Latest news with #RealClearPoliticsAverage
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats Chase Trump's Laser Pointer on Immigration
In his first term, Trump chased Democrats laser pointer; now, theyre chasing his. No issue illustrates this like immigration; its become the Democrats red dot. Whenever, wherever, and however Trump moves it, Democrats cant help pouncing. In his first term, Trump reacted to everything Democrats and the establishment media did. He couldnt help himself, as though always compensating for having lost the 2016 popular vote. Forever taking their bait, his tweets poured forth. His frequently abrupt policy and political changes cost him on Obamacare - and popular support, too: Throughout his first term, Trump never had a favorable job approval rating in the RealClearPolitics Average of national polls. In his second term, circumstances have markedly reversed. Democrats have been reacting to Trump since before he took office - if not since before he won it. Even before his inauguration, Democratic leaders ran to microphones to announce their defiance. As they did, they picked politically questionable issues. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker proclaimed he was opening his state to more transgender surgeries; California Gov. Newsom proclaimed support for electric vehicle credits. When Trump talked about a third term, even with the Constitution clearly blocking it, Democrats and the establishment media were apoplectic. Once in office, they were opposed to DOGE with equal vehemence. In short, if Trump proposed it, Democrats opposed it. They couldnt help taking the bait. However, of all the things Trump has pursued, nothing has exorcised Democrats like his crackdown on illegal immigration. New Jerseys governor, boldly proclaiming he was harboring an illegal immigrant, dared ICE to come…until ICE said they intended to. Democratic officials stormed a New Jersey ICE holding center. When a Milwaukee judge was arrestedfor helping an illegal immigrant avoid ICE capture, Democrats rallied around her, despite a judges job being one of impartiality on cases before the bench. When Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported from Maryland, the accused MS-13 gang member became a Democratic cause célèbre. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) went to El Salvador to have cocktails with Garcia; other Democratic members of Congress followed. Nationwide, Democrats have prominently counseled illegal immigrants on evading ICE. Still, the Los Angeles uprising over the last several days took Democratic efforts (or lack thereof when it comes to enforcement) to another level. Mayor Karen Bass (who already had bungled wildfires that caused enormous damage) and Gov. Gavin Newsom stood by as the city descended into anarchic chaos from protests over ICE doing its job. Trump called in the National Guard. Next, the Marines. Newsom called press conferences. And sued. He sought to cast himself as a political paladin, a knight-errant in defense of not enforcing immigration law. The better term for Newsom and the rest of the Democrats rallying to the cause of blocking the deportation of immigrants in the country illegally would be "knights-in-error." More accurate in terms of immigration and law enforcement policy, it would be more accurate still in terms of politics. Having already given Trump a winning issue, they are now gift-wrapping it in images: attacking law enforcement, rioters, outside agitators, destruction, looting, burned-out vehicles, a city aflame. Each picture a winner for Trump, each one a loser for Democrats. To understand how big a loser these visuals are for Democrats, just look at the polling numbers. RCPs final average for President Bidens job approval on crime was 38% approval and 59% disapproval - a negative 21 percentage-point margin. On immigration, Bidens final job approval average was 33.5% approval and 64.8% disapproval - a negative 31.3 percentage-point margin. With negatives like these, why do Democrats insist on fighting on this terrain? Why Trump does is clear: His job approval on immigration is 51.5% approval versus 47% disapproval - a positive 4.5 percentage points. The figures on reduced illegal immigration and overall crime since he took office only burnish the law-and-order credentials Democrats are thrusting on him. Even in California, increased law enforcement is a winner. Californias ballot measure that increased penalties for shoplifting and drug possession - and undid an earlier ballot measure relaxing these - passed overwhelmingly last November. Non-deluded Democrats have also voiced their concerns with picking this losing fight. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) have both had the temerity to swim against Democrats lemming tide. Immigration has become a laser pointer for Trump to use on Democrats. With every flash of the red dot, Democrats instinctively respond, each time believing one more pat of the paw, one more snap of the jaw, and they will have seized what is forever a pounce away. It is not true that Democrats do not have an agenda; they do: Trumps. Or rather, Trumps agenda has them. And on immigration, it has Democrats right where Trump wants them. J.T. Young is the author of the recent book 'Unprecedented Assault: How Big Government Unleashed America's Socialist Left' from RealClear Publishing and has over three decades' experience working in Congress, the Department of Treasury, the Office of Management and Budget, and representing a Fortune 20 company.
