[observation, at Paul Ryan's announced departure from politics, April 11, 2018] Trump's economic message is profoundly, unalterably negative, defensive, small and bitter. It's how stupid Americans are, and how the wily Chinese and murderous Mexicans are stealing from us, tricking us, and robbing us blind. His base is conditioned to have their fear centers endlessly stimulated by his constant drip of apocalyptic, conspiratorial rhetoric and fed hazy promises of the creation of walls, the smiting of the Asians, the launching of trade wars, and the kicking of asses. The collapse of the economic leg of the GOP's coalition is complete. We're now the party of Credit Card Don, the King of Debt. Our base worships a man whose own 'Bhavagad Gita' reads: Now I become Debt, destroyer of Republicans.
