Donald Trump was a master of political ideas in 2016, especially in the primary. This is scoffed at by anyone who does not try to persuade voters for a living. But it is demonstrable. His 2020 campaign descended into whataboutism and grievance, with far less discipline, and he lost. (2024? Who knows. Biden is weak. [[We aren't pundits]]) Trumpism was/is [[Buchananism]], repackaged, straight from the brain of his Nixonian contemporary Roger Stone. Trump’s 2016 campaign website had one issue page: immigration. His rhetoric was predictable and repetitive: 1. Both parties sold you out for bad trade deals, especially to China 2. Endless wars are a waste of life and money, you got nothing 3. Immigration is an uncontrolled disaster, and you’re getting the bill. Build the wall, Mexico should pay. The rest was [[Five categories of political rhetoric#5. Bullshit|bullshit]]. ie, good television and good for laughs in the room. Bullshit isn't a pejorative. It should have pride of place in any strategy for the [[Attention Economy]] Trump, Stone and Steve Bannon understood something many do not: [[Four principal characteristics of a Political Idea]], and what will make them stick.