UPDATE: Democrats voting in November lead 50% to 40%

UPDATE: New NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll has Democratic leaning voters 10 points more than Republicans, 50% to 40%.

The economy is doing well, unemployment low, new jobs being added, average earnings up and domestic product growth at more than 4.5 percent. Gotta give the GOP credit for passing the tax bill that helped in this general improvement of things, but we mustn't lose sight of the fact that its primary purpose was to reward big business and the wealthy. There are actually three ways the tax plan does not live up to the promises that Trump made to the American people...

1. The cuts for the middle class are meager and temporary
2. There will be significant tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy
3. Individual income rates will not be simplified and are higher than promised

First, the answer to #1: "Middle-income Americans will benefit by around $1,000 initially, according to Tax Policy Center estimates. But by 2027, the majority of middle-class households would get no tax cut, and some would actually pay more." #2: The largest cuts as a share of income will go to taxpayers in the 95th to 99th percentiles of income distribution. #3: "In the final bill, the United States has the same number of tax brackets it had previously: seven." In other words, Trump's tax bill is a ruse for the average American.

But in its design to reward big business and the wealthy, the economy has improved, and the disguised drawbacks to average American benefits are simply left unsaid by Republicans. As one writer put it, "Congress upended the tax code, ladling out oodles to the rich, but also offering a sop to those in the heartland at the expense of the deep blue coasts." But even with all this good news...

"Democrat Conor Lamb pulled off the year’s biggest upset in March and snatched a congressional seat in western Pennsylvania last held by a Democrat more than 15 years earlier."

Added to this: "In the past eight special elections, Democrats have overperformed by an average of 9 points." The Dems have been chipping away at Republicans recently with a blueprint that seems to be working. It can only get better before November.

Read more: TRUMP’S BROKEN PROMISES: GOP TAX BILL FILLS WEALTHY PEOPLE’S POCKETS, TAKES MONEY FROM MIDDLE CLASS, POOR

Read more: Who has the edge for 2018: Republicans or Democrats?

Mitch McConnell has built a Senate cesspool

CNN's Byron Wolf calls it devilish, brilliant politics. I call it typical Mitch McConnell and this is what I had to say about him in a post June 7, 2015...

Don't tell me U.S. Senators deserve respect when they are the low life of Congress. If there was a barrel, the downside would have to be bottomless to accommodate Mitch McConnell.

The post was my reaction to McConnell's perpetual demeaning of Barack Obama, and his insistence that nothing he did would ever get anywhere in his Senate. These were his words when Obama was inaugurated...

“When I first came into office my number one priority is making sure president Obama’s a one-term president."

That, of course, didn't happen, when Obama handily won his second term. McConnell has a deep-seated hatred for Barack Obama, primarily based on the lowlife Senator's racism, a known fact for years. But, this scumbag now leads the U.S. Senate. He's blaming the August recess cancellation on obstructionism by Democrats, the kind of excuse a jerk like McConnell would use. The idea, of course, is to prevent Democratic Senators who are running in November, but my gut tells me there will be provisions made for Republicans.

There are 26 Democrat-held Senate seats and only seven Republican-held seats on the ballot in November. The latest poll shows a tightening of voting preference with the Democrats holding just a 4-point lead. In the House, however, where Republicans are defending more seats, they haven't announced plans to cancel the August recess. This all may be called strategy and, perhaps, the Dems would do the same if they were in control. The bottom line here is that the Republicans are using their power to win the November election. What they don't know is, it won't work.

Read more: Mitch McConnell plays a little dirty to keep his majority

Philadelphia Eagles will probably go to Disneyland instead...

The fact of the matter is that the Philadelphia Eagles didn't even do what they are accused of by Donald Trump. Not one Eagle Player kneeled for the National Anthem last season, but the Oval Office lunatic in his long-running feud with the National Football League canceled their visit to the White House in honor of their winning the Super Bowl. This bad blood with the NFL exists since the league "stonewalled his effort to buy the Buffalo Bills in 2014." This is what Trump said in canceling the event...

"The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better."

The word was that only four Eagles had agreed to appear with T-rump, a statement in itself of the disdain felt for this man around the country. Although the Eagles didn't. players who kneel in protest have been called "sons of bitches" and it was suggested they shouldn't be in the country. This is purely an act to impress his "Make America Great Again" followers. But let's be clear about how this slogan came about; Trump stole it from Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign, "Let's Make America Great Again." And now he claims it's his own.

