against peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square.

Trump publicly sacked Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and his twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny out of petty vindictiveness. Trump never chastised Russia for having a bounty on US troops in Afghanistan.

The list goes on and on.

He's only slipping because Democrats are throwing the Trump voting military ballots in the garbage. That should piss off everyone in the military.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

He's only slipping because Democrats are throwing the Trump voting military ballots in the garbage. That should piss off everyone in the military.

It should, if it was true, but it isn’t, so it doesn’t.

 

[bluesmoke]

In part, because of their relationship with a service member, which was my point. Your assertion fails to recognize the significance of the military’s extended influence in elections.

You make no sense at all. My claim was that we pay a lot of attention to a very small number of people. That is an assertion the exact opposite of what you falsely state mine is. I am stating flat-out that they have a great deal of influence on others. There are very few other groups that have that kind of influence. See you on another thread.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

You make no sense at all. My claim was that we pay a lot of attention to a very small number of people. That is an assertion the exact opposite of what you falsely state mine is. I am stating flat-out that they have a great deal of influence on others. There are very few other groups that have that kind of influence. See you on another thread.

I’m making perfect sense, and you are attempting to minimize the active duty military’s influence on elections (deliberately?), focusing solely on the population number in relation to the rest of the country as if that is the only factor that matters. An ignorant, narrow viewpoint.

Our active duty military, comprised of 1.3 million Americans, is the single largest group of federal employees by far, and those 1.3 million people have loved ones in every community spread across the country and it’s territories. Virtually every American family has at least one member who is currently serving on active duty, or has served in the past, and given the demands and sacrifices of military service, it is not at all puzzling that the views of our active duty military carry the weight that they do.