The 2016 presidential campaign was a certainly joy to behold.  Angry Republicans, various factions like a confused herd of cats, early signs of "symbols as language" to provide that basic clarity the party craved (Jeb!)  but would be denied except as Trump spoke it.  Thank you, Mr. Trump!

After Trump taught every Republican how a proper campaign is led and conducted ("energetically" and "raw"), his achievement of the GOP nomination gave us a glorious view to the strange confident vapidness that is Democratic intellectualism.

We are still enjoying that view, and should be for some months to come.  Thank you, Mr. Trump!

Presidential elections had certainly become predictable, divisive and ugly, boring. The evolutionary trends in voter participation worry the political class. How can you have a "democracy" if no one lines up to eat the bread and drink the blood of the State?  Billions of dollars have been devoted pointlessly to getting people out and paying attention.  Then we get a candidate who tweets like the rest of us.  Thank you, Mr. Trump!

The bloody wreck that occurred when flyover state unhappiness and contempt for Hillary crashed into the grand plan of the warfare-welfare state was spectacular.  Simply spectacular.  Thank you, Mr. Trump!

When we talked about putting Americans first, bringing troops home, stopping regime changes just because an aging neocon, a pinstriper and a bedazzled general met in a bar somewhere, and encouraging the American empire to actually produce and make something other than missiles and misery… well, that was some good talk.  Thank you, Mr. Trump.

Flamboyantly bringing your own friends and relatives into Washington, and into the circles of government power is a magnificent public good.  This has absolutely never happened before… in the light of day!   Thank you, Mr. Trump!

I'd be remiss if I didn't express my gratitude for the public and daily shaming of the state media in this country.  This is a long time coming, and unlike in previous national moods, this time, all factions and all degree of political activists direct the term "Fake News" at any utterance by those they oppose.  On top of that, the actual fake news production industry (TV advertising, government public affairs offices, political think tanks, comedy, and clickbaiters) are all thriving!  Fake news as a concept and as a label helps actual people everywhere wrap their heads around the historical and sociological truth that governments lie, cheat and steal to retain power, and they do so with the aid and comfort of major government favored and supported media enterprises, key industries, and educational establishments. Thank you, Mr. Trump!