1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: Do you want to be an American? I want to 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: hear this is seven out of WLW. This is interesting. 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: A record high forty five percent of adults in America 4 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: identified as political independence last year, and that number looks 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: like it's going to grow this year in twenty twenty six. 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,639 Speaker 1: But an equal share of adults now consider themselves a 7 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 1: twenty seven percent Democrat, twenty seven percent Republican, a forty 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: five percent independent. What the hell does that mean? Actually? 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: And the independent percentage has increased in the past fifteen 10 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: years unt around forty percent, but we haven't seen this 11 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: level like in a long long time. What's driving this 12 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: whole thing. Joining the show is polster and political advisor. 13 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: That'd be the legendary Kevin Burton from Crosstown Consulting in 14 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: northern Kentucky. keV, I doing I'm. 15 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:47,959 Speaker 2: Doing pretty good, Scott, Thank you for that introduction. 16 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, the legendary in your legendary at this point, this 17 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: is I mean I look at this and go, okay, 18 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,319 Speaker 1: forty five percent independent. I consider myself that I tend 19 00:00:58,360 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: to lean to the right, but at the same time 20 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: more libertarian. I'm kind of an amalgamation of different things, 21 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: but I vote with my conscience, not because I want 22 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: to be part of a movement, and I've yet to 23 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: see a movement that I would be part of, because 24 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: I think there's a certain amount of corruption and also 25 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: a glasshouse's nature, and also having to go against some 26 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: ideals in order to compromise. And maybe I'm a little 27 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: too stubborn to do that. But it seems like I'm 28 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: in the majority here at this point. And what does 29 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: this mean for the Democrats and Republicans? Of twenty seven 30 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: percent are Democrats, twenty seven percent of Republicans. They take 31 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: up all the oxygen in a room. 32 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, And the reason why independence have grown is because 33 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 2: of the primary. So in Kentucky you have a close primary, 34 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 2: so only DS can vote for d's, only rs can 35 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: vote for rs. Eyes can't do anything. In Ohio you 36 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: can do say, you know, you can do different things. 37 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: If you're an eye. You can vote to the Democratic primary, 38 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 2: you can vote to the Republican So each state is different, 39 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: but the primaries always result in the most extremes on 40 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 2: both sides, and that's why it's driven more independent because 41 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 2: to win a primary, you're usually looking at ten, twelve 42 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 2: fifteen percent turnout in off year elections, which frankly, the 43 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 2: only people who usually vote on those are people. 44 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: Who are really riled up. 45 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 2: So you're going to have the extremes on both sides. 46 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 2: So it has pushed more people to the middle. Now, 47 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: when you do campaigns, though, there's usually about eight to 48 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,839 Speaker 2: ten percent that are completely non leaning, and those are 49 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 2: the core flippers for independence. 50 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: How you win elections? Okay, obviously they're important in the 51 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: election themselves. Some of the old adage about you always 52 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: campaign to the extremes and you governed from the middle, Well, 53 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: that that sentiment's been gone for a while now, that's no, 54 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: that has been true in a while. No o, not 55 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: at all. I mean, which turns more people in independence. 56 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: But again, if that's the way the system is designed, 57 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: it feels like a fruitless effort, is it. Well it is. 58 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 2: And this is where it's kind of ironic that the 59 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 2: only time both Democrats and Republicans work together is to 60 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: squash any third party. 61 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 1: Right. We talked about redistricting in Ohio and Democrats all 62 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: worked up, Well, what about states or Democrats? Well that's different. 63 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 2: Well, and you know for every California there's an Alabama 64 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 2: and vice versa. 65 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: So you know. 66 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: The bulk of people, and you know you hear this 67 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 2: with in your communities. 68 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: You know you're at a bar, at. 69 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 2: A church, ninety percent of people just common sense things. 70 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: And that's what. 71 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: You're seeing with forty five percent of people identifying as 72 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 2: independents and the twenty seven percent you know to an 73 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 2: R or D, you're really seeing just kind of people 74 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: where I think are. 75 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: Just tired of just being tired of politics. Yeah, yeah, exhausting. 76 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, can we just get back to being like, hey, 77 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: I might not agree with you, but it's okay. 78 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, we want to make politics boring again? 79 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 2: That that should be the next slogan for anyone, right right, 80 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 2: Make politics boring? 