Schloss-Blog: Democrats, Where Are You?

The Schloss-Blog learns a lot watching "Real Time with Bill Mahr" on HBO.

Forget about his wit and sarcasm, he's well read and well prepared on whatever the topic. So are his guests.

This past Friday, they were the NY Times' Jeremy Peters, a best-selling author and columnist, and award-winning CNN anchor Dana Bash.

They weren't shy about what I'm passionate about as well: Democrats, what is your rallying cry? Where is your campaign? What's on your platform?

With Donald Trump tripping over himself to give Democrats fodder for the midterms, they are still struggling for a party-wide, unifying message. Between the progressives, the centrists and the Democratic Socialists, they do as much infighting as they do lashing out at Republicans.

As Peters pointed out on "Real Time," while Trump's approval ratings hover just above 30 percent, guess what? Democrats, as a party, don't have approval ratings (40%) much higher than that.

Trump's ratings, which tie him to virtually every Republican running in the midterms, are driven by the costly war with Iran, which he refuses to get out of, even though it is continually driving up prices of everything, from fuel to groceries. And there are his tariffs, which keep driving up costs of everyday goods and from which he refuses to back down, despite many of them being ruled illegal by the Supreme Court.

With so many opportunities to pound upon, why are the Democrats sturggling? Trump keeps screwing up.

But so do they.

***

Of course, all the Republicans have to run on is calling the Democrats "Communists." Republicans have no accomplishments besides higher prices, unaffordability and an unpolular, ongoing war driving all of it, a "never ending-type" war that Trump promised would never happen.

The Democrats apparently promised they wouldn't know how to leverage that, and are succeeding.

***

Talks with Canada over trade and tariffs have broken down completely, with Canada calling talks with Trump's representatives pointless and categoriziing his demands as unrealistic.

In other words, just like everything else Trump is doing to the economy.

Since being back in office in January 2025, Trump has taken 20 months to completely alientate and piss off our two biggest trading partners, Mexico and Canada.

And the national debt has gone from $36 trillion to 440 trillion, yes, in just 20 months. 

***

Arizona State University now has a major in being an "influencer." Not making this up.

Republicans are skipping debates this season, heading into the midterms. Why not? They have nothing to run on.

SCOTUS rejected Trump's umpteenth appeal of his having to pay E. Jean Carroll the $5.2 million he owes her in the sexual assault and defamation trial judgment.

But they protected his privilege to keep building the new "ballroom."  We're all paying for it.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Harry and Meghan. Welcome home.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.