a billion dollars he inherited from his father also gave him an unusual advantage — praxis

It seems to me that the democrats had plenty of money to conduct the 2016 campaign. The spending was $1.4 billion by Democrats (Clinton) to the Republican's $957.6 million (Trump).

Another $4 billion was spent on congressional races in 2016. The Republicans have had an intelligent long-range plan to capture state houses and governorships in order to better control redistricting, which is where a party can guarantee safe districts for decades into the future.

rather than advance a more noble goal like human flourishing — praxis

I just don't think most presidents, congresses, governors, legislators, or mayors and city councils have been all that interested in the noble goal of human flourishing. OK, every now and then they might be seized by a fit of nobility, but after that wears off it's back to business as usual.

Most politicians are, by necessity, focused on their careers and the best interests of their political parties (venality, in other words). We expect accomplished politicians to resemble the Prince of Darkness; we just don't want them doing business out in the open where they upset women and children or frighten the horses.

sharpest tool — Jake

He's such a tool.

why do people hate Trump in the U.S.? — DiegoT

For some of us who hate him, it's because he's an arrogant moron with a lot of views we strongly disagree with, where he's trying to bully those views into law, and where instead of concentrating on anything we feel would actually have a positive, practical affect on the citizenry's lives, he's concentrating merely on trolling via tweeting, hosting rallies, etc.

Most politicians are, by necessity, focused on their careers and the best interests of their political parties (venality, in other words). We expect accomplished politicians to resemble the Prince of Darkness; we just don't want them doing business out in the open where they upset women and children or frighten the horses. — Bitter Crank

Yes. Which to me suggests that maybe we need to trash the way we've been doing things and try something else instead.

What I was thinking at the time was that, for example, if Trump had only received one million from his father as he claimed, rather than the 413 million that research reveald, he may not have been in a position to run for office and win.

All you’re essentially saying is that he’s good at the manipulation of his base (not the sharpest tools in the shed).
— praxis

All I'm saying is that he won, because he is the sharpest tool in the shed in some important respects. — Jake

I was thinking of something he said in a press conference the other day that demonstrates what a dull tool he is. When asked if he thought that adopting a nationalist identity shows support for white nationalists, he responded by saying that it was a “racist question”. That’s off key because it expresses a fundamentally liberal value of equality or individual rights. If he had time to think or be advised, a more ‘on brand’ response should have been some rhetoric about the nation not being treated fairly and taking care of our own, or something about the evils of globalists.

I always vote early and by mail.

I voted only for GOP candidates for the U.S. Senate and only for DEM candidates for the House Of Reps.

I want divided government back. If Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell cannot agree on legislation then I do not want it to pass.

My wishes have been fulfilled. The Senate is still in control of the GOP and the House has been taken over by the DEMs.

What about you? Did you vote? Were your goals achieved during the midterms?