It’s like 2010 all over again. The NFL was making news, not because of protests but for its record TV ratings. Social media was making headlines, not due to Russian-backed government operatives using it to help Donald Trump win but because of the blockbuster movie The Social Network. And the horrible behavior of men was a big topic of discussion, not in the very real setting of the #MeToo revolution but in terms of Don Draper and Mad Men.
And there’s one other similarity. In 2010, the then-President and his political party celebrated signing into a law a major piece of legislation they passed with no support from the opposing party that less than 40 percent of Americans supported. That of, course, was President Obama and the Affordable Care Act.
Today, we have Trump and the GOP jubilant over passing their massive 40 percent tax cut for corporations and boondoggle for the wealthy at the expense of the rest of us that’s supported on the low end by 24 percent of Americans and on the high end by 33 percent.
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And it’s very likely come the midterm elections in 2018, we will see one other similarity with 2010. You see, in the 2010 midterms, the Republicans made opposing the ACA the focal point of the election. What was the result? A massive red wave crashed down on the Democrats resulting in Republicans taking a whopping 63 House Seats and control of that chamber, as well as six Senate seats.
No one can predict exactly what the results will be come November 2018, but I can tell you that a gigantic blue wave is building. And thanks to the Trump/GOP tax cut for big corporations and the wealthy at the expense of the rest of us it is now growing to tidal wave proportions. Even Republicans are voicing similar concerns, such as GOP strategist Sean Trende who tweeted Monday that in his view Republicans will lose in the area of 40 House seats, if not more. (Democrats only need to win 24 seats to take control of that chamber.)
And I have heard it firsthand on my SiriusXM radio show, and not just from progressives. Even though my show is on the progressive political talk channel, I also hear from mainstream conservatives who oppose Trump. And they, too, were unhappy with the GOP tax cut that adds a massive amount to our deficit (apparently, they actually care about the deficit as opposed to Trump/Paul Ryan and friends). They know it will primarily make the rich richer at a time when they are already living a life of luxury.
But there’s one glaring difference from 2010: Donald J. Trump. People hate him. And not just in a political sense--but personally. That’s why despite a very solid economy Trump is ending his first year far and away the most unpopular president in the polling era at the same point in his presidency. Per recent polls, only 34 percent believe Trump is honest, only 37 percent believe he cares about the average American and only 32 percent believe he shares their values. And people are seeing through Trump’s recent lie that he will personally pay more under the GOP tax plan as evidenced by two thirds of Americans saying they believe the GOP tax cut will enrich him and his family.
So Trump can offer us all the crumbs he wants from his tax plan for the wealthy but it won’t make up for his trafficking in hate to win his election, his defending of white supremacists, his non-stop lying, his sexual misconduct, his shaming of victims he assaulted and the like. Americans clearly are not forgiving Trump for this history, and nor should they.
That’s why even without this tax scam, progressives and a big chunk of independents already wanted Democrats to take control of Congress. A Quinnipiac poll released this week taken before the GOP passed their tax scam found 52 percent of voters supported Democrats taking control of the House to only 37 percent who wanted Republicans to continue wielding power there. And by a margin of 53 to 37 percent, voters want Democrats to control the Senate. In both cases, a majority of Independents sided with Democratic control of Congress. Countless other polls show similar results.
The anger at Trump is building. And that emotion, anger, is the best indicator in predicting who wins midterms as has been documented by exit polls. For example, in the 2006 midterm election, exit polls found that only 35 percent of those voting were “enthusiastic” or “satisfied” with President George W. Bush. In contrast, a whopping 59 percent of the voters described themselves as “dissatisfied” or “angry” with the Republican president. What was the result? A massive blue wave that gave the Democrats control of the House for the first time since 1994. They also took the Senate.
Anger makes people come out and vote in midterms, and I can assure you the fury toward Trump is palpable and runs deep. And it’s growing more intense thanks to the unfairness of the GOP tax cuts. If all those who oppose Trump’s history of hate and his policies turn out to vote in November – just as we saw in the recent elections in Virginia and Alabama – Democrats will ride a beautiful, massive blue wave that will wash the Republicans from Congress. And from there, the hope is either via impeachment or another massive blue wave in 2020, we can then sweep Trump out of the White House and back into oblivion where he belongs.
