this means that a large segment of american children lead deprived and difficult lives and their numbers are increasing this is by no means a problem restricted to the minority community what to do about single parenthood we must remember that we as a democratic party are at our best when we stand together for the values that reward hardworking americans we need to express this idea not in the cynicism of washington politics but in the politics of the grassroots what democrats should learn from 2014 howard dean was right barack obamas job approval polling numbers at times seem to follow seasonal trends he usually loses ground in the summer particularly in august in winter however he usually gains ground this year obama seems likely to repeat this pattern if decembers numbers are any indication obama poll watch december 2014