Looking at the lay of the political land, there are plenty of reasons for Democrats to

feel down.

I'm Ryan Grimm, and today on Deconstructed, we'll talk about a bunch of those, but more importantly,

we'll talk about what Democrats actually can do in the next few years, even in the face

of steadfast Republican opposition.

But first, the bad news for the party.

With John Oshoff and Rafael Warnaug, or in tight races in Georgia for the January runoffs,

and failings to take the Senate would badly hobble a Biden administration's legislative agenda.

A six-three Supreme Court is likely to be hostile to executive action and regulation to say

the least.

The pandemic is surging, and the economy is slowing.

And without the ability to legislate, the capacity of the government to respond to the economic

slowdown would be in the hands of Mitch McConnell, who has repeatedly shown a willingness to

scorch the earth and every norm on it, if it means a slight relative increase in his own

power, or the power of the right.

Meanwhile, Republicans across the country are salivating in the prospect of a gerry-mandered

2022 midterm wipeout.

Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has already promised the GOP will retake the House, and that

would mean two years of investigations into Biden between then and the 2024 presidential

election.

Republicans have shown a complete disregard for democracy in the wake of the November

3rd elections, or at minimum, are fine with dispensing with it for partisan gain.

...