81 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, make politics b You don't talk about religion and politics, Well, 82 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: now we talk about both. And it's exhausting, quite honestly 83 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: when you start looking at the numbers. Though inside the 84 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,119 Speaker 1: over forty five almost half the country, for god's sakes, 85 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: call themselves independence, and let look where we are when 86 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: it comes to the poop slinging on both sides. Gen 87 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: z Ors, though in particular, declare their independencity a much 88 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: higher rate fifty six percent than millennials did when they 89 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: were that age of forty seven percent. What does that 90 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: mean in the long term. 91 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 2: Well, okay, so millennials to gen Z. You also got 92 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 2: to remember for millennials, for most of them, they were 93 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:00,720 Speaker 2: in college or high school when Obama came in, So 94 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 2: like I would take that with a little grain of salt. 95 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 2: A lot of gen Zers, you know, they still lean 96 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: or considered themselves a Democrat when push comes the shelf. 97 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 2: So out of the poll they did forty eight percent 98 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 2: of them considered themselves a Democrat for considered them Republicans. 99 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 2: And I think it's just simply like you see the 100 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 2: Bernie Sanders, the AOC, the Mindannie wing, where frankly they 101 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 2: didn't get a fair share from the Democratic Party. And 102 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: I think that's why more and more people are just saying, 103 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 2: you know what, I'm just going to be an independent 104 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: and on the Republican side, you know, they're that was Trump. 105 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 2: I mean, Trump didn't feel like he was getting a 106 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: fair shaken twenty sixteen, which was a lifetime ago, but 107 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 2: you know, he was an outsider running. 108 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: Are independence basically socialists and misplaced populars? 109 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean, you know, because like when you're running 110 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: an election, basically both ours and d's they have these 111 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 2: softwares and they're billion dollars softwares and they basically put 112 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: algorithms and it's way above my pay grade. But there's 113 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 2: like one hundred and thirty sub sections and everything, and 114 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:26,239 Speaker 2: I'll give you a score. So let's say is zero 115 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: is a conservative, one hundred is a Democrat. So it 116 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 2: will say if I typed in Scott Swan, let's say 117 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: your score was twenty seven, that would mean that you 118 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 2: have a high probability of voting Republicans. So when you're 119 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 2: running these elections, especially with independence, you look at the 120 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 2: around ten percent of the independents who really swing the election. 121 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: Those are the people who you hear, you. 122 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 2: Know, they voted Trump, Biden, Trump, Obama. And that's and 123 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 2: that's where elections are really one. They're one on the margins. 124 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 2: And that's the margins, the eight to ten percent non 125 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 2: leaning independence. 126 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: You've got your twenty seven percent of hardcore conservatives, twenty 127 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: five percent twenty seven percent hardcore progressives. In order to 128 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: tiff that that split, you need to draw that ten percent, 129 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: got it, Yeah. 130 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 2: Because out of out of the other thirty five, basically 131 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: you can split that seventeen percent both ways and they're 132 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 2: going to lean. 133 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: To the last of lean to the right. 134 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: So it's all about about that ten percent number who 135 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: really decides federal elections. 136 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I guess that ten percent is on the 137 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: seesaw going okay, well who do I who? As opposed 138 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: to who do I really like? 139 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 2: Who? 140 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: Who do I who do I hate? Least it's the 141 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: way we look at that. And I guess that ten 142 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: percent is that why we will not see or do 143 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: you think we'll never see another two term present again? 144 00:07:55,280 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: For that reason? And I guess, I mean, you can 145 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: seck you know, Trump's second term technically, but you know 146 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: Biden was in the middle of that, so we just 147 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: swung back and forth. Is that why? 148 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: I mean? But also I would say both Trump and 149 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 2: Biden are kind of outliers. I mean, Biden was going 150 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 2: to be eighty three years old and Trump's gonna be, 151 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 2: you know, the same, And it was COVID, So I 152 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 2: would say, let's see one more president before we make 153 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: that claim, because both of them are kind of different 154 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 2: from the majority. But yeah, it's very very hard if 155 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 2: you look at presidential approvals really since the invention of 156 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 2: cable news, but really social media, it's almost impossible to 157 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 2: stay above fifty percent approval. So it's going to make 158 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: it harder and harder to govern, and just harder and 159 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 2: harder to block out the noise. 160 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, gotcha. So Trump's first term, we got the 161 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: anti trumpers go, hey, we need something. We're tired of 162 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,439 Speaker 1: this guy. We brought Biden in. Four years later, we 163 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,959 Speaker 1: got tired of Biden, we brought Trump back. And I'm guessing, 164 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: you know, with the midterm and then three years from now, 165 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: are we going to rebel against the Republicans and voted 166 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:05,719 Speaker 1: Democrat in. 167 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 2: Well, but that's also the great thing of those countries. 168 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 2: There's checks and balances. 