Why would Russia want to install a stooge like Trump in the White House?

International affairs is somewhat trickier than tweeting: the US has constructed a large professional diplomatic corps in order to have informed people in place around the world to understand developments in a world that sometimes moves very quickly

Deconstructing this apparatus does not benefit the US but it does benefit some other players on the stage by creating a vacuum into which they can project their influence

Even temporary disintegration of our ability to appear as a coherent and rational actor has long-term effects on our credibility, as our nations begin to wonder how reliable an ally the US really is: just as threats by Trump against NK certainly discredit the US in the eyes of US-friendly nations in Asia, his threats against Venezuela discredit us across Latin America

The damage, however, is not only international in scope: Trump's actions weaken our democracy at home as well

That we have yet another President installed by the electoral college is bad enough and fosters cynicism about our system. Further cynicism results from Trump's continuing blatant use of his office to line his own pockets and further his family's fortunes through nepotism. The continuing chaos of the Oval Office alienates Americans from their government; and Trump's bizarre attacks on Congress, which appears to now be mored ineffective than at any time in living memory, does so also

This internal weakening of our country then has the predictable international consequences

Qui bono?