Inside the Beltway: Dithering GOP Congress has ‘lost touch’

NEWS AND OPINION:

“No wonder  Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are winning the Republican primaries: GOP voters are more fed up than ever with their elected representatives in Washington. Seventy-six percent of likely Republican voters say Republicans in Congress have ’lost touch’ with GOP voters throughout the nation — up from 65 percent in January of last year and the worst rating in eight years,” says a new Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 likely voters released Tuesday. In contrast, a mere 30 percent of Democrats feel their lawmakers have lost touch with the party base.

But the clock is ticking. An ominous finding lurks in the survey, one that should ideally inspire the GOP family to stop feuding and get on with the business of winning the general election, now just over 31 weeks away.

The poll also found that only 20 percent of Republicans think their elected representatives in Congress are doing a good job representing the party’s values. Among Democrats, 64 percent say their lawmakers are living up to basic tenets — a figure up 22 percentage points in just over a year. There may be some insight come on Wednesday. House Speaker Paul Ryan gives a big speech “on the state of American politics.” Comedy, tragedy, thriller, drama? Maybe science fiction. We’ll see. C-SPAN will be there at 11:00 a.m. ET.

JUST IN CASE: SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

Security footage released after the deadly terrorist attacks on Brussels revealed that two of the suspected attackers were wearing single black gloves on their left hands. A significant detail? Maybe.

From Bill Stanton, a safety expert and retired New York City police officer comes advice. While law enforcement can do much to protect the public, he recommends citizens hone their own “situational awareness” and strategic thinking.

“Here are some good first steps: Assess your threat level, know the airport you are traveling in. Is it in a hot political climate for terrorism / violence? When traveling, wear clothes that if you have to move, you are able to do so quickly. Don’t wear tight clothing or high heels. If you have to take emergency action, you wouldn’t be able to move. Become your own security personnel. Scan the other travelers, watch their behavior. Match everyone to their bag. Make it a little game. This isn’t being paranoid. This is being prepared,” Mr. Stanton writes in LawNewz.com.

“Most importantly, be smart, and stay off your smart phone when you are out in public. With this smart technology, people are in their own little world [and] they think that nothing is going to happen. If you are an able-bodied person, let the flight attendants know. I usually tell them, ’I’m a retired cop, I’m right here if you need me.’ Don’t hesitate to make suggestions or ask questions,” Mr. Stanton concludes.

FOR THE LEXICON

“Unconscious Bias Training”

— A mandatory two-day seminar in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“Marines across the Corps will be challenged on their unconscious prejudices and presuppositions as women get the opportunity to become grunts for the first time. The Marine Corps is rolling out mandatory training for all Marines before the first future female rifleman hits boot camp, aiming to set conditions for a smooth transition and head off cultural resistance,” explains Hope Hodge Seck, a contributor to Military.com.

IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING

Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wants the White House to forgo using fresh eggs during the annual Easter Egg Roll on Monday, an event that typically draws 19,000 eager egg-rollers. In an open letter to President Obama, the animal rights group insists that plastic or ceramic eggs should be the accessory of the day.

“Using cruelly obtained eggs from female chickens who will be killed when their egg-laying usefulness ends and who are exploited because of their sex is inarguably inconsistent with the goals of the 2016 ’Let’s Celebrate!’ theme,” Ms. Newkirk wrote. “For hens on factory farms, Easter is no time to rejoice. One shed may contain tens of thousands of birds crammed together in something like the Black Hole of Calcutta — five to 10 in a tiny wire ’battery cage’ in which a hen does not even have enough space to stretch even one of her wings.”

Ironically enough, the White House is excruciatingly, ecologically correct with its official souvenir eggs — each of the kids who show up for the event go home with one; they are also sold to the public. The eggs are crafted from Forest Stewardship Council-certified U.S. hardwood, and the packaging is recyclable paperboard.

JUDGE SARAH

She’s already proved her prowess in reality TV. Now Sarah Palin will be the principal star in a daytime courtroom show, a genre that has proved both popular and lucrative for the nation’s networks.

The former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate signed a deal last month with Warm Springs Productions, a Montana-based creative group that is behind such offerings as “Duck Commander,” “Deadly Shootouts,” “NRA All Access” and “American River Renegades,” among many others. A producer associated with the group is, in fact, the point man behind both the very successful “Judge Judy” and “Judge Joe Brown,” another show that dwells on drama and legal spats.

“It’s a production deal,” an anonymous source told People magazine. “Palin’s telegenic personality, wide appeal and common-sense wisdom make her a natural for this kind of format.”

Another representative praised Mrs. Palin’s previous TV ratings, book sales and her huge social media following. The show itself is expected to be ready for the 2017 season.

Warm Springs Productions, meanwhile, spells out its creative mission online: “Have you been told that you deserve your own reality TV show? Or do you know someone that should be on reality TV? You’ve come to the right place! Warm Springs Productions is always on the lookout for big characters, interesting lives, unique family businesses and great stories.”

POLL DU JOUR

• 46 percent of Republican primary voters support Donald Trump for president; 26 percent support Sen. Ted Cruz; 20 percent Gov. John Kasich.

• 35 percent would “enthusiastically” support Mr. Trump if he became the nominee; 32 percent would “support him with reservations”; 15 percent would “support only because he’s the nominee”; 17 percent would not support him.

• 29 percent would enthusiastically support Mr. Cruz if he became the nominee; 33 percent support with reservations, 17 percent support the nominee, 19 percent would not support him.

• 27 percent would enthusiastically support Mr. Kasich if he became the nominee, 31 percent support with reservations, 27 percent support the nominee, 13 percent would not support him.

Source: A CBS/New York Times poll of 1,252 U.S. adults conducted March 17-20; the sample included 351 Republicans.

• Squawks and clucking to jharper@washingtontimes.com