October 30, 2020

"Americans are split on whether children should be allowed to trick-or-treat on Halloween this year and whether they will hand out candy, given the coronavirus pandemic."

"According to a YouGov poll, 30 percent of Americans say they plan to hand out treats to trick-or-treaters, while 26 percent say they usually do but won’t this year. Another 35 percent, who I can only surmise are either unable to give out treats or just extremely grumpy, said they never give out treats.... Twenty percent of American adults say that ghosts definitely exist, according to a YouGov poll conducted last week. About a quarter say they probably exist, 39 percent say they probably or definitely do not exist, and 16 percent said they don’t know."

From the extra stuff at the bottom of a FiveThirtyEight page with the headline "Americans Say They’re Fired Up To Vote — Especially Democrats." 

I clicked on that headline because I thought it sounded dubious. A poll asked Republicans and Democrats whether they were "more fired up than usual" about voting. Do you vote because you get "fired up"? I think more conservative people vote because they have a civic duty and a standard practice of voting. So they might not "say" that they are "fired up" — that is, emotionally agitated — even though they're going to vote. 

Really emotional people might react with a quick "yes" to the question whether they're "fired up" but may have some other emotion going on when election day comes around, perhaps a peevish resistance to the damned candidate put up by that party they feel they're supposed to vote for. 

35 comments:

mikee said...

I'm standing guard on my nearly completed new construction homes in Austin, Texas, and handing out candy to any passerby. But mostly standing guard on the homes.

Kevin said...

Should be allowed to?

People are seriously answering questions about what other people's children should be allowed to do?

A nation of Karens.

Joe Smith said...

"Should be allowed..."???

I guess we'll wait to see what daddy government tells us what we're 'allowed' to do, like good little lefty cogs.

Drago said...

"From the extra stuff at the bottom of a FiveThirtyEight page with the headline "Americans Say They’re Fired Up To Vote — Especially Democrats."'

FiveThirtyEight is currently in the midst of an intimidation campaign to threaten any pollsters with becoming outcasts if they dare publish any poll results that do not align with the lefties/dems/LLR-lefties moronic narratives that Biden is ahead by double digits across the nation.

I personally can't wait for the NeverTrump grifters at The Dispatch, The Bulwark, etc as well as 2/3's of the hacks at National Review to publish their defense of such actions, assuming there is time left over for these hacks from writing all their defenses of Big Tech suppressing conservative and principled leftist speech against the democraticals.

MadisonMan said...

One thing I do know: The Govt should not be controlling this. If a parent wants to send their kid out, they should. If a neighbor wants to give out candy, they should. Tomorrow I'll head to Ace to get a big piece of plastic tubing to shoot the candy down. Should be fun.

Nonapod said...

16 percent said they don’t know

I think saying that "you don't know" if something is true or not is actually the most rational and/or empirical way to respond to whether or not some phenomena exists. It's OK to say that you don't know if something's true. You could even hedge by saying something like "I can't say for certain if ghosts exists, although I tend to doubt that they do for a number of reasons". Some people seem to like absolute declarations though. They like certainty and dislike or distrust people who don't take firm posistions on many ideas.

Readering said...

I don't consider myself extremely grumpy. But I guess growing up abroad affected my attitude to Halloween.

Lurker21 said...


One advantage of living in Blue America: the parents probably won't let the kids out of the house.

I'm betting on that, anyway.

Drago said...

Readering: "I don't consider myself extremely grumpy. But I guess growing up abroad affected my attitude to Halloween."

Channeling Sinatra: When did you stop growing up abroad and begin growing up a dude?

rcocean said...

If kids were still coming around, we'd hand out candy. If you wear a mask, and don't get too close for too long it shouldn't be a problem. Kids aren't getting CV-19 or spreading it. France is locking down Paris, but they're keeping the schools open. In fact, Europe has kept the schools open since May, with zero problems.

In any case, you could probably get a bucket, fill it with candy and then put it at the end of a pole. Or just have the candy on a stand outside your door and let them take it themselves.

Freeman Hunt said...

Allowed? I don't care what my neighbors do. That's not like telling people to wear masks in stores where the people who wouldn't wear them otherwise could affect others. A person can opt-in or opt-out of trick-or-treating without affecting anyone else.

