As the number of Republican politicians and conservative pundits who renounce Donald J. Trump continues to rise, one important contingent remains steadfast in its support: conservative white evangelicals. … Conservative evangelicals are fully aware of Mr. Trump’s flaws, but they are supporting him anyway because they believe his election is […] Read more »
Clinton, Trump Supporters Have Starkly Different Views of a Changing Nation
Supporters of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump disagree on a range of policy issues, from terrorism to free trade. Yet they also have more fundamental differences over long-term changes in the country and the next generation’s future prospects. A new national survey finds that Trump supporters overwhelmingly believe that life […] Read more »
White Catholics: Swing Voters Redux?
A shift by white Catholics toward Hillary Clinton raises the question of whether this traditional swing-voting group may return to its previously decisive political role. White Catholics who are registered to vote split 51-45 percent between Clinton and Donald Trump in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll, reversing their preference […] Read more »
Understanding the allure of Trump
There is a lot being written spoken about Trump by intelligent and articulate commentators whose insights I respect. But as a longtime researcher in cognitive science and linguistics, I bring a perspective from these sciences to an understanding of the Trump phenomenon. … I will begin with an updated version […] Read more »
Global Warming, God and the ‘End Times’
For a significant number of Americans, the reality, causes and meaning of global warming are seen through the lens of their religious beliefs. Some reject the evidence that humans are causing global warming because they believe God controls the climate. Others believe that global warming is evidence that the world […] Read more »
Muslims, Mexicans, guns, gays and God
It’s not just Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton who are so different from each other. On the eve of back-to-back political conventions, Republicans and Democrats across the land see their neighbors, their country and their world through very different eyes, according to a new McClatchy-Marist Poll. Muslims, Mexicans, guns, gays […] Read more »