Get More Smarter on Monday (November 6)

As he approaches the first anniversary of his election victory over Hillary Clinton, President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have hit historic lows.

According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 59% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the presidency — the worst of any president at nine months in office since modern polling began. Of those who disapprove, 50% say they do so strongly. Only 37% of those polled approve of Trump’s performance in office.

Trump is the first president since Harry Truman to see a net-negative approval at this point in his term, according to The Washington Post. Former President Bill Clinton had the next worst, with a net positive of 11 points.

A record percentage of respondents (65%) do not think that Trump is “honest and trustworthy,” up from 58% in April 2017, while a third say he does have these characteristics. Two-thirds say they do not think Trump “has the kind of personality and temperament it takes to serve effectively as president.”

► President Trump says that Sunday’s mass shooting at a church in Texas is a “mental health problem” and not a guns issue. From the Washington Post:

Trump’s comments came at a news conference in Tokyo, when he was asked about the shooting at a South Texas church and if stricter gun laws were the answer.

“I think that mental health is your problem here,” Trump said. “Based on preliminary reports, a very deranged individual, a lot of problems for a long period of time.”

“But,” Trump added, “this isn’t a guns situation.”

Early indications from investigators are that the shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas is likely related to a “domestic situation” involving the gunman and relatives who attended First Baptist Church near San Antonio. An 18-month-old child was among the 26 people killed by Devin Kelley’s “mental health problem.”

Here’s a chilling statistic on mass shootings in the United States: The 1999 massacre at Columbine High School is no longer one of the 10 deadliest shootings in modern American history

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► The New York Times considers the impact of a rash of retirements among Republican Members of Congress:

With a year left before the midterm elections, the line of senior House Republicans heading for the exits continues to grow. Democrats argue that the wave of retirements will help them retake the House.

But regardless of who controls the chamber come January 2019, it is becoming increasingly clear that the House will be a different place, with some of its biggest personalities and powerful committee and subcommittee leaders leaving it behind…

…Beyond Rep. Lamar Smith and Rep. Jeb Hensarling, those seeking to depart include Representatives Lynn Jenkins of Kansas, a longtime member of leadership; Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who was the chairman of the high-profile Oversight Committee; Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a moderate but strong voice in Republican foreign policy; Diane Black of Tennessee, the first woman to lead the Budget Committee; and Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, an Appropriations subcommittee chairman and the leader of House Republican moderates.

In all, 27 House Republicans have left, announced their retirements or declared that they were seeking higher office, compared with seven Democrats.

► Colorado’s Republican gubernatorial candidates are firing away at each other.

► Lakewood City Council Member Ramey Johnson is reaching new lows as she campaigns for re-election on Tuesday.

► It (still) sucks to be Sen. Cory Gardner in 2018. Mark Matthews of the Denver Post takes a long look at Gardner’s troubles as the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC):

As reported by The New York Times, Gardner told his Republican colleagues in September that the lack of a major legislative win, such as a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, had infuriated the Republican donor base.

He indicated as much in a recent interview.

“I think people are anxious for Congress to get its work done,” Gardner said. “People expect the majority to accomplish the things they said they would. That means you pass legislation on tax reform that grows the economy (and) you continue to work on escalating health care costs.”

Republicans in Colorado and Washington both said the GOP has a lot riding on its latest push — a bid to overhaul the tax code — and that the effort could make or break its ability to maintain its slim, 52-seat majority in the 100-member Senate.

Congressman Ken Buck (R-Greeley) isn’t making Gardner’s job any easier.

► Advocates are concerned about the potential elimination of a tax break for adoptions that is included in a “tax reform” bill being pushed by Congressional Republicans.

► A sexual harassment scandal has taken down the Republican Speaker of the House in Kentucky.

► Colorado is one of 34 states supporting South Dakota’s bid to legally collect sales taxes from online purchases.

► Colorado Supreme Court Justice Allison Eid has resigned her position in order to fill a spot on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission will meet at the end of November to create a list of potential new justices for Gov. John Hickenlooper to consider.

► State Rep. Clarice Navarro is resigning from the legislature in order to take a job in the Trump administration overseeing the Colorado Farm Service Agency. 

► Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman might run for Governor in 2018. If she does, “decisive leadership” probably won’t be her campaign theme.

► The Trump administration is not particularly concerned about the environment.

Your Daily Dose Of ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

► During an event in Japan, President Trump asked Japanese automakers to build more cars in the United States instead of “shipping them over.” As CNN Money reports, the big three Japanese automakers already have large factories in the United States, where production is at an all-time high.

► There may be no return to a natural gas boom in Western Colorado.

ICYMI

► Ames Mayfield, the 11-year-old Cub Scout who was kicked out of his “den” for asking tough questions of State Sen. Vicki Marble, was a guest last week on “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee.” The story of Mayfield and Marble’s Cub Scout talk first appeared here on Colorado Pols.

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