Free Republic

The bottom is dropping out for Donald Trump. While Trump was never popular outside of his loyal slice of GOP voters, a raft of new polls show his national position hitting new lows, including with groups that are supposed to form his base. America's widespread loathing for Trump puts further pressure on Republican delegates to deny him the nomination in July if he falls short of a majority, a move that would set off an ugly civil war but that some in the party believe would be necessary to stave off generational damage. A collection of recent surveys by Real...

Washington -- If the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which is probably the closest thing Bay Area liberal Democrats have to a government in waiting, were to take over in Washington, these would become national policy: Access to affordable, high-quality health care would be universal. Social Security benefits would be protected, along with private pensions. The minimum wage would be raised, and workers' rights to form unions would be protected. Expiring sections of the Patriot Act wouldn't be renewed, and Congress would fight media consolidation. U.S. troops would be brought home from Iraq "as soon as possible,'' and the government would work...

The October 25 death of Senator Paul Wellstone provoked an outpouring of national grief, but the savage November 5 election remade his Democratic survivors into living memorials, marginalized political figures who must effectively counter overwhelming power. The coming troika—a solidly Republican White House, House of Representatives, and Senate—has not been seen since 1954. Soon-to-be Senate minority leader Tom Daschle has said he and his Democratic colleagues won't quit fighting, even if you wonder exactly what principles this increasingly ragtag band will fight for. With the Democrats all, at least numerically, Wellstones now, what can one man's lonely legislative experience teach...