Democrats, for very good reason, have been in a poll-induced panic for weeks now. Despite a relatively successful presidency and a booming economy, Joe Biden is falling behind Donald Trump in the polls, often by downright startling margins. On average, Biden trails Trump in national polls by more than two percentage points. And a recent New York Times poll left people who oppose fascism traumatized, showing Trump ahead in five of the six crucial swing states likely to decide the election. It's enough to make a person want to walk into the sea. How can Americans be so stupid? Do they not care about democracy? Decency? Basic self-preservation?
Of course there's a raging debate about how seriously to take a poll nearly a year before the election. Swing voters tend to be the lowest-information voters, people who aren't paying attention and who often refuse to believe either Biden or Trump will be the nominee. (Both are nearly inevitable, as informed political watchers understand.) Wait a few months for the campaigns to actually begin in earnest and for people to start tuning in, and the picture could change. Or not. Hell, there's a not-small chance Americans really are that dumb, and unable to learn our lessons until it's too late. We wouldn't be the first nation to shoot ourselves in the face, after all.
