#5SmartReads - January 27, 2021

On hope vs optimism, a continuation of Trump's China policy, and the case against convenience apps

How US political partisanship serves moderation in the end (Financial Times)

Here’s what I’ve learned from the 2016 and 2020 elections:

• Polls are not the reliable indicator of outcomes they once were.

• Message trumps facts (while the majority of Democrats and Democratic leadership are not socialists or even progressives, many swing voters believed it).

• A president’s most consequential term is the first two years of his administration.

• Longstanding policy happens through legislation, not executive orders.

The new one, after reading this article, is moderates are the winners of partisanship (though it might not feel like it). This article sums it up perfectly:

“Our era is one of extreme sentiments and loyalties. It is not always one of extreme outcomes.”

(Your reminder that local and state elections impact your life more significantly than federal ones, and to get involved at this level).