Fernandinande said...

YouGov survey

Ghosts definitely exist: 16% of men and 24% of women.
Demons definitely exist: 19% of men and 24% of women.

Ghosts definitely exist: 17% of white, 27% of black and 28% of mestizo
Demons definitely exist: 17% of white, 36% of black and 30% of mestizo

Kay said...

I’ve been living in my current neighborhood for almost two years now. Last year there were 0 trick-or-treaters. This year I expect even less.

Christopher B said...

I think more conservative people vote because they have a civic duty and a standard practice of voting. So they might not "say" that they are "fired up" — that is, emotionally agitated — even though they're going to vote.

This aligns well with Republican and Democrat Presidential victories going back at least to JFK.

Democrats will almost always turn out big to elect a fresh new face such as JFK, Carter, Bill Clinton, and Obama. When they try to run somebody because it's "their turn", they wind up losing. Humphrey, Mondale, Dukakis, Kerry, and, - yes - Hillary. There are of course misfires, like McGovern.

The Republicans usually do the opposite. Nixon (his second try), GHWB, W. Even Reagan wasn't that fresh a face since he was well known and had strongly challenged Ford in 1976. It doesn't always work (Dole, McCain) but it does against a more staid Democrat candidate.

Trump fits that mold from being a tabloid and media fixture for at least thirty years, and now President for four. Both Hillary and Biden bear the handicap of being the 'next in line' for the Democrats.

gilbar said...

Halloween is the quintessential American Holiday
what IS Halloween? Halloween is EXTORTION
gangs of young punks show up at your house, and give you the choice:
a) Tricks.... Windows soaped, outhouses tipped over, trees TP'd
b) Treats.... Delicious candy payoffs, to prevent the tricks

and unlike the unamerican antifa thugs; young punks (usually) hold up their end of the bargain
Most years, NO ONE'S outhouses get tipped over.... Not if they provide Snickers™

TheOne Who Is Not Obeyed said...

"Americans are split..."

Which is why we have a Republic and the inalienable rights of speech, assembly, and worship. Unity is the dream of totalitarians. It's why our form of government has lasted so long and why the Dems want to destroy it.

gilbar said...

saying that "you don't know" if something is true or not is actually the most rational and/or empirical way to respond to whether or not some phenomena exists

it's the ONLY rational way to respond
you do NOT know that the sun will rise tomorrow
you do NOT know if physical law will be the same tomorrow

man is not a rational animal, he is a rationalizing animal RAH

stlcdr said...

As noted..."should be allowed"...?!

If you think it's a problem, lock your kids in the basement (Biden does it, so should you!). If you don't, let them have Halloween fun. There is no 'should'.

Howard said...

This is what the Mel Gibson William Wallace fought and died for.

Francisco D said...

Things are not that crazy here in AZ.

My wife had the Halloween decorations up two weeks ago. She wore a Witch costume to school today to surprise the kids. She is a kid at heart and doesn't let fear drive her actions.

Unfortunately she is a Democrat, but we are trying to work out our election strategy. If I vote for an education tax proposal, she will write me in for POTUS instead of China Joe. I will never get her to vote for Trump or McSally, but its a victory if she abstains from Biden and Kelly.

Sebastian said...

"Americans are split on whether children should be allowed to trick-or-treat on Halloween"

Let's all guess which Americans think children "shouldn't be allowed to." It couldn't possibly be the same people who think people shouldn't be allowed to go to church, could it?

Kids! Pro tip! When you see one of those "Science is Real" signs--you know, the ones that say "Kindness is Everything"?--don't be fooled! They're tricking you! Go to the house next door, the one that's flying the American flag. Plenty of candy there.

mikee said...

Oh, I'm giving Reece's Cups and Payday Bars, because if you have a peanut allergy, what the hell are you doing taking candy from strangers? I do this every year in honor of my younger brother, who despite serious allergies ate all his candy every year, refusing to trade his good stuff for my Dum Dum Lollipops. And here's a hint: NOBODY wants Dum Dum Lollipops.

Rory said...

The hardy souls who show up this year will be getting the big candy bars, plus some smaller extras. They deserve a little more this year.

