What do the results of the 2017 elections tell us about President Trump?

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Obviously we all know that Trump and the GOP have suffered major and consequential defeats last night. But what do you think it means for the future? What do these elections tell us about Trump's power and influence? Is this showing that Trump is an extraordinarily weak president?

[Mr. Smith]

I don't recall the 2013 race in light of the shutdown giving 2014 a strong win for Democrats at all.

[pbrower2a]

It shows that he is intensely unpopular in Virginia, and that Virginia Republicans can expect to pay a high price for that in Congress.

It's one state, so one possible explanation is that Donald Trump is simply a very poor match for Virginia as nowhere else. That's the most limited view.

Another, and more troubling explanation for him is that if one is a renter, he reminds you of the capitalist that you least admire -- your landlord. One connection between education and voting is that highly-educated people tend to live in high-rent locations because such are where the opportunities are. Right-wingers might harp heavily on taxes, but for most people, rent is bigger than taxes. One at least sees taxes funding such things as schools, streets, public health, libraries, parks, and law enforcement. Other capitalists at least (think of the high-tech industries and certain forms of retailing) at least do some innovation.

It is arguable that California landlords can make more money off three software engineers than a software engineer -- and the landlord doesn't have to know anything about software engineering.  Well-paid government employees or contractors in the Virginia (or Maryland) suburbs of Washington DC? Such people are a gravy train for landlords.