169 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it is. 170 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 2: You know, you might not like it, but that's that's 171 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: how we've always been and hopefully that's how we always 172 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 2: will be. You know, when one tide gets too strong, 173 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 2: the people speak up right and vice versa. So if 174 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 2: you ask me today, yes, the midterms would probably look 175 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 2: really good for the Democrats as of today, and. 176 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: Then we'll see what happened. I mean, again, this has 177 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: been one year. I can't have three more years, and 178 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: it just seems like it's getting more and more viral. 179 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: You know, since we're going at each other even harder, 180 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: and every day feels like it's a year. As far 181 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: as news goes, there's definitely been a change the last 182 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: number of years relative to that. And Trump, of course, 183 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 1: is a whirlwind of activities, always doing something. Certainly every 184 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: day there's something new, for sure, and either you're excited 185 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: by that or turned off by it, but everyone definitely 186 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: has an opinion on it. I look at the general 187 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: racial breakdowns. Gen Zer fifty six percent identifies independence, Millennials 188 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: a majority, gen X my generation forty plus percent identifies independence. 189 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: When you get downe to the baby boomer silent generation, 190 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: it's right around thirty three percent. How much does that change? 191 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: It just seems like the older you get, the more 192 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: accepting you become of a party. And maybe you know 193 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: what this whole identity politic thing where people will not 194 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,319 Speaker 1: question the person they voted for, even if it's a contradiction, 195 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: they won't point that out. In many ways, that seems 196 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 1: to be case you just as the older you get, 197 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: the more set in the ways you are and you 198 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: want to be part of that community. And does that 199 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,439 Speaker 1: change with future generations where their identity isn't politics. 200 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 2: Well, but you also got to remember, if you're a 201 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 2: baby boomer or definitely a silent generation, you really grew 202 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 2: up in a whole different world. You didn't have twenty 203 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 2: four to seven news for the longest time, the Internet 204 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 2: you didn't really have, and definitely non social media. So 205 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 2: I think, you know, social media in the twenty four 206 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 2: hour news has just changed everything. It's made politics a constant, 207 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 2: you know, I think going forward. I mean, so when 208 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 2: you're running an election, generally speaking, I always tell people 209 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 2: to kind of block out people sixty and above if 210 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 2: they're an independent or a Democrat or a Republican, because 211 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 2: their minds are already made up. 212 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: If you've voted eight. 213 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 2: Straight elections for one party, it's gonna be really, really 214 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 2: hard to try to convince you to switch because you're 215 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 2: kind of said in your ways. 216 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you know. 217 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 2: We can't teach an old dog new tricks. 218 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: Sorry, old people. Well, you look at brand loyalty, mean 219 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: you know that that has died, that died some time ago. 220 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: To with younger generations, you know, used to be like 221 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: I'm a tied man, I'm a Republican man, I'm a 222 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: you know, whatever it might be. Younger people don't have 223 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: those loyalties unless it's sad. 224 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 2: That's about it. 225 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: That's true, that's true. Well, you know that's more of 226 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,559 Speaker 1: a cost issue than anything, because you know, if you 227 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: decide I'm going Android, your tablet, your laptop, your desktop, 228 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: your handheld, your mobile, all that stuff is now you 229 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: got to swap it all up. He's Kevin Burton Polster 230 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: of Northern Kentucky here, and we're talking about a new 231 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: study that came out from Gallup. They do this every year. 232 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: A record high forty five percent of US adults identify 233 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: as political independence. In the past year, twenty seven percent 234 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: each edfin themselves as Democrats or Republicans, and that that 235 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: middle part, that independent part, becomes critical in elections, He said, 236 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 1: about ten percent ten percent will decide the election either way, 237 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: which is why we go back and forth the days 238 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,959 Speaker 1: of FDR where we have multiple terms feel like that 239 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: is it's definitely in the past unless something else changes too. 240 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: Taking into account America's party identification of that match out 241 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: with the twenty seven percent forty seven percent identified as 242 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: Democrats or said they're a independent, it's forty two percent 243 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: with the Republicans. That's a three years I think that 244 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: broke a three years stretch in which Republicans held a 245 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: an edge and party affiliation. Is that something that also 246 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: changes or is the Republican party in decline and once 247 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: the Democrats take power at some point that just swings 248 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: the other way. 249 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 2: I mean, it's I mean, the Republicans are in charge now, 250 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: and that's why, you know, I mean, people always it's 251 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 2: the backup quarterback syndrome. You know, if things aren't going well, 252 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 2: you're always yearning for the backup quarterback. And then once 253 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 2: the backup quarterback comes in, you're like, well, there's a 254 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 2: reason why I didn't want him in. 255 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: The first place. 