DEMOCRATS ARE STUCK IN THEIR OWN ECHO CHAMBER:

If Democrats combined the desire for a secure social-safety net with guarantees of actual economic and physical security, they’d be hitting the political sweet spot. But denying political reality is a surefire way to squander any opportunity being presented by a Republican Party that’s catering to its own extremes. Dissatisfied voters always punish the party in power, and right now Democrats will bear the brunt of a disillusioned electorate.

There’s one exception to that rule, however. Manchin, a Democrat representing a state where Trump won 69 percent of the vote last year, is still one of his state’s most popular figures. A new poll from the GOP firm MBE Research found that Manchin holds an enviable 61 percent approval rating, while Biden’s approval is a dismal 33 percent.

There’s a powerful lesson in those numbers: If even in this rough environment for Democrats, a moderate maverick can remain popular in a ruby-red state, there’s still plenty of time for the party to turn things around by moving to the middle. But if Democrats don’t get the message—and there’s little sign they’re receiving it in the wake of this month’s elections—they’re whistling past the political graveyard.

QED: Almost Half of Voters Think Biden is Mentally Unfit to Be President.