Fox News is struggling in its support of T-rump's decision but can't seem to find any photos or videos to substantiate the Eagle players were kneeling. Didn't know Fox needed anything to corroborate their "facts," and isn't it interesting that the "news network's" main thrust is to find something to support Donald Trump, even when there is obviously nothing there. The Eagles will survive; as a matter of fact, they had decided not to go to the White House long before the "Anthem" rule was passed. This kind of aversion to Trump must be turned into Democrat/Progressive votes in November.

Read more: Trump's Battle with the NFL Has Reached Critical Mass

Trump's top enemy Mueller could hasten GOP demise

Brent Budowsky, writing for The Hill, believes that Donald Trump's use of enemy lists to set up his agenda of attacks on his enemies may very well backfire, bringing out multitudes of Democratic and [Progressive] voters in November. His words...

"For every voter in the Trump base who is motivated to vote by these attacks, even more voters who disapprove of Trump are motivated to vote."

If this is what it takes to bring out the left vote, bring on the enemies. Harking back to Richard Nixon who thought everyone was his enemy, the Oval Office lunatic has taken paranoia to a new level. He fires people under him at all levels with the ease of throwing out the evening trash. His tactics are like a bad deodorant when he is trying to hide the truth. This undermining of the investigation of Robert Mueller and his special counsel team is actually getting old with respect to its validity. T-rump's latest ploy is to threaten Mueller with the fact that he can pardon himself, which is laughable.

Working as hard as Trump, and with an equal level of madness, is Rudy Giuliani, who Budowsky reminds us...

"was cheered by New Yorkers after the terror attack in September 2001 and was recently loudly booed at a New York Yankees game, to execute a crude strategy in his name.

 and...

"Giuliani is an advertisement for obstruction of justice. He speaks relentlessly and aggressively to discredit and politically destroy the Mueller investigation."

And the author has a number of groups with reasoning to vote in November because they feel "something has gone terribly wrong with America under Trump." Two such are Independents and moderate Republicans from the suburbs and small towns who voted for Trump in 2016. They thought he would "drain the swamp" but found out in actuality that Donald Trump is the swamp.

Read more: Trump war against Mueller will make Dem midterm turnout soar

Trump self pardon just confirms his narcissism

Donald Trump behind bars, where he should be

We have regularly seen exaggerated arrogance from Donald Trump to the extent that some even explored it to see if it was an impeachable offense. It isn't, but it just shows the length to which the Oval Office lunatic will go in making everything about himself. And now T-rump's lawyers have advised special counsel Robert Mueller...

"the president would not comply with requests for an interview, could end the special counsel's investigation and could use his executive powers to pardon if needed."

In other words, Trump would literally pardon himself. The letter was in response to a request from Mueller for an interview with Trump. The former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, who was fired by T-rump, said it would be a “self-executing impeachment” if President Trump were to pardon himself. His lawyers continually make the point that there is no substance in Mueller's investigation, while recounting all the material they have provided the special counsel, therefore, there is no reason for a personal interview.

Bharara's reaction was actually in response to Trump attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who "appearing on ABC's This Week Sunday morning, said Trump could pardon himself, though has no plans to do so." I doubt seriously if Giuliani has any legal source he can refer to that would substantiate that remark. It is, no doubt, off the top of his head, completely without thought, as 99% of what his boss spews regularly. This from former New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie...

"If the president were to pardon himself, he'll get impeached."

This can probably all be written off to just another stupid day in the saga of Donald Trump's presidency, something, perhaps, we should have expected. Will November never get here?

Read more: Trump's lawyers to Mueller in letter: President can end probe, use pardon power
                    Former US attorney: Trump pardoning himself would be 'self-executing impeachment'
                    Giuliani says Trump 'probably' has the power to pardon himself

Should James Comey run for President? Read his book

I had a hard time getting through the first part of James Comey's book, A Higher Loyalty-Truth, Lies, and Leadership. I thought he was wasting too much time on his past life and background until I realized the core of this man's meaning and purpose for wring his tome, to present the two sides of what a government can be. Sleazy, corrupt and unacceptable like the Donald Trump administration, or honest, loyal to the people and worthy of its leader like, say, Barack Obama. The latter may not have been effective enough for many, mostly because of a repressive Republican Congress, but he had principles James Comey admired and possessed himself. Primarily honesty and loyalty.

