Democrats can capitalize on Donald Trump's failed policies in the Midwest (Jamelle Bouie)
Very much worth a read. Good data, good analysis.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/democrats-can-capitalize-on-donald-trumps-failed-policies-in-the-midwest.html
Excerpt:
"Not only has Trump tilted tax policy even further toward the wealthiest Americans, he’s also taken active steps to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, leading to steep premium hikes and lower insurance rates—millions of people no longer have health insurance as a result of congressional and administration actions. Oh, and there’s no infrastructure bill, either.
But the question remains: Has any of this hurt him?
Judging from his recent approval ratings in predominantly white, blue-collar Midwestern strongholds, the answer is yes. In Ohio and Wisconsin, for example, Trump saw his approval fall 18 points since inauguration for a net rating of minus 4 and minus 12, respectively. In Iowa it fell 16 points to a net rating of minus 7. Trump has also suffered in Michigan, Minnesota, and demographically similar states like Pennsylvania.
The best hope for Republicans is that the other part of Trump’s appeal to these white voters will take precedence over the lack of economic progress.
Democratic incumbents who once seemed in danger of losing this year, like Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan are now considered relatively safe. “In special elections held in the Midwest since Trump’s inauguration,” notes the Washington Post, “Democrats have improved on their 2016 performance by an average of 11 points.” Democratic House candidates have also recovered lost ground, running competitive races in Republican-held districts."
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= new reply since forum marked as read
It is the more socialist agenda Trump promised the voters are now disgruntled with. Only the FOX-entrenched, the racists, the homophobes and the anti-abortion do-goody two shoes left in the Republican camp, needlessly mentioning the border-wall builders while national infrastructure continues to be largely ignored.
I won't go into the Democratic fallacy of choosing the middle-grounder who turned off those who might have otherwise voted for Bernie. I don't want to light that match here again. I voted for Hillary once she became the nominee. I'm also not thoroughly convinced she woudn't have been the better candidate than Obama's republican-lite brand, but glad to have helped make history.
But I will say to the well-healed of this country, take this as you will, degrade me for being someone forced to sleep under freeway bridges because I didn't live up to my family's ideals (
). Take it from someone who was unable to bridge the generation gap of those baby boomer university educated sort with that of my own, who gets steamed at times with the continual, if often unintentional greed of those who bash the younger generation without regard for the economic advantages they had, and largely ignoring the widening gap, even under Democratic rule. Take it from someone who has continually chosen the lesser of the evils consistently seeing right through the RW republican "traditionalist" hogwash, even long before the RayGun riche-puppet got elected from fawning boomers waxing romantic about "the gipper". 
I'm just saying...
If Democrats don't offer someone who offers real change, real socialist change in 2020...
Better be prepared for 4 more years of Pence.
