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Why Americans are concealing their true political beliefs
The Hill ^ | 10/25/2022 | ERIN NORMAN

Posted on 10/25/2022 12:30:17 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27

As the midterm elections quickly approach, Americans across the country are discussing their thoughts on trending policy topics with family, friends and colleagues. Just how truthful they are in those conversations, however, is now a reasonable question to consider. A new study from Populace Insights shines light on how deeply American adults are affected by social pressure to fit in, especially when it comes to hot-button political issues.

The report’s findings suggest that American popular culture, and the desire to fit into it, makes the American people look far more politically extreme than they really are. The study uses a clever methodology to measure agreement with statements that people might feel social pressure to reject, even in a private online survey. Differences between stated and privately held opinions were as high as 14 percentage points among all Americans and soared even higher among certain subgroups.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2022election; 2024election; americans; beliefs; concealling; election2022; election2024; freespeech; political; threats; violence
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I don't hide mine because I don't care what people think. Some people keep quiet because they don't want to be beat up and have their property damaged by some lefty weirdo.
1 posted on 10/25/2022 12:30:17 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
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To: ChicagoConservative27

The government has declared us to be “the enemy”—no point in making it easier for them to identify us before they decide to move to “active measures”.


2 posted on 10/25/2022 12:33:34 PM PDT by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

I have had signs stolen from my yard, damage done to vehicles and even subtly been warned about future continued employment in my company for conservative views. Gee why is it such a mystery that any consercative would hide thier views? And all that paled in comparison to the clot shot pressue my wife and I endured for not getting it.


3 posted on 10/25/2022 12:35:13 PM PDT by Skwor
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To: ChicagoConservative27

“Some people keep quiet because they don’t want to be beat up and have their property damaged by some lefty weirdo.”

and the prosecutors won’t prosecute and the MSM will not cover any such story.


4 posted on 10/25/2022 12:37:40 PM PDT by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

I can understand that.


5 posted on 10/25/2022 12:38:00 PM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as. )
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To: ChicagoConservative27
The whole opinion polling "industry" is based on people being honest about their beliefs, and willing to divulge them to complete strangers.

Once upon a time, we lived in an America where people of any station in life were not afraid to say what they thought about things, be they small things or major public questions.

It was a place where "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" was taught to every child, and later in life the equivalent "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" was believed by people of all political persuasions.

Then the Left got control of the levers of power, after loudly claiming (back in the '60s and '70s) that they were frozen out of power.

So they got power, and now are engaged in a mighty effort to freeze their opposition out of power. Their opposition being us.

And guess what? People are no longer willing to talk about their beliefs, unless those beliefs are virtue-signalling pablum.

One would think the polling industry would be concerned about this, but they switched to making money from pseudo-polls designed to sway opinion a long time ago, so la di da.

6 posted on 10/25/2022 12:38:42 PM PDT by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: ChicagoConservative27

If you don’t hide at least some of your beliefs and opinions on the job you can easily find yourself in the EEO office explaning why you so offensive. Most likely it will be some fabricated accusation at least bordering on outright lie too.

Fortunately, I’m retired now at don’t answer to the Kommissars.


7 posted on 10/25/2022 12:39:39 PM PDT by seowulf (Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos...Will Durant)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

The bane of us pollsters (my gig for a few years). Polls can be extremely accurate, *if* people are being honest; but who can blame anyone for being afraid of saying they are pro GOP to an unknown person on the phone? I could cost you your job with this vindictive administration.


8 posted on 10/25/2022 12:41:27 PM PDT by Republican in occupied CA (I will not give up on my native State! Here I was born, here I fight and die!!)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

People can lose their jobs. People can be blacklisted they can lose their accounts.


9 posted on 10/25/2022 12:42:00 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Not me- i live in liberalsville NY and proudly drive around with a F*CK BIDEN sign on my car. I am itching for someone to come after me over it but ironically all i receive is applause and thumbs up.


10 posted on 10/25/2022 12:42:00 PM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
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To: Steely Tom

Pretty much true (I say this as a former pollster).


11 posted on 10/25/2022 12:43:25 PM PDT by Republican in occupied CA (I will not give up on my native State! Here I was born, here I fight and die!!)
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To: ChicagoConservative27
Unfortunately, there is no way to legislate people into being honest in conversations about current affairs. This problem must fall to civil society.

Cue the Seinfeld "That's a shame" gif . . .

12 posted on 10/25/2022 12:51:03 PM PDT by Charlemagne on the Fox
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Many leftists are (or should be) ashamed of their kill-the-baby-and-the-economy leadership. Conservatives are concerned about property damage and personal injury.


13 posted on 10/25/2022 12:52:54 PM PDT by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Militia to the border! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: Steely Tom

Good summary. People who grew up in the era you describe fundamentally feel that everyone has a right to their own opinion and never have been evangelists for conservativism or traditional values. We were fine with “do you own thing and I’ll do mine”.

Once that line was crossed the retreat into silence began. Instead of going to a city council or school board meeting to give an opinion contrary to the leftist narrative, most people just stayed home. They thought they’d right things at the ballot box but now most feel that elections have been corrupted. So what’s left? And don’t tell me “CW2” nonsense because most of those who fit the above description are over 55 and wars are fought by the young. I’m not saying it’s a lost cause but I am saying that the left is winning and with their control over education, pop culture, and the media, it’s hard to see how things get turned around without a major catastrophe that results in a total re-examination of the purpose of government.


14 posted on 10/25/2022 12:53:56 PM PDT by bigbob (z)
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To: God luvs America

proudly drive around with a F*CK BIDEN sign on my car

/\
. /-)

I have a Disney groomer Mickey Mouse figure hanging in a noose From my rearview mirror.


15 posted on 10/25/2022 12:54:58 PM PDT by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: ChicagoConservative27

I knew a doctor who was forced to retire even though he did nothing wrong but I had Democratic state official who’s now much more powerful. He is from another country but he thinks he was punished for voting for Republicans which he always does. He hates democrats. But the next election he went in and voted all for Democrats because he thought he was being punished for voting for republicans.


16 posted on 10/25/2022 12:55:04 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: ChicagoConservative27

This 85,000 armed IRS agents?


17 posted on 10/25/2022 12:56:22 PM PDT by Ge0ffrey
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To: Republican in occupied CA

Folks like you are why I no longer answer my phone if I don’t recognize the number. But that’s OK....you prolly wouldn’t want me to eat up your time anyway.

Win-Win


18 posted on 10/25/2022 12:56:46 PM PDT by Roccus (First we beat the Nazis........then we defeated the Soviets....... Now, we are them.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

“Some people keep quiet because they don’t want to be beat up and have their property damaged by some lefty weirdo.”

Those weirdo guys don’t survive here.
Even in the “Blue” state of Hawaii.
Not in the rural areas.
It is “Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up”.
Regardless of Democrat party laws.


19 posted on 10/25/2022 12:57:08 PM PDT by rellic
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To: ChicagoConservative27
"I don't hide mine because I don't care what people think."

The way to be.
20 posted on 10/25/2022 12:57:38 PM PDT by mrmeyer (You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him. Robert Heinlein)
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