A Prison Sentence for a Former Star and New Latino Outlook in November

Bill Cosby Is Going to Prison in Sexual Assault Case
Comedian Bill Cosby has been sentenced to three to ten years in prison, after being convicted earlier this year of sexual assault against Andrea Constand. In a statementsubmitted to the court, Constand said, “When the sexual assault happened, I was a young woman brimming with confidence and looking forward to a future bright with possibilities. Now, almost 15 years later, I’m a middle-aged woman who’s been stuck in a holding pattern for most of her adult life, unable to heal fully or to move forward.” According to PRRI polling, Americans overall say real experiences of sexual assault or harassment that go unreported or not believed are a bigger problem in the U.S. today than false accusations (65 percent vs. 26 percent).
Large Overlap Between Gender and Racial Anxiety
Philip Bump, in an article for The Washington Post, reports on the large segments of President Donald Trump’s base who connect with messages of crime spikes, illegal immigration, and reverse racism—the belief that white Americans are the targets of discrimination. Bump points to a 2015 PRRI poll indicating Trump voters were especially motivated by “reverse racism.” The survey found, “Roughly three-quarters (74 percent) of Trump supporters — compared to 57 percent of supporters of all other Republican candidates — agree that, today, discrimination against whites has become as big a problem as discrimination against blacks and other minorities.” Bump also highlights the gender disparity, pointing to Republicans like Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) and conservative commentator Buck Sexton, who have framed accusations of assault against Kavanaugh as an attack on men. “Encapsulating his point, Bump says, “On Sunday, Fox News released a new poll, conducted after Ford’s allegations emerged, that included a question about support for Kavanaugh’s nomination. Women oppose Kavanaugh’s nomination by a 21-point margin. Men support it by a five-point margin. White men support his nomination by a 10-point margin.”
National Voter Registration Day Lands Amid Tumultuous Voter Culture
In towns across the United States, there was a push on Tuesday to get people registered to vote. Since 2012, many Americans have used the fourth Tuesday in September as an opportunity to educate their communities about their rights as citizens and to get voters registered. In June, PRRI/The Atlantic examined voter trends across the United States. At the time of the survey, 50 percent of Americans said they were “absolutely certain” to vote in the coming midterm election. Sixteen percent of respondents said that they would “probably” vote. Roughly one-third (32 percent) say they have at best about a 50-50 chance of voting. The survey showed that there is a deep disparity between age groups on whether or not they will vote in the midterms: Just over a quarter (28 percent) of young adults (age 18-29) say they would vote, compared to nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of seniors (age 65 and older).
Latino Anger Toward Trump May Not Translate Into Midterm Turnout
Latinos are increasingly angry at President Trump over his immigration policies and the administration’s handling of hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. However, a recent article by Vox observes that, “many political science experts note that Trump’s unpopularity is far from enough to suggest that Hispanic and Latino voters will turn out for Democrats in the fall.” This is because “Hispanic and Latino voters encompass a wide-ranging group with divergent attitudes on many issues, which means they don’t often vote as a unified bloc.” A recent PRRI survey found that when asked about the 2018 election cycle, fewer than one-third (31 percent) of Hispanic Americans report being absolutely certain about casting a ballot in the coming election.
What Makes a “Dad Joke” a “Dad Joke?”
In a recent report for The Atlantic, Ashley Fetters examines the evolution of “dad jokes” and what they have in common with one another. Fetter looks at Understanding Language Through Humor, a book from Stanley Dubinsky, an English professor at University of South Carolina. Dubinksy, who is also the father of two sons, explains the specific rhythm that makes a “dad joke” stand out. “Most jokes rely on some semantic ambiguity or grammatical ambiguity,” Dubinsky explains. “The things people call ‘dad jokes’ are the ones where the ambiguity is crushingly obvious.” Dubinsky goes on to explain that there is little surprise at how popular the notion of the “dad joke” has become. “You know that no matter what I say, my joke won’t hurt you—and I want everybody to get my joke, so I’m going to make it so stunningly obvious that anybody can get it.”