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DemocratSinceBirth

(99,710 posts)
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 09:43 AM Dec 2017

I don't like Brett Stephens' take nor do I find it persuasive.

Stephens said that the Democrats picked up seats in the 98 mid terms despite Bill Clinton's pecadillos and impeachment because the economy was good. He inferred from that the GOP might be able to mitigate their losses in the 018 mid terms if the economy was good. If a good economy could help the Republicans, i.e. Deplorables mitigate their losses they would have mitigated their losses in AL, VA, NJ, and all the elections they have lost or underperformed since Trump was inaugurated.

Bill Clinton was likeable. He tried to make you like him. Trump likes people to hate him unless they are Deplorables.


At this point in 1993 Blll Clinton was at 54% approval:

http://news.gallup.com/poll/116584/presidential-approval-ratings-bill-clinton.aspx


Trump is at 34% approval:

http://news.gallup.com/poll/201617/gallup-daily-trump-job-approval.aspx

For an even better comparison Clinton was at 56% approval when the Lewinsky affair was discovered and over 60% when the brouhaha over it ended.


Long story short, outside of Deplorables nobody likes Chump.

18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I don't like Brett Stephens' take nor do I find it persuasive. (Original Post) DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2017 OP
Good point. kentuck Dec 2017 #1
Mealy-mouthed Trump apologist Joanie Baloney Dec 2017 #2
He voted for Hillary but he is a Republican octoberlib Dec 2017 #14
Good. Let them be lulled into a false sense of "maybe it won't be so bad." Squinch Dec 2017 #3
Hope you are right. But, I fear a good economy (Obama's legacy), more money in paychecks, jobs, Hoyt Dec 2017 #4
I don't think so and with what they are doing...who knows what the economy will be like. Demsrule86 Dec 2017 #5
The economy will be fine in 2018, at least on paper. We may be heading toward the precipice, Hoyt Dec 2017 #7
The economy is not fine for average people and thousands of Auto workers are laid off. Demsrule86 Dec 2017 #8
The tax bill will not destroy housing market for "average people." If you have a Million $ house Hoyt Dec 2017 #9
That is not true...the deduction is lower but more importantly if you sell your house you have to Demsrule86 Dec 2017 #10
Flipping is dead? How many people are into flipping? Besides, I suspect if you are in the business Hoyt Dec 2017 #11
The economy is good now. Why did Trump just hit a new polling low ? DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2017 #12
Many voters disapprove because he hasn't deported enough good people, ended ACA, locked up Clinton, Hoyt Dec 2017 #15
If you have a mortgage it applies...I don't flip but hubs was transferred and we are moving for a Demsrule86 Dec 2017 #16
If the good economy could have saved Republicans it would have saved them by now. DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2017 #6
Dems picked up seats because most Americans could see Blue_Tires Dec 2017 #13
This GrapesOfWrath Dec 2017 #17
Clinton, for all his flaws, was never the divisive figure Chump is. DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2017 #18
 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
4. Hope you are right. But, I fear a good economy (Obama's legacy), more money in paychecks, jobs,
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 10:46 AM
Dec 2017

etc., will be a big factor in 2018 and 2020.

Darn near every white winger I have seen who expresses dissatisfaction with Trump says they'd vote for him again. And many who are "dissatisfied" aren't mad for the same reasons we are. They are dissatisfied because he hasn't deported millions, locked up Clinton and Black Lives Matter, bombed Iran, kicked everyone but poor whites out of the safety net, etc.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
7. The economy will be fine in 2018, at least on paper. We may be heading toward the precipice,
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 10:50 AM
Dec 2017

but most GOPer voters can't see past yesterday.

Demsrule86

(68,586 posts)
8. The economy is not fine for average people and thousands of Auto workers are laid off.
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 11:06 AM
Dec 2017

That is never a good sign. The tax bill will destroy housing as well.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
9. The tax bill will not destroy housing market for "average people." If you have a Million $ house
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 11:14 AM
Dec 2017

or loan, you might lose a few dollars on tax deductions with the net effect you pay a little more in taxes. You think those folks are going to change party. I don't.

Look, I want Democrats in office, but those kinds of exaggerations won't get us there.

Demsrule86

(68,586 posts)
10. That is not true...the deduction is lower but more importantly if you sell your house you have to
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 11:42 AM
Dec 2017

own it for two years to get a tax break and you can not do that until after every five years...flipping is dead, and also some changes will affect the refinancing of loans...people will feel it...and with auto people laid off...I expect a downturn...they are always the first.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
11. Flipping is dead? How many people are into flipping? Besides, I suspect if you are in the business
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 12:17 PM
Dec 2017

of flipping, the two year holding period for tax benefits really doesn't apply. If someone expects to get the tax benefits of being a homeowner, but plans on selling a house every year -- flipping -- I'm sorry, I don't have a lot of sympathy for them. They aren't homeowners, they are in the business of flipping.

Autos no longer power our economy, hasn't for years.

Look, I think the tax plan sucks, long-term especially. But I think most people -- the vast majority -- will see more money in their paychecks. They will like that and not even give a second thought to the fact it increases the debt, will likely lead to cuts in important programs, might impact flipping, or whatever. That is just the way it is for most people, and we are fooling ourselves if we think the average Joe/Jane is going to go straight to the polls in 2018 and 2020 and punch in straight party Democrats.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
15. Many voters disapprove because he hasn't deported enough good people, ended ACA, locked up Clinton,
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 01:01 PM
Dec 2017

bombed Iran, and worse.

It's not that the folks who disapprove will necessarily vote for a Democrat in 2018/2020. Most white wingers I've seen in interviews who "disapprove" of Trump, say they will vote for him again.

We'll know in less than one year. I hope to be eating crow -- heck I'll eat crow dung -- come November 2018.

Demsrule86

(68,586 posts)
16. If you have a mortgage it applies...I don't flip but hubs was transferred and we are moving for a
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 03:52 PM
Dec 2017

job now...luckily we have been here for a while...but it will hurt lots of people and impact housing.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)
13. Dems picked up seats because most Americans could see
Tue Dec 19, 2017, 12:57 PM
Dec 2017

that the impeachment was a manufactured farce, being run by hypocrites in congress whose own womanizing was an open secret....

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