Last month, Justice Democrats commissioned an important report, The Future of the Party-- A Progressive Vision For A Populist Democrat Party by Sean McElwee. You should read the whole thing at that link. The short version: "The Democratic Party is at a crossroads as the 2018 election approaches."
Yesterday, in the Washington Post, Michael Gerson, described a societal problem of Trumpism in terms of social psychology. It reminded me of George Orwell's post-World War II writing. And Huxley's Brave New World pre-World World War II masterpiece. And Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (1968). There were other authors who tackled the dystopian problems that Trump is thrusting on us today, Margaret Atwood (Handmaid’s Tale), Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451), Anthony Burgess (A Clockwork Orange), Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games), Stephen King (The Running Man).
A friend of mine used to be in business with one of Trump's lawyers. He told my friend and my friend told me a funny story. Lawyers hate working for Trump and not only because he doesn't pay his bill. This particular lawyer told him that among lawyers who have worked for Trump this is fairly common. He and Trump would be their way to court.
Can you name the Secretary of Labor? Hint: Señor Trumpanzee only Hispanic cabinet member. Still coming up blank? After Andrew Pudzer's nomination was withdrawn after a couple of scandals involving his opposition to the minimum wage, hiring undocumented workers and mistreating workers, Trump substituted Rene Alexander Acosta.
Fake President by Richard SerraI'm not trying to cast a kenahora for November but, let's be real... the House Democrats, despite the DCCC, are going to be the beneficiaries of a big wave. Probably in the Senate races too... but there just aren't enough plausible seats available there for a political earthquake. Tennessee and Texas, though, would make for earthquakes.
Crucial Senate primaries today in West Virginia and Indiana-- states that Trump won by big margins in 2016 (68.5% to 26.4% in West Virginia and 56.8% to 37.9% in Indiana)-- are a mess for the Republicans.
The House has 435 seats and there aren't many members who really ever make a positive difference for their constituents. But there are some. Alan Grayson has been one of them.Darren Soto hasn't been. He's just a bump on a log New Dem who slithered out of the state legislature with an A+ from his pals at the NRA and votes against women's right to Choice. Needless to say, the DCCC loves him; he's their kind of nothing congressman.
West Virginia is the Trumpiest state in the union. The PVI is R+19 and Trump beat Hillary 489,371 (68.5%) to 188,794 (26.4%). Trump won every single county in the state. (In the primary, Bernie also won every single county in the state and beat Hillary 124,700 (51.4%) to 86,914 (35.8%). In fact, on primary day, there were plenty of candidates where Bernie took more votes than Trump.
