The House is in Session

The mid term aftermath…

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Doug: His lies, and illogical incoherency have a certain cunning about them. They appeal to the white workers and rural voters. It’s how they talk. He was coached, I'm sure of it.

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Frank: Who by?

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Doug: Who knows? In a post-truth world, it's a new mix of media and politics. Before, a leader would treat the press with respect, and they in turn would be polite even when challenging his policies.

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Frank: How about those who write respectfully of him?

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Doug: Plenty of hacks are available for hire to push the propaganda.

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Frank: Getting back to who coached him. Someone from the House of Cards?

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Doug: Highly unlikely. That was a satire. He’s turning this into reality TV.

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Frank: Then facing defeat in the House, he fires the attorney general.

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Doug: Of course, he’s been wanting to do that for months. But the timing is crafty, too. It deflects news of his growing unpopularity.

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Frank: Where will it end?  The acting A-G starving the Russia probe of funding?

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Doug: Funds could be found.

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Frank: Taxes being made public?

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Doug: Impeachment could be attempted.

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Frank: And the economy?

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Doug: It could collapse with a business cycle downturn. Be patient. The pendulum will swing back.

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Frank: But meantime how do you get the illiterate minority to see through him and vote against him?

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Voice-over

"A starkly divided country now has a divided government. Democratic control of the House of Representatives will provide some welcome oversight of the White House. But behind the results is a structural shift that will make the country harder to govern for the foreseeable future. Thanks to their strength in cities and suburbs, Democrats represent a majority of America’s voters. Republicans dominate geographically, having tightened their grip on less populous, more rural states. In a country where one chamber of the legislature is based on population and the other on territory, this division is a recipe for gridlock, poor governance and, eventually, disenchantment with the political system itself."

Editor in chief at The Economist, Zanny Minton Beddoes’ take on US mid-term outcome.

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