I don't understand how somebody who claims to be fact-driven and rational like Thiel can end up supporting Trump. If anything, he should be disgusted with the whole system and try to change it.
I'm guessing Thiel is thinking Trump is the best candidate to support the kind of changes he's looking for. Of course, you're free to disagree with that sentiment.
I can't speak for him, but a lot of people see the break up of a homogenous status quo as a goal in and of itself. I don't support Trump because I don't like his policies but that's a hard position for me to take because I _do_ appreciate the utter slap in the face he's giving to traditional politicians who I view as perpetuating an extremely corrupt and damaging system.
Thiel can take perfectly rational, fact-driven decisions based on Trump's behavior, regardless of what it is. Indeed, it's completely possible that to achieve his goals, he must leverage Trump's misuse of "facts" and, erm, "creativity" with respect to truth.
You have to remember that Theil doesn't want the same thing you want. Just because you want something doesn't mean Theil want the same thing, or has the same goal.
Theil knows exactly what he wants, that is why he supports Trump. It seems to be you who does not understand what Theil wants. Because if he wants the same thing you wants, he would have supported what you supported.
I haven't heard anything from him that indicates deep thinking about an issue.
(edit: talking about whether Trump would defend Turkey if Russia invaded unprovoked): Trump said he would have to think about whether those countries “have fulfilled their obligations to us.” Trump clarified, “If they fulfill their obligations to us, the answer is yes.”
It seems pretty rational to me; he's saying that if a country like Turkey wants to acquire the benefits of a military alliance they need to pay their fair share. On the surface that seems reasonable to me and honestly, from reading here if Erdrogan got attacked by Russia I doubt most of Trump's enemies would shed any tears about his stance on NATO anyway.
[0] http://dailycaller.com/2016/07/21/trump-doesnt-care-about-er...
http://www.businessinsider.com/only-us-and-estonia-meeting-n...
Trump was also a "birther". That alone shows to me that he doesn't take politics seriously.
Question, have you heard or read Trump's foreign policy speech?
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-...
He lays out many criticism of our current foreign policy, including that we don't negotiate our deals properly, and this results in us not being reliable among our friends, and respected among our enemies. I recommend reading it.
Not it is not. Pro illegal immigration advocates try to mislead by saying immigration from Mexican citizens is down to mean illegal immigration isn't happening.
It is now other groups but still coming VIA Mexico.
You act as if Trump is only helping the rich. Trump is helping everyone. Although he cut taxes for the rich, he also cut taxes for the poor.
Under Trump's tax plan, poor people don't even pay tax.
If you're single and you make less than $25,000 per year, you don't pay tax.
If you have a wife and you make less than $50,000 per year, you don't pay tax.
If you have a wife and a kid and you make less than $75,000 per year, you don't pay tax.
It will be compensated by making the country rich and wealthy again. A rich and wealthy country will be able to pay off the deficits and national debt.
How will Trump make the country rich and wealthy again?
By making it more profitable for companies to do businesses in the United States, so companies will start doing businesses in the United States again. Which means jobs. Which means more people have money. And with more people with more money to tax, the government will get more money even though the tax is lower. Because there are more people to tax. Also, with more companies doing business in the United States, although the tax is lower, the government get more money.
When people have more money to spent, they buy more stuff, which means businesses make more money, which means more profits, more jobs, and higher pay. Which means more money for workers. It is an upward cycle. The economy goes up.
And also, make the country rich again, by doing better trade deals where America doesn't actually lose money. Where the United States actually make money, in those deals.
Also, by taxing or stopping remittance money sent to Mexico by illegals in the United States. Every year, illegals (who don't pay federal taxes) send back $28 billion dollar to Mexico. In other word, money is flowing out of the United States into Mexico. Trump wants to tax it to pay for the wall (hence, the saying Mexico will pay for the wall). This again, will create jobs.
Trump will do this and many other things to make America wealthy and rich again. All this information are on his website. It's all part of his plan to Make America Great Again.