Rory said...

"So they might not "say" that they are "fired up" — that is, emotionally agitated — even though they're going to vote."

Sam Houston: "The North is determined to preserve this Union. They are not a fiery, impulsive people as you are, for they live in colder climates. But when they begin to move in a given direction, they move with the steady momentum and perseverance of a mighty avalanche." Sam Houston

Jupiter said...

We are beginning to grapple with the possibility that the Covid is the new Common Cold. That is, it will go around from time to time, and people will get it. Over and over, unless it kills them. If there is a vaccine, it will have limited effectiveness. So get used to it. If you want to hand out candy, and the kids want to go around in costumes collecting it, fine. Get on with it.

This is not to say that Covid is harmless. Cancer isn't harmless, either. But we still get dental X-rays, don't we. We still fly in airplanes.

Jupiter said...

"Tomorrow I'll head to Ace to get a big piece of plastic tubing to shoot the candy down."

No, you're doing this wrong. Remember when the thing first started, and Althouse was going on about how hard it was to learn not to touch your face? And everyone was gabbling about how long a virus can live on a piece of cardboard? Well, in honor of Halloween, we're going back to that set of superstitions. You are supposed to put the candy in a bowl, and set it on the porch. Then, you are supposed to "decontaminate" it after every set of kids, presumably by spraying some sort of icky goop on it. Because anything anyone touches becomes a potential source of contagion.

Never mind that when you went to the store to buy that candy, you touched everything in your cart. Then the checker touched everything in your cart. Then you touched it all again while you bagged it. The contagion automagically deactivates when you're doing something the government wants you to do.

RMc said...

Twenty percent of American adults say that ghosts definitely exist

Hell, one of 'em is running for president...!

I'm Not Sure said...

"We are beginning to grapple with the possibility that the Covid is the new Common Cold. That is, it will go around from time to time, and people will get it. Over and over, unless it kills them. If there is a vaccine, it will have limited effectiveness. So get used to it."

You mean, like the flu? But that can't be. Everybody has died like- what?... about three or four times from that already.

The Godfather said...

Pollster: Mr. Godfather, you're a registered Republican. Are you more fired up than usual about voting this year?

Me: You bet! Say, what's that text message you just sent out?

Pollster: Don't worry, if things go as planned, you'll find out after January 20 next year. Quite soon after Jaunuary 20.

KellyM said...

Was there trick-or-treating in 1918? If so, then what's the problem?

TheThinMan said...

We all went trick or treating in ‘68-‘69 when there was the Hong Kong flu which, unlike the Wuhan variety, actually killed kids. Kids should have Halloween this year like any other year. But I don’t need it: I’m spooked every day seeing otherwise normal people walking around in masks and jumping away from me when I walk by.

Achilles said...

From the extra stuff at the bottom of a FiveThirtyEight page with the headline "Americans Say They’re Fired Up To Vote — Especially Democrats."

538 is owned ABC and thereby owned by Disney.

Threatening smaller polling organizations that don't tow the line and push party goals is right in line with Disney family values.

And just like the fascist left in general.

And that makes them not "trashy."

mikee said...

My spouse, a pediatrician, has decided to keep the house dark and not give out candy this year, because COVID. Not because some kid might catch the virus at our door, or give it to her as she gives out candy, but because as a pediatrician she cannot be seen to be participating in a public display of human interaction during the pandemic. No, really. This was a topic of discussion at work, and the decision was made that no pediatrician should give out candy to kids becasue of the bad publicity that would ensue.

Like I said, I'm guarding the new construction houses in east Austin, and I have lotsa Reeces and Paydays to give away. She can do what she wants at our suburban home.

JAORE said...

Twenty percent of American adults say that ghosts definitely exist

And they vote 98% D.

Kelly said...

Took my grandchildren trick or treating and had a fantastic time. Elderly people sat the candy outside and stood inside their doors and watched the kids. Some people sat tables up and sat behind them and let the kids choose the candy. Some planted candy gardens where kids could pick up what they wanted. One neighbor handed out hotdogs, another handed out Jell-O shots for the adults, candy for the kids. On our street we had a bonfire, candy in a wheelbarrow. Not one reason to cancel it unless your a complete asshole.