It'll be interesting to see if Trump has problems with his base. On the one hand, he's historically been relentless about sussing out their prejudices and leaning into them, and has been rewarded with such loyalty all Republican rivals have been cowed into submission or resignation. 1/

On the other hand, until recently he's rarely tried to cross his base on those prejudices, but the Elon Musk wing of his coalition may push him in that direction. We'll see if he has a problem with the base if he finds it hard to give Musk all the precarious work visas he wants. 2/

The general problem is organizing "connective tissue" beyond what can spontaneously emerge from catering to our basest prejudices is expensive. 3/

It takes a lot of time and money to organize in-person social affairs, and we've restructured ordinary life so we encounter one another less and less except as customers and service providers. 4/

Our social impoverishment, related to the economic version, renders us unthreatening, and helps to stabilize insider dominated coalitions. I won't say it's a conspiracy, but it is an equilibrium. /fin