A bad week for Democrats gives rise to a big problem: Outrage could become an obstacle in midterms [View all]
Growing liberal agitation over a pivotal Supreme Court retirement and a simmering crisis about immigrant child separation have left Democratic leaders scrambling to keep the political outrage they’d counted on to fuel midterm election wins from becoming a liability for the party.
Internal party debates have broken into public view over maintaining civility and the usefulness of liberal slogans like “abolish ICE,” which some Republicans have embraced to argue falsely that Democrats oppose immigration enforcement. At the same time, liberal activists have begun to argue for more radical measures to counter President Trump, who they assert presents an immediate threat to the republic.
The conflict comes after several weeks that have highlighted the consequence of Trump’s 2016 election and his continued political strength. As he promised during the campaign, Trump is changing the country in profound ways, including through harsh immigration enforcement measures. With the retirement announcement last week from Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, Trump also has an opportunity this fall to remake the ideological balance of the court.
Democrats have had only limited options for fighting back, and many in the party are resigned to the confirmation of a new justice who could vote to undo key liberal victories, including abortion rights and legal protections that allow people with preexisting conditions to afford health insurance.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-bad-week-for-democrats-gives-rise-to-a-big-problem-outrage-could-become-an-obstacle-in-midterms/2018/07/01/98e31da0-7d40-11e8-bb6b-c1cb691f1402_story.html
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