Fox News
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
DAVID MARCUS: Why Schumer's do-nothing approach makes perfect sense for Democrats
It's been a tough week for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is facing a revolt from his party's faithful as a result of his decision to vote, along with nine other Democrats, to pass last week's continuing resolution and keep the government open. The fallout was as immediate as it was furious, with calls erupting for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., darling of the far-left to primary Schumer in his next reelection bid, and angry recriminations of surrender filling Washington DC. As far as a primary goes, Schumer won't show up on the ballot for another three years, which is the current chronology of American politics might as well be three decades, so let's not get ahead of ourselves. But what if, even though Democrats are loath to admit it, Schumer's do-nothing approach to Trump's second and wildly more aggressive administration not only makes sense, but is the most effective way to fight Trump, at least in the short term. In the first frenetic 35 days of Trump's presidency, this time around, it was the Democrats who just couldn't be normal in their response, culminating in the circus performance of walkouts, matching outfits and refusal to cheer for a childhood cancer survivor at the commander-in-chief's joint address to Congress. Over the past two weeks, however, it is Trump who is veering, if not into abnormality, at least into unconventional actions that Americans haven't seen before. These include tariffs on our allies, record breaking deportations, and a realignment of our foreign policy in regard to Russia. What Schumer understands, even as liberals like "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart insist he "do something!" is that there is nothing Congressional Republicans can do right now to stop Trump, including shutting down the government. So what is Chuck's plan? He laid it out quite clearly last week, stressing the need for Democrats to push Trump's job approval lower, he said, "He was at 51, he's now at 48, we're going to keep at it until he is under 40." What Schumer, and his more moderate allies, no doubt recognize is that going into this week, Donald Trump was underwater in the Real Clear Politics Average of approval polls for the first time since being re-elected. sch Why on earth would the Democrats have wanted to toss Trump a lifeline by shutting down the government? If Democrats sincerely believe that Trump's policies will lead to disaster, that tariffs will raise prices, that Americans will be repelled by mass deportations, and that treating with Vladimir Putin will have nightmarish geopolitical consequences, then why get in the way, especially when you have no leverage anyway? And Schumer is not alone in his more reserved approach to challenging Trump, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., who has begged his party not to set its hair on fire every time Trump opens his mouth, also voted to keep the government funded. Meanwhile, California governor and presumptive White House hopeful Gavin Newsom is inviting MAGA figures like Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk on his podcast, while former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is running for mayor of Gotham while barely mentioning Trump's name. Even the Ragin Cajun, longtime Democratic strategist James Carville has called for calm, writing in these pages recently, "I think it's evident to anyone and everyone that Democrats' response needs to be deliberate, determined and dignified—not "The Charge of the Light Brigade. I understand that Democrats are anxious and demanding more, but there's a thing called a calendar, and there are opportunities abound." This wing of the party, which is still too progressive for the country on key issues, at least understands the virtue of political patience, which is exactly why far-left Democrats are eager to crush this "normal" form of opposition. AOC, The Squad and Nancy Pelosi are in no mood to give the Party of Jefferson & Jackson over to a bunch of moderate white guys. Make no mistake, Trump's first month in office was a glorious dash of campaign promises kept, but it was also focused on many 70/30 or even 80/20 issues, such as men in women's sports, or closing the southern border. Now, the Trump administration must pivot to 50/50 issues, a much heavier political lift. A new Gallup poll shows a 16 percent increase in support for Ukraine among Americans since December, deportations are moving beyond hardened criminals, and some Americans are nervous that Trump's grand economic long-term plan might come with short-term pain. Chuck Schumer didn't rise from the streets of Brooklyn to become the most powerful Democrat in Washington by being an idiot. He and Fetterman, and a host of smart Democrats are forgoing the constant anti-Trump caterwaul and biding their time. As Republicans seek to grow their majority in 2026 and solidify power in 2028, the biggest challenge they will face is not angry leftists chanting in the streets, it is calm, composed Democrats lying in wait for any and all mistakes that Trump might make. And that is exactly Chuck Schumer's plan.
