"If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000," he promised. He also promised an immediate end to the war, but only after the GOP wins he midterms.

How many will fall for this – again?

Maybe if they play the Lee Greenwood song extra loud.

Of course, Trump could just hand out those checks right now, couldn't he? If he were seriously intending to hand them out. Why isn't he? Because "the Democrats can't do it," he says – arguing that Democratic control would lead to negative growth, whereas his administration is generating positive growth through tariffs.

Trump also said: "This has been the most successful two years – financially and every other way – in the history of the presidency." Chudley says amen!

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the $5,000 check dangle is that it is a revival if an ancient Roman tradition. Caesar – the original one – bought the plebes to win office. It is what Roman would-be leaders did, as routine. They also bought their muscle – the legions – by promising them plunder as well as direct payments, in the form of coin.

Well, Trump just did that, didn't he?

The difference is Trump has no intention of paying the Chudleys who will fall for it again. Caesar was a more honorable man, chiefly because he – and other Roman leaders – had to be. It was dangerous to not pay off the plebes (and the legions). In America, it isn't – because the plebes are Chudleys and because the Chudleys are taxed to support the legions, which they do not object to because they love the legions.

Cue the Lee Greenwood song.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. That is, whether the Chudleys really are that "low IQ" – to use a term Trump favors.

Of course, it would be nice if Americans got back even some of the money they've been effectively forced to pay at the pump – and the grocery store – on account of Trump's starting a catastrophically stupid, evil war he can't figure out how to end (having lost it). By the end of this year, the average American will already have paid around $1,000 more for gas and probably another $2,000 extra at the supermarket, so even if Trump delivers what he's re-promised (this assumes enough people can be bribed by the lure of a post-election payout) they really aren't going to get much.