Comey's background is diversified legally, a U.S. Attorney in New York, U.S. Deputy Attorney General under GWB, and when Barack Obama appointed him Director of the FBI. Through these four positions, he says in his book that he has become extremely familiar with the workings of the U.S. government. He doesn't say this but under both Obama and Trump, a dysfunctional government, for the former, Republicans denying everything he tried and the latter, the man himself, Trump. James Comey doesn't really badmouth anyone but he does speak the truth.

Especially in the book's epilogue where he comments...

"this president [Donald Trump] is unethical and untethered to truth and institutional values. His leadership is transactional, ego driven, and about personal loyalty."

He goes on to commend those who have stayed with the administration, even with the adversity of this lunatic's constant tirades. Perhaps they have kept us out of a nuclear war, or at least calmed the nations of the world that believe the United States has lost its mind by electing a maniac for president. Donald Trump has said for years...

"I just feel that loyalty is a very, very important part of life, not only of business but of life."

To this Paul Waldman of The American Prospect commented on Afternet...

"The truth is that Trump demands loyalty from everyone but gives it to no one. As he prowls the darkened hallways of the White House at night, alone with his thoughts, his wife and young son 200 miles away, the staff having retired for the night, it wouldn't be surprising if Trump is becoming increasingly convinced that no one is loyal to him and there's no one he can trust."

Trump tried the loyalty ploy with James Comey and was rebuked just before he was fired as FBI Director. Most have seen Comey's move as laudable and in fact there is probably no person in the American government today that is more loyal to this country than James Comey. He is a Republican but even as a liberal Progressive, I would vote for the man. However, it is just possible that James Comey has had quite enough of the stinkin' dirty politics working for Donald Trump that he wants nothing to do with a Presidential election. Only time will tell.

Read more: Trump Demands Loyalty From Everyone, But Gives It to No One

Trump to beat in 2020...if he's still around

And here is the left's voting problem

Now these are opinions based on the statements of political experts that were involved in past and current elections. They take into consideration the election of Barack Obama in 2012, and the fact that in 2016, "Voters were looking for something more "strident" than Obama’s "incrementalist agenda." In other words, they wanted a faster track than Clinton was exhibiting. Something like Bernie Sanders. Not sure, though, they wanted the ignorant bluster of a Donald Trump, but he was elected; they wanted action not promises. Trump was a mover and shaker and he excited people.

That's all proven to be big mouthed bullshit, but those who still support the Oval Office lunatic are solid in their backing. The last I heard they were around 30%, an easily beatable figure. The Democratic candidate was all wrong in 2016; it should have been Bernie Sanders but the fraud of DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, nominated Hillary Clinton. Maybe Sanders will run again, or perhaps the left could convince someone like James Comey, former FBI Director, to run as a Democrat. Think about that...James Comey running against Donald Trump. More on this later.

One of the main items on the Progressives/Democrats agenda is getting out the vote. According to Nate Silver's 538, the Republicans were able to get their voters to the polls much more aggressively than Democrats. Progressives naturally rejected Hillary Clinton because of the DNC fiasco, and the fact that it was this that beat their candidate, Bernie Sanders. If Sanders plans to run in 2020, and his age will be a factor, he must throw his hat in now. We also cannot rule out Joe Biden, or Elizabeth Warren or New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Whoever it is, the youth vote must be considered.

The Progressive/Democratic candidate must enthusiastically go after social media to spread its message to all ages and over all political persuasions. The Russia probe of Donald Trump should be a great handle for the left. If a Progressive candidate is nominated, the Democrats must get behind him or her. Many political pundits talk of the potential success of a Sanders/Warren ticket in 2020 winning big on the Progressive side, combining experience with youth, two people who seem to excite their followers to action, meaning voting.

If Trump does last, the candidates on the left will have the most corrupt administration that this country has ever experienced to run against. There are the Donald Trump daily lies, his Stormy Daniels and similar escapades, firing of FBI Director Jim Comey in obvious obstruction of justice in the Russian investigation, the scandal over Michael Cohen's consulting, more obstruction of justice, again, involving Comey, in defending Michael Flynn, and the list goes on and on. Never in the history of American elections has there been this kind of ammunition for a political party.

But...will the Progressives/Democrats be able to pull it off???

Read more: How Hillary Clinton blew it
                   How Trump won the election: volatility and a common touch
                   How did Trump win? Here are 24 theories