UPDATE: Russia - WHY??

I propose a theory of why trump does what he does.

It is only a theory and it is open for challenge.

WHY DID HE WIN?

trump won the election by appealing to groups suffering economic hardship and real misery.

Most of these folks have real concerns but are not sophisticated politically.

Then, it is easy to rouse emotions from the core group and to propose actions which will appeal to them and which will also enrich the elite, like trump.

This is one of the constant themes of the administration: 'I feel your pain and I will take care of it for you. My [tax cut, education privatization, environmental regulation gutting, etc., etc.] will help you.' But, the actual policies do NOT help the people to whom he promises relief - instead they serve to further enrich him and the richest 1%.

That part is pretty well known.

RUSSIA

Here's what to say about Russia and trump.

Foreign spending on United States election campaigns is a crime. Russia is a Continuing Criminal Enterprise [see 21 U.S. Code § 848 - Continuing criminal enterprise, here https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/21/848], so Putin disregards United States law.

Facebook has announced that internet troll farms in Russia paid $100,000 for fake news ads disparagng Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/technology/facebook-russian-political-ads.html?mcubz=3].

Whether this criminal activity affected the elections' outcome is moot at this point.

But, if it is proven that trump's campaign colluded with the Russian campaign then some people in the administration may go to jail. trump used Russian money and support in his campaign for office regardless of its illegality.

WHERE DOES IT LEAD?

While this can explain some of the short term actions and choices, it does not necessarily provide an endgame strategy.

It may appear fantastical at first read, but the following theory does seem to fit many of the facts.

trump's endgame may be to create a fascist dictatorship while removing the current United States Government and the Constitution. This endgame may or may not be conscious and deliberate.

SUPPORTING TRENDS

Consider these:

1. He seems to be destroying the fabric of the country by doing two things. First, he proposes laws and removes regulations which act to protect working families and the environment. Second, he appoints ignoramuses to influential governmental positions with the expectation that they will support his actions in the first instance.

2. He decides that really rich people will be successful in government service. They are thus good stewards of our public assets. Further, they, and he, can and will take advantage of their governmental position for personal financial gain.

3. Every statement or tweet he makes is designed to obfuscate facts and make listeners lose trust in their senses and beliefs. The endgame here is the destruction of the population's belief in 'facts'.

4. Because of 3 above, nothing trump says is objectively 'true'; each statement is designed to appeal to an ignorant base, hide the facts and cast doubt on anyone who disagrees with him.

5. He panders to this base since nearly everyone else on the planet does not trust him. Unfortunately, some of his base supporters are racist, fascist, ignorant and desperate people who cannot trust anyone else since their lives are miserable now. Their misery is due in fact to the poor economic policies of the Bush era and the resulting poverty and unemployment. But, since misery and unemployment help him in his pursuit for power, he consciously pursues the identical economic policies of the Bush era which created the problems. Then, he blames Obama and Hillary for the resulting misery.

Some of his supporters are well-off folks who seemingly share the distrust of media and politicians endorsed by the poorer members of the base. And, some of them are simply racist.

6. trump's support of violent, fascist tendencies in his base is clear and obvious. He has encouraged an armed base of alt-right supporters ready to march at his command. This base is pandered to by the NRA as well.

THE DANGER

The real danger is that trump may create a movement which he cannot control.

As I said, this is a theory. I will be very happy to be wrong.