In private, Trump refuses to believe GOP will lose House majority during midterm

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

This reminds me of what I've read about Hitler in the run-up to WWII. (Hold the screams please, this comparison is just about decision making paths and deluded leaders, nothing more.)

Hitler took a lot of actions that more experienced and rational advisers and critics said were certain to fail. Annexing Austria, parts of Czechoslovakia, Alsace-Lorrainemilitarizing the Rhineland. When these suceeded, Hitler reached a point where he thought he was a genius and his advisers fools.

Similarly, Trump knows he won, thinks the polls are all wrong, etc. In his mind, he's had multiple successes while the experts have been all wrong. So of course he expects that to happen again with the House. I expect a lot of loud insanity from the White House after November, if he lasts that long.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

This reminds me of what I've read about Hitler in the run-up to WWII. (Hold the screams please, this comparison is just about decision making paths and deluded leaders, nothing more.)

Hitler took a lot of actions that more experienced and rational advisers and critics said were certain to fail. Annexing Austria, parts of Czechoslovakia, Alsace-Lorraine. When these suceeded, Hitler reached a point where he thought he was a genius and his advisers fools.

Similarly, Trump knows he won, thinks the polls are all wrong, etc. In his mind, he's had multiple successes while the experts have been all wrong. So of course he expects that to happen again with the House. I expect a lot of loud insanity from the White House after November, if he lasts that long.

Hitler didn't take Alsace-Lorraine until the fall of France. Do you mean the militarization of the Rhineland?

Yes, that's the action I was thinking of. Thank you.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

All this chicken counting is beginning to unpleasantly remind me of the preparations people were making to attend the inauguration of President Hillary Clinton.  Yes, it looks like the Dems will gain seats in the midterms right now, tho none of them will be in South Carolina.  Problem is, there are a lot of people who are going to go to the polls thinking Trump is an idiot, but my Representative is all right.  I expect the Dems to do much better in flipping open seats than in flipping seats that have an incumbent running for reelection.

That's the thing that's different though, I don't think most people feel their Congressman is alright this time around if said Congressman is a Trump supporter.

Depends on how much of a supporter and how that support is expressed.

I think it's too early to see how the GOP being Trump's water carrier is going to play, or how many Republican Representatives will stick by Trump or try to run away from him. This is a very volatile administration in a very volatile world. *If present negative trends continue* the Republicans are in for a world of hurt, yes. But the worst thing the Dems can do is get cocky. But if they play this smart (something I doubt), and present trends continue or intensify, then they may end up with a huge win.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

The GOP will likely lose seats, but it's far from unreasonable to believe that they will keep the House.

A lot of Republicans will have tougher races than usual, and there have been some redistrictings (FL and PA) that are favorable to Democrats, but that still doesn't guarantee a Democratic House.  It may happen, of course, but it's no more than 50-50 at this point.

Trump's hardly crazy in talking up GOP chances in the GE.  It's a positive trait of leadership to believe in victory and convey that belief to others, even when the chips are down.  Churchill was an underdog at Dunkirk.  He's doing what he ought to do as leader of his party.  Being overtly pessimistic is a sure fire ticket to defeat for the GOP.

Right you are, Fuzzy. Trump should project confidence, and spend the months up to the election doing exactly what he wants, not worry about the possible impacts of his words and actions. Then, in the final days, he should spend a lot of time telling his cult that they have this one in the bag, that there's no way they can lose and they can all relax.


(Maybe he can make an off handed reference to help from friends in Russia?)