Trump Popularity is Up

Trump approval is now up to 40%.  I have been warning Democrats of this.

The Trump base is expanding.  Trump is emerging from "one of a kind" back into the normal zone of presidential unpopularity.

Democrats may think this is the worst of times for Trump. They are mis-reading the situation.  A Zigby poll:  Click: January 16, 2018

Back toward Obama levels

Donald Trump is doing two things that are politically advantageous, and Democrats are letting him get away with it.

1.  Trump is stoking the fires of racial anxiety.   While his defenders were mumbling and unable to remember what Trump said in the bipartisan meeting regarding immigrants, Trump himself remembered perfectly.  He was bragging to guests at Mar a Lago that his base agreed with him about immigration from "shithole" countries. Steve Bannon left the White House but Trump is still operating on Bannon's insight, that a great many American feel racial anxiety and are troubled by demographic changes that threaten white majority status.   Click Here: Race talk hurts Democrats

The more Democrats talk about race, Trump's racism, and racial grievance,  the more they remind Americans of uncomfortable things.  It backfires.  Whites deny racial injustice exists anymore, or they point the finger and say that whites are the victim, or they blame blacks for bad choices and behaviors, or maybe they reluctantly agree it is true but resent having their noses rubbed in the facts. Race talk is not politically useful.  

Click: Race Talk hurts Democrats

Democrats make the mistaken assumption that Hispanics react to Trump the way black voters do.  That is wrong.  Democratic orthodox thinking is that Hispanics are deeply offended by Trump.  Hispanic leaders who purport to represent the demographic certainly are, but the Zigby poll shows they do not represent their demographic.  Feelings are mixed, not monolithic, on immigration issues:  45% of Hispanics approve of Trump, 55% disapprove. 

2.  Trump talks about jobs and prosperity.  Zogby polling asked the question, "How do you feel the economy will be for the next four years?"  Some 56% said they think it will be excellent or good. Trump promised change and he gave people economic hope. 

Trump commandeered the Obama slogan of hope and change.  

Trump 

Trump is claiming responsibility for the improved economic situation, and he is selling it and owns it.

But what about all the bad news, the undisciplined tweets, the payoff to the porn star, the indictments, the White House chaos, collusion?  

They aren't relevant.

What is relevant is that Trump trolls Democrats into talking about racial injustice and immigration in a way that makes whites nervous and fails to motivate Hispanics, while Trump is identified with growing prosperity.  Lose, lose.

News of Trump temperament could hardly be worse, yet Trump's popularity is going up.  It is time for Democrats to wise up about what issues voters actually care about.