The best I can figure, wittingly or unwittingly, the Republicans want to ride with Trump to his autocratic rule.

I've heard all that discussed. I thought for a while he had been hypnotized. Then I saw the videos from Helsinki. The look on his face after his meeting with Putin. Trump was scared. I think they have him severely compromised with something that really has him frightened. Trump was totally subservient to Putin at the joint press conference. Don't know how legitimate Republicans could watch that and not know. Think there's something with Russian money laundered through others in conjunction with the NRA, also.

Yes. Its nice to find Im not alone in that. Either he is doing it 'honestly' thru incompenence and/or he s being coached in some way. In spite of the argument that he is being so tough on them, which evaporates betweeen police and action. It hard to miss the systematic pattern of reducing our standing in the world and sabotaging everything he can internally. While playing to his core supporters as if he was on their side. The damage is the same either way. There is a word in russian that translates into 'useful idiot' . He is the poster child for it there now.

That's food for thought. The worst thing I've seen is all those on You Tube who do videos for money and now have it all figured that Trump's shutdown is the genius way of "draining the swamp" in Washington. They seem serious about it, and if you just leave everything shut down those jobs will go away and we shrink government. Hell, we don't need the FBI and others. Trump doesn't need the Secret Service either. Planes can fly without the TSA. It's a damn genius plan this Orange man has thought up!

In general I agree with your idea but I'm not sure tRump has enough brain to wash. I'm not being sarcastic. My thought is more along the direction of simple opportunism. They came across a dim, arrogant, obsessive, self-promoting, wannabe showman with racist hooks. And they decided to see how far they could use him. I bet they (like he and we) were shocked when we were stupid enough to elect him.

I've read that a lot of people in the West don't grasp Russian attitudes towards politics. I've heard they just automatically think of political ramifications of every action they take. tRump is not necessarily the result of a long plan. He could be just a happy (for them) chance that they would automatically pursue because of their worldview.

I've actually heard that theory talked about several times.
Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if it turns out that it's true.

Yes indeed. I expect someone in Hollywood is already on the case.

Yeah,...I don't know about all that, If the Manchurian Candidate had been a bumbling bafoon with a big mouth ,...maybe.