Registered voters favor Republicans by 48 percent and Democrats by 43 percent in Gallup’s generic congressional ballot for the week of July 26 through Aug. 1. Only 41 percent of those surveyed Tuesday through Sunday approved of the way Obama is handling his job, according to the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. (In Gallup’s separate daily tracking poll, his approval was at 45 percent Monday.) And the Rothenberg Political Report says there are 88 seats in play — 76 of them Democratic. The GOP needs to win 39 seats to regain control of the House.

But remember, boys and girls, none of this has anything to do with Obama or his policies. He’s doing fantastically well as president; the Obama administration and Democratic lawmakers simply have a communications problem. Once they correct that small matter, “progressives” will dominate the political world.

Of course they will.