BloggeRhythms

The apparent intention of Sam Frizell @time.com this morning was to explain what he calls the precarious position in which Chuck Schumer now finds himself. However, what Mr. Frizell’s extensive research on the matter reveals is that, not only is Schumer practically irrelevant, so is his entire political party.    

As a premise, Mr. Frizell believes that major difficulty’s stem from the potential backlash created by Schumer’s constant objection and attempts to block any and all things done by Trump. From cabinet appointments, to proposed legislation, to tax reform, deregulation and everything else anyone can think of.

However, as noted by Mr. Frizell in his article titled “Inside Chuck Schumer’s Plan to Take on President Trump,”there are "risks in playing the obstruction game. Stop popular parts of Trump's agenda for too long and too persistently, and the party's support can plummet. Play ball with Trump, and Schumer risks a rebellion on his left.”
   

As a result, Mr. Frizell thinks a significant part of Schumer’s problem is that his “hand the moment is not strong” because many of the featured items on Trump's agenda “to remake Obamacare, reform the tax code, fund new infrastructure projects and pass new trade deals--will require the help of at least some of the Senators in Schumer's caucus.” At the same time, “liberal activists fill the streets with signs calling for resistance, Schumer is under enormous pressure from his left flank to man the barricades and stop Trump, just as the Republicans tried to block anything that came out of Barack Obama's White House.” 

“In other words, resistance may be inevitable. But it might also be futile. And it may even prove counterproductive to Democrats' hopes of winning back a majority anytime soon.”

And that’s where Mr. Frizell inadvertently presented the overwhelming problem facing Schumer, and other Democrat politico’s because he went on to write: “If there is any reason to be optimistic about the level of partisanship in Washington, it might be that Schumer and Trump don't think so differently, at least on some issues. "I'm closer to Trump's views on trade than I am to Obama's or Bush's," says Schumer, who opposed both NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. China, he adds, is a particularly bad actor on trade matters, and Schumer has called on Trump to name China a "currency manipulator" and work harder to guard against theft of intellectual property. Schumer says he was "sort of glad" when Trump caused a mini-diplomatic crisis by accepting a phone call from Taiwan's President, angering Beijing. "With other nations, free trade may hurt us, but China is rapacious." Adds Schumer: "I love America. I want America to be No. 1." 

Compounding the issue: “At one point, Schumer says, he told the President that the only infrastructure bill that would really work would need to cost at least $1 trillion, funded by direct government spending (as opposed to tax credits), with labor and environmental protections and no accompanying cuts to entitlements. Schumer says Trump responded with two encouraging words: "I know." 

In what Mr. Frizell refers to as a “a complex series of calculations for Schumer. He will try to block Republicans from repealing the Affordable Care Act root and branch, but may blink when some of his members want to help Republicans on a replacement.” 

And lastly, while trying to block Neil Gorsuch, Trump's conservative Supreme Court pick, it seems just as likely that he will be unable to then prevent Mitch McConnell from changing the Senate rules to force Gorsuch through with 51 votes. That not only angers the White House, but the “country is getting ‘frustrated,’ with Senator Schumer's tactics to obstruct the will of the American people," according to a White House source. 

All of which results in Mr. Frizell’s providing the backfill leading to Schumer’s real, insurmountable problem. Because all of the issues he’s tried to contend with and obstruct are nothing more than Trump’s concerted efforts to fulfill the will of the majority of voters in Middle-America. And despite the mass of Democrats voters in New York and California, the rest of the nation is extremely happy with the progress to date.      

And after barely three weeks in office, Trump’s approval ratings seem to be indicating steadily rising acceptance of the new POTUS. 

Brian Flood headlined his column this morning @thewrap.com: “Americans Trust Trump Administration More Than News Media in New Poll” 

“An Emerson College poll found that 49 percent of U.S. voters believe that the Trump administration is “truthful,” while only 39 percent feel that way about the news media. Worse, for the so-called “opposition party,” 53 percent of those surveyed described the media as “untruthful.” 

While “48 percent of registered voters approve of the job that Trump is doing, compared to 47 percent who disapprove,” the poll notes that “89 percent of Republicans approve of Trump, while 81 percent of Democrats disapprove.” 

“The partisan divide is clear throughout the poll’s findings, with 89 percent of Republicans calling the Trump administration truthful, while 77 percent of Democrats find the administration untruthful. 

“Conversely, 69 percent of Democrats find the news media truthful, while 91 percent of Republicans consider them untruthful. Independents split the difference — 42 percent call the Trump administration untruthful and 45 percent say and the news media is.” 

Mr. Flood also explains that: “According to the poll, Trump’s “failure to pass the 50 percent threshold” for approval is because of his standing among independents, a group in which 52 percent disapprove,” which led to a reader response that seems far more likely. 

Reader FAM22 wrote: “Of course, we are to believe the same "untruthful" media polls about where everyone is on these issues???? Does anyone really believe that 52% of independents "disapprove" of Trump's performance after this group was largely responsible for his election? Or is it more likely that the lefty pollsters are once again cherry-picking their demographics? Pretty sure we all know the answers...”

Kevin Turner similarly commented: “So...39% actually believe the media is truthful? Who are these people? I represent the estate of a Nigerian prince and would like to discuss a business proposal with them.” 

All of which serves to confirm the compounding problems for Schumer and his party members. Because the poll results and reader’s comments illustrate that significant numbers of voters no longer “buy” politicians promises and stale rhetoric. They want productivity and fulfillment actually delivered. 

And that’s something Trump has shown he knows how to do, while all Schumer can attempt is to stand in the way of progress. But, that may not be such a good idea whereas the odds are he's almost certainly going to get run over.  

That’s it for today folks. 

Adios