I was not a Donald Trump fan in 2016. Largely because I'd been a Donald Trump non-fan since the mid eighties. His persona is pretty much the opposite of mine. I remind my Democrat friends that I was a Trump non-fan back before most of them, statistically, were watching The Apprentice — indeed, back when he was a Democrat.
I campaigned for Marco Rubio in the state caucuses - one of the few states our current Secretary of State won, back then. I wrote in Scott Walker in 2016 because I thought, not without reason, that he was the best guy for the job even though he'd dropped out.
And when Trump was elected, I loudly hoped that, at best, we'd get a good Supreme Court nominee or two out of the deal.
Between three solidly originalist justices, deregulation and tax cuts, I was more than happy with Trump — up until mid-summer, when his endorsements and tantrums in the Senate election cost the GOP the Senate. I voted for him, and didn't hold my nose, in 2020. The next four years vindicated that choice, and I voted for him loudly and stridently two years ago. He's still too populist for me, and spends like a Democrat, and at some point we're going to have to deal with the deficit before it deals with us.
But as we head toward Trump's final mid-terms, how do I rate him?
Well, the media and Democrats (pardon the redundancy) certainly are jamming down a point of view about the shortcomings — in particular, we're being treated to the sight of Democrats pretending to care about budget deficits and national debt.
But how about wins?
Since you're never hearing about them on NBC or NPR, let's count the ways this administration is better than the alternative:
President Trump secured 65 billion barrels of oil from Venezuela.
— Pro America Politics (@proamericapol) September 19, 2026
He just secured military and economic control over Greenland.
Poverty in the US just hit an all-time low.
We have net negative immigration to the US for the first time in 75 years.
Do you see why they have to…
The poverty numbers in particular have gotten short shrift - but the turnaround for America's working families has been impressive:
Americans’ household income hit a record high in 2025 while the poverty rate fell to its lowest level ever, according to new US Census data.
Real median household income jumped 2.6% to $87,460 — the highest inflation-adjusted level since Census records began in 1967 and beating the previous peak reached in 2019.
The median post-tax household income rose 3.1% to $76,060.
Of course, the news isn't all good. Gas prices are hitting working Americans in the pocketbook. Fortunately, Democrats are on the case:
Wow I can't believe Diesel is over $9/gallon
— RightWI (@RightWI1776) September 19, 2026
Wait nevermind this was 2022 under Biden pic.twitter.com/YzxSsFjeaN
Of course, with the recent expulsion of CNN and MSNBC from the White House press pool, there's immense concern for freedom of speech:
News flash: Biden also changed the White House press pool and he cut off more than 440 reporter’s credentials.
— Sassafrass84 (@Sassafrass_84) September 19, 2026
Zero outrage.
I don’t know about y’all but the hypocrisy gets to me sometimes.
Of course, there are problems. Trump continues to spend like the Democrat he was, and that cannot end well. And his moves to get government into the business business are just plain wrong...
This is why we track the politicians
— Nancy Pelosi Stock Tracker ♟ (@pelositracker) April 23, 2026
Back on August 22nd, the Trump administration took a 10% stake in Intel $INTC at $24.80 a share
Intel just reported earnings and is up +16% after hours
Since the buy, they are up +185% pic.twitter.com/CIk1xYvcgo
...and I don't care what's happened with the share values.
Of course, the main goal heading into the midterms is "be less crazy" than the DSA-sodden Democrats who are largely running against him, still.
So far, mission accomplished.
