Who's to Blame? Weak Leaders, Weak Institutions, Weak Voters?

Michael Barone Nov 30, 2108

In the wake of the off-year elections, conservative analyst Yuval Levin saw no winners. "It is the weakness of all sides, and the strength of none, that shapes this moment."

You can see what he means. Donald Trump hasn't gotten everything he wanted -- not even the wall! -- from the Republican House of Representatives. And on one issue or another, he'll probably get something from Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Democrats he couldn't get from outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan's Republicans.

Now maybe House Democrats will overplay their hand and help Trump win re-election in 2020. And maybe Democrats, faced with a crowded field of presidential candidates, will choose an unelectable nominee.

But even though Republicans gained Senate seats and are in good shape to confirm conservative judges, Trump is weakened. Republicans lost just about every House seat he carried in 2016 by 5 percent or less. And he got only 46 percent of the popular vote.

Do the math. Forty-six minus five is 41. No way a 41 percent candidate gets 270 electoral votes in a two-way race...........To Read More.....

My Take - Michael Barone is highly respected for reasons I can't entirely understand.  He asks a question, cites a lot of circumstances, and then provides no answers?  I've followed him for years and although I think he's knowledgeable about the subjects he writes about, but nothing he's written has provided insights that are worth much....at least that's how I see it. 

So why do I post his work?  Because he cites circumstances that need to be looked at and need to be understood.  But that understanding isn't going to come from him.