In this broadcast, Jennifer Mercierca, a professor in the Department of Communications at Texas A&M University where she teaches courses on political communication and presidential rhetoric, discusses how President Donald Trump has broken the mold of traditional presidential decorum. In the wake of Doug Jones' victory in the Alabama Senate race this week, Ruy Teixeira, a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and author of a new book “The Optimistic Leftist: Why the 21st Century Will Be Better Than You Think,” will discuss the beginning of what he sees as a revival of the American left galvanized in opposition to Trump and mobilized to vote for change. And Marc Sandalow, the editor-in-chief of the California News Service, will analyze whether the punishment of California in the Republican tax bill and the failure to provide any relief for state fire victims will backfire on California’s Republican delegation in the 2018 election. Background Briefing is a radio program featuring international and national news, expert guests, policy makers and critics with analysis and insight on national security, foreign and domestic policy, political, cultural and social issues. A production of The Full Disclosure Media Foundation (fdmedia.org).