FIRST: A DISCLAIMER - I HAVE POSTED TEXT FROM THIS ARTICLE. POSTING THE TEXT DOES NOT MEAN I AGREE WITH OR PERSONALLY ASSERT ANY WORDS IN THE CONTENT OF THE ARTICLE. THIS DISCLAIMER APPLIES TO TEXT FROM ALL PREVIOUS ARTICLES I POSTED. THIS DISCLAIMER HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE DUE TO exGOPer's POOR BEHAVIOR AND ABUSE. I am polite enough to other posters to spend the time to cut/paste the first few paragraphs of an article so other readers can determine if they desire to go to the link and read the entire article (with a "More at above url" indicator at the bottom). ---------------------------------------------------------- Trump’s outrageous tweets are actually quite profitable http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article185678808.html While much of our political discussions these days revolve around personality — and personal behavior — something less superficial is going on that will quietly play a far more important role determining election outcomes 51 weeks from now. Fundraising. It’s a familiar topic in U.S. politics, but draws less attention during these national election bye years. Internally, both parties are seriously handicapped by factional feuds revealing profound ideological rifts dividing their bases. This is most apparent among Republicans who finally won control of both houses of Congress but can’t control their genetic instincts to fight each other over political purity versus pragmatism. Witness, the Obamacare repeal debacle. In the crucial area of money, however, the Republican and Democratic parties have shown opposing strengths that must muddy any honest 2018 election prognostications. Surprisingly, President Trump’s often argumentative, abrasive tweets that bother so many, especially in the GOP establishment, have actually proven to be quite effective fundraising tools. Recited by fundraisers, the tweets are well-received by supporters as candid insights into the unorthodox president’s thinking. And they’ve fueled an historic flow of donations into the Republican National Committee. “We don’t have to guess how the president would speak about an issue, because Americans hear directly from him on Twitter,” said an RNC spokeswoman. Trump’s loyal base is a distinct minority hovering around 40 percent in polls, but its members back their man with big bundles of small donations. Since Trump’s inauguration, $113.2 million has flowed into the RNC, largely from new donors. And for the first time, the contributions from small donors — those giving $200 or less — add up to more than those from big-time donors giving thousands of dollars. So far this year, the RNC has averaged nearly $5 million a month from small donors and $3.7 million from big ones. As one result, the RNC ended the third quarter with $44 million in the bank. The Democratic National Committee endured a bitter chair-ousting last year and chair leadership fight this year and still reels over the rigged Clinton ticket’s stunning loss. It had only $7 million on hand. That committee recently fired its newly-hired fundraising director. (More at above url)