256 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 2: So, I mean, that's just a give and take of 257 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 2: you know, leading. It's so impossible now to actually get 258 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 2: above fifty in. 259 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: Party registration or approval. 260 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 2: You know, you go back to George W. Bush right 261 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 2: after nine to eleven, he had an eighty seven percent 262 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 2: approval rating. 263 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: That's on the I can't even press about that. Yeah, yeah, 264 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: and that was probably at the time, and oh my god, 265 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: you know, because Lincoln had a probably a bad exemplar. Washington, 266 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 1: for example, had a ninety nine percent. Yeah, and no, 267 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: that makes sense too, because as divided as we are, 268 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: the conservative ideology advantage is shrunk to just seven points. 269 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: That's the smallest ever. And again I think that's just 270 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: in the case what you're talking about here. And I 271 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: don't know if that I think it could be though, 272 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: that Trump is redefining what conservative means. I'm not even 273 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: sure what conservative means anymore. O. 274 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 2: Well, I mean, you know it doesn't mean a small government, 275 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 2: no small government because exactly so. But you know, Democrats 276 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 2: have really had to come to Jesus meeting kind of 277 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 2: this last year. You know, it was a really bad 278 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 2: messaging point for you saying, you know, Trump is a 279 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: threat of democracy when you didn't even have a primary. 280 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 2: And I think that's the number one reason why Trump 281 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: won because as he took away, they're not the number 282 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 2: one thing to use against him when you didn't allow 283 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 2: an open primary. 284 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, where does social media go from here? In the 285 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: Digital Agency mentioned information fragmentation, declining trust, and institutions like 286 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: journalism did that'll also fuel the independent identification? 287 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 2: Well, I mean that's the I think irony is that 288 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 2: as we've gotten more educated, we're actually headed more towards 289 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 2: like another dark age. You know. I also do think 290 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: there's a little bit of kind of a pushback, especially 291 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 2: with millennials and gen Z. I don't really see a 292 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: lot of millennials on Facebook anymore, right, I feel like 293 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 2: that time kind of passed for them, you know, in 294 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 2: a lot of ways. I wonder in you know, fifteen 295 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 2: twenty years, when we look at the effects of social media, 296 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 2: how people looked at the cigarette companies in the nineties 297 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 2: or the early two thousand, the effect of gone. 298 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: Right, it's just so the the polars and camps even more, 299 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: you know, it's declining to some degree. 300 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 2: You know. 301 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: As an aside here, I have a family members they 302 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: moved recently and not one of their neighbors, and the 303 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: first question out their mouse was are you Republican? Because 304 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: everybody in the streets Republican. And he used to be like, oh, 305 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: we're Catholic? Are you Catholic? You know where need to 306 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: go to high school? Things like that, and now it's 307 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 1: it's probably been that way for a while. But I 308 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: think that's kind of interesting, Like that's that's the whole identity, 309 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: right is I'm a Republican or I'm I'm a progressive whatever. 310 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: It might be. More Republicans and progressives here in Cincinnati, 311 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: but you get the. 312 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: Idea well, and you even see that now people will 313 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 2: be like, well, I don't want to watch this actor or. 314 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: Listen to this thing. 315 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 2: It's like, as long as they're going to commit a 316 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 2: crime like r Kelly or P Diddy, like I think, 317 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 2: I think you're all right. You can disagree with them, 318 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 2: but if they still make good art, like just go 319 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 2: with it. 320 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, Well like back when Senators Carry Right and 321 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: Teresa Hines Kerry and people were boycotting Heinz ketchup on Mike. Look, yeah, 322 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: I don't care the politics, but the only ketchup in 323 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 1: the world is Heines Ketchup. I'm sorry. There's a lot 324 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 1: I would put up before I would boycott Heinz Ketchup. 325 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 1: He is a Kevin Burton Polster advisor with Crosstown Consulting 326 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: in Northern Kentucky. All the best, thanks to the inside, 327 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,959 Speaker 1: Appreciate you, Thank you, Scott. Enjoy the warm before the 328 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 1: cold hits us again on Wendy but warms go feel 329 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: good this weekend, Get out and enjoy it. We have 330 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,479 Speaker 1: lots to do on the Scotts Loan Show. News Happens 331 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: first though, that's about five minutes from right now, including 332 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: the forecast and traffic and what you need to know 333 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: in the world. And then it's Will Gance. So if 334 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna stay in maybe at night, I've got some streaming. 335 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: I think he's got a movie option for you too 336 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: as well. And always kicking around on Friday, Martin will Gants, 337 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: our ABC entertainment guy, got a lot of hoop this weekend. 338 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: And maybe if you want to break from now or 339 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: you're not into that, we got alternative. Sorry. Will's next 340 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: to discuss seven hundred Will to