Everyone complains about the weather. Nobody does anything about it. The same applies to the US economy. America shifts restlessly from its first non-white president to an orange-haired nativist. But its fixation on the economy rarely wavers.
Even amid widely shared booms (millennials should ask a grandparent), Americans have still wanted more. But as long as growth is occurring, they will tolerate ethical flaws in their commander-in-chief. Decency comes second. Just ask Bill Clinton. Or Donald Trump.
All of which should be top of the agenda of whoever wants to replace Mr Trump next year. A clear-sighted view of the 2016 election would diagnose Mr Trump as a symptom, rather than the cause, of America’s problems. Doctors should not lose sight of the ailment — a system where the politicians do very well both for themselves and their business sponsors. Others see little of that permanent boom. Blaming the problem on Russia is like telling a cancer patient they should suspend treatment to sue the driver who ran over their dog. It misses the point.