A chart-based tweed-thread on my column today, which argues that Trump's political agenda has backfired -- he's driven Americans away from his major policy views, including immigration, trade, healthcare. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/10/19/trump-has-shifted-country-left-or-least-away-his-own-views/

First, immigration.
Trump has forced a referendum on immigration, and, as @AmericasVoice put it, Americans sided w/ immigrants. Nearly 8 in 10 Americans (77%) now think immigration is good for the country, the highest share since Gallup began asking this question two decades ago

Additionally, the share of Americans who say they want increased immigration exceeds those who want it reduced — the first time this has been true since Gallup began asking in the 1960s.

Americans have also become more likely to say immigrants strengthen rather than burden the US

Americans (including Republicans) have likewise become more pro-refugee since Trump took office, even as he ratchets down refugee admissions.

Americans have also become more likely to say that immigrants mostly fill jobs that U.S. citizens don’t want (rather than take jobs Americans would like to have).

Then there's healthcare. Trump has relentlessly attacked the Affordable Care Act, and in the process, vastly improved the law’s popularity

Rising shares of Americans (including now a majority of Republicans) also oppose having the Supreme Court strike down the law’s protections for those with preexisting conditions

Also rising shares say it's the government's responsibility to make sure all Americans have health-care coverage. Growing share says this should be done specifically by single-payer as well.

How about trade? Hoo boy. Americans have become way more pro-trade since Trump got elected

Both Dems and Repubs have become more likely to say trade helps the US economy

Maybe some of these trends reflect knee-jerk anti-Trump reactions -- whatever Trump is doing, people are opposed. Makes sense for Dems. But less likely to be the motivation for Republicans, who still generally like Trump and yet have become more pro-refugee, pro-trade, etc.

Possibly some of these policies seemed OK in the abstract when Trump first demagogued about them. But now that Americans have seen proof of concept, they're turned off. Like now people realize that yeah, other countries do indeed retaliate when we levy tariffs

Trump isn't defying the popular will on these issues to be brave and stand up for his principles -- he just doesn't understand what the popular will is. Mr. "Two Corinthians" turns out to be pretty bad at pandering

Even when he *does* realize voters oppose his policies, his solution is to lie about what his policies are. Rather than defend tax cuts for the rich on the merits, pretend to raise their taxes instead. Rather than defend screwing over Dreamers, pretend you're protecting them. Etc