SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:52 P.M. ET:

ALMOST FORGOTTEN – FROM CNS:   (CNSNews.com) – Republicans added to their historic 2014 gains in the nation’s state legislatures with the addition of five state House chambers and two state Senate chambers in last week’s election, while Democratic control was reduced to levels not seen since the Civil War.  Republicans are now in control of a record 67 (68 percent) of the 98 partisan state legislative chambers in the nation, more than twice the number (31) in which Democrats have a majority, according to the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).  “That’s more than at any other time in the history of the Republican Party,” according to NCSL. “They also hold more total seats, well over 4,100 of the 7,383, than they have since 1920.”  That gives the GOP great redistricting power, as well as solid state organizations.  The Democratic Party is in terrible shape.  I guess Obama won't list that as part of his legacy.

TRUMP RATINGS RISE – FROM GALLUP:  WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults say they are "more confident" in President-elect Donald Trump's ability to serve as president based on his statements and actions over the past few days. The percentage "more confident" in Trump a few days after his election is similar to ratings when Bill Clinton and George W. Bush won their respective elections in 1992 and 2000.  The fact that similar percentages of Americans say they have more confidence in Trump in the days after his election as did so for Bush and Clinton is notable, given that Trump is much less popular as president-elect than they were. Trump's favorable rating measured 42% in the Nov. 9-13 survey, compared with Bush's 59% and Clinton's 58% after they were elected.  Trump is rising, but knows he must still prove himself, a difficult task given the unrelenting press hostility that he faces. 

THE HOUSE VOTES ON IRAN – FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER:   The House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to extend an Iran sanctions law for another 10 years, amid growing worries that the U.S. needs to keep some leverage over Iran as it pushes for that country to implement the nuclear agreement.  Lawmakers voted 419-1 in favor of extending the Iran Sanctions Act, the foundation of a range of U.S. sanctions against Iran.  The only vote against the bill came from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.  The vote is a sign the bill should easily pass the Senate. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said passage shows that Congress is ready to take a tougher stance on Iran than that of President Obama. While Obama has moved to ease sanctions against Iran, Republicans and even some Democrats say the U.S. needs to impose tougher measures to ensure Iran's compliance.  Obama might veto this measure, but Trump certainly won't.

November 16, 2016