President Trump on Thursday is expected to end his push to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census and instead order the Commerce Department to survey Americans about their citizenship status another way, ABC News reported Thursday afternoon, citing multiple sources familiar with the move.
A vitriolic hue and cry from Trumpâs posse (Hannity, Ingraham, Coulter, Limbaugh, et al) might goad him into double-doubling down and backtracking on even this. The fricking knucklehead is liable to come out and demand a new printing of the questionnaire a week before the mailing.
Face saving. He can call it a win and say he didnât back down, even though it canât be used for redistricting, the real reason for the whole fiasco.
The survey will actually include a second question. âOn a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being âbeautifulâ and 10 being âunbelievably beautiful,â how good a job is President Trump doing?â
The only reason Trump is backing off is because Barr told him he couldnât deliver. That could be the beginning of a downward slide for Trump where he has a weaker political foundation. If Barr canât deliver for him, it means he canât outrun the law. If he canât outrun the law, he wonât outrun the voters. If he canât outrun the law or the voters, heâll start to lose GOP support. You could see the impact on an issue like immigration, where GOPers might say they canât support kids in cages and they force Miller out.
Given how strong the Dem Senate field is starting to look (I could see Dems winning as many as 7 seats), it is possible we could use Trumpâs weakness and the strength of our position in the Senate races to force Miller out. Take Miller out and Trumpâs immigration policy pretty much crumbles. If Trump crumbles on immigration, thereâs no rationale for anyone to vote for him.
Yes. I do firmly believe that when youâre fighting an evil and corrupt govât, everything you do matters, even the symbolic things. I think anything that makes Barr think twice is a big net plus for Team Blue.
I will not believe this until I hear him say the words that he will end the census/citizenship question. The census is the vehicle that determines how many house seats are given and taken away.