Here's How We Defeat Trump's 40-year Supreme Court!

I apologize for writing a post on Facebook on Labor Day expressing my deep fears and sorrow about 40 years ahead with Trump judges running the Supreme Court. Then that evening I had a thought. It's an old one. It actually occurred to the Founding Fathers over 230 years ago and more recently to California governor Jerry Brown these past eight years, especially since Trump claimed the presidency and started destroying our rights and protections. 

And what is this precious thought? 

That the states can enact laws to protect the people from the very evils Trump's court will let loose on them. California Governor Jerry Brown has been doing it for quite a while to control the nasty stuff in gasoline. Several states including California are doing this regarding marijuana and also immigrant sanctuary. Increasingly states will be taking over health care. A Big Divergence Is Coming in Health Care Among States  nyt 3-5-18 I knew Jerry Brown's dad even before I knew Jerry. He was Gov. Pat Brown, and he would be proud of you, Jerry.

I too am finally proud of you. I was proud to be one of the first four women to hold an executive job in California state government back in the mid-1970's. But now, Governor, I am actually glad it was you I worked for. (Back then I was not one of your admirers because you were a bit of a brat!) Now, Jerry, give 'em hell! 

Likewise you other Democratic governors and the Democratic state legislatures that will emerge from this November election. 

And for you, my reader friends, I say as did Edward R. Murrow back in his days fighting Joe McCarthy, "To all of you...good night and good luck." 

Tomorrow we pick up the fight to out-maneuver Trump and his 40-year court!

100% of Nothing Is Stlll Nothing as Trump Support Melts

How deceptive numbers can be for those who don't understand them. Let's look at a typical piece of  misunderstanding that appeared in July in the New York Times.  (Note that Trump's current disapproval rating is 60% so the  "all-time high" mentioned below by this excited Times writer sure didn't last long.)  

This Times writer mainly seems in awe of Trump's rating among Republicans and credits it with being the main factor in Trump's  supposedly great showing in the polls: "Trump has seen his approval rating tick up to 45 percent, an all-time high for him in the survey. Trump’s high rating, up one percent from June, is thanks largely to support of Republicans, 88 percent of whom told pollsters that they approve of the job he’s doing. Among them, 64 percent strongly approve of Trump, who is experiencing an almost unheard-of level of support from members of his own party.”New York Magazine & see NYT 7-25-18 Blow: What Doesn’t Kill Him Makes Him Stronger  

This writer is virtually saying, "Wow! 88% of Republicans support Trump! 88%! That's a big number!"

Not here it isn't. It's merely a high percentage of something that is small. In actuality the GOP has shrunk to being merely 24% of the electorate. In having 88% support of this pathetically small slice of the electorate, Trump has the support of only 19% of the total electorate. He might as well kiss 2020 goodbye right now.

Further, the GOP slice of the pie has recently shrunk 2%, indicating that the GOP is in trouble in two ways: (1) it's losing voters and (2) what's left behind is likely more radical than the party was before Trump and this will likely drive away even more voters. The GOP is strangling itself with Trump.

The numbers - when read correctly - carry even more bad news for both Trump and the GOP.  While 88% of GOP approve of him, only 64% of GOP voters "strongly approve." That indicates some squishiness in his ranks, a possibilty of defection of almost one-fourth of his supporters. This is especially noteworthy because - given Trump's appalling character and manner - it seems likely that anyone who was on board for him would be all the way on board. But almost a fourth are only partially committed.

Something else bodes ill for Trump. As we have seen, he has 88% of 24% of the electorate, i.e. only 19% of the entire electorate. But polling tells us his approval in the entire electorate hovers between 30% and 35%. This means 11% to 16% of Trump's support in the total electorate is probably among Independents. And this means they are not as anchored to him as they would likely be if they were GOP. From my 60 years in politics, I can confidently say two things about Republicans: (1) they vote come hell or high water, and (2) they are wildly committed to their party. Not so with Independents.Their very title indicates they aren't committed anywhere. The Democrats thus have a real shot at peeling off a goodly chunk of Trump's present support.

While these numbers paint a cloud over Trump, other numbers also indicate he is in trouble. For example, 63% of the electorate believe Special Investigator Robert Mueller as opposed to Trump. Since Mueller is possibly going to try to put Trump in jail, this number is very significant.
                                                         
                                                               
AND LO AND BEHOLD! While I was writing the above, predicting Trump was on a downhill slide, these new poll numbers were just issued. Now it's my turn to say Wow!

"Just 36% say they approve of the job President Trump is doing, a 5-point drop from last month, according to the latest IBD/TIPP poll. Fifty six percent disapprove of Trump’s job performance, up from 53% the month before. …

Trump lost significant ground on job approval with Republicans this month, which fell from 83% last month to 76% this month. Among independents, Trump’s approval dropped 4 points to 33%. Democratic approval has never been above the low single digits.

"He also saw a big drop in support from men (it went from 49% last month to 40% today)."

The chickens are coming home to roost!

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Hereafter keep this little slogan in mind: 100% of nothing is still nothing. If Trump had a large % of the GOP and the GOP is very small, Trump didn't have much. And his little bit is getting smaller and smaller.

Now if only the Democrats could find a way to block Trump's Supreme Court apppointments....

CLARITY NOTE: The numbers out today refer to numbers "from last month", i.e. August. You may have noticed these are different from the numbers in the quote I used early on. That's because those numbers are from July.