I think one of the more demoralizing things for the base is that sunken feeling I get when even a fairly firebrand Dem politician promises accountability if/when they are in charge. My response is something like "For real?", "This time?", "I'm not sure I believe you" "I'll vote... I guess".

They are winging it to meet a deadline.

Where are these pundits? NYC and DC where their full time livelihood is to write and be on TV with their takes. They have 24 hours in their day like the rest of us and I’m sure they don’t have time to visit every corner of the country to get the feel of what Americans think.

Your commentary is spot on as always. I’m started to get curious about whether there is a reality-based set of measurements, external to government sources and spin, that actually captures or provides a snapshot of the financial situation of households.

Yeah... the right person needs to have Trump's ear and just say that BBB is going down because of Congressperson X. Regardless of why, a handful of Rs aren't going to put targets on their backs of Trump's wrath.

But apolitical people see this as well and when Rs and Ds are buddy buddy despite all this fascist talk it makes look like chicken littles.

Here’s the thing. I’m exhausted and I WANT there to be something secret about these powerful people that I’m not important enough to know so I don’t spend every day in a panic. If they are playing baseball at the end of the day my small comfort is that this is all for show. But I know better.

I actually had mixed feelings about Dems showing up for Trump's speech last week. Because if the majority actually validated his appearance by showing up as the loyal opposition, maybe they know something we don't know and Trump isn't a real threat? Have to find cynical hope somewhere.