MG. I'm in awe of Mueller's investigation team.
I worked in the legal field for decades. I have an idea (just an idea) of the volume of papers, the number of interviews, the amount of analysis of computers and documents, that just three indictments took. They probably drafted tons of documents themselves, timelines, complex spreadsheets following the money (all referenced to banks and properties and accounts).
Add to all that the conclusions they had to draw, the proof they had to line up to get an indictment. Then they had to draft and re-draft these critical indictments, and get them as close to perfect as possible. There are no re-dos.
I'm in awe of the immense task that faced this team in a few short months, and that they got these three critical players indicted (esp. Pappadopoulos).
I wouldn't want Mueller and his team having me in their sights. 
For all his blustering and accusations and hostility, I can't imagine that Trump isn't losing sleep over this. The hubris of his team lying to the FBI and then to the Special Counsel? Maybe they didn't get how serious this investigation is. But indictments for lying to them ought to get the message across.
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...regard the bill as mere pocket change. 
Yet as always he will dodge responsibility and insist that someone else pay for the huge stinking, criminal, treasonous mess he and his republican cronies created.
* republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief
(snip)
Russia probe marked by contrasting styles of Trump and Mueller
The differences in approach and disposition of the two men at the heart of the Russia probe could hardly be more pronounced: a combative president who wants to counterattack in both public and private, and the methodical special counsel and former FBI director who has not uttered a single word in public about the investigation.
See: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russia-probe-marked-by-contrasting-styles-of-trump-and-mueller/2017/10/31/cc72fdb6-be6e-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumpmueller-945pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.28b29dbdc20f
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Professionalism all the way!
I think you're right that many in this administration are blindly power hungry, bigoted and elitist. You might say that they have been waiting in the wings for quite a while with their ideological guns loaded. Haven't read many of their biographies but from their behavior, I'm not convinced that many of them have been exposed to everyday life in America at all and especially as a common working person - particularly with economic struggles like many of us have experienced.
I appreciate your positive stance, it is uplifting. I'm not quite there yet, for four primary reasons:
1. Very few from the elite 1% class (who made their money from us) have spoken up as resistive to tRump and his crew and their misdeeds. Many continue to pour millions into the coffers of ALEX and the many right-wing think tanks, media and political campaigns. That's a tremendous headwind against us.
2. Many influential people suffering from the hard right-wing mindset disease are in very powerful positions, either in corporate America, in control of powerful media outlets, or as our politicians. Many of those politicians were outright bought and paid for.
3. For those working class Americans infected with that same mental disease, I see little hope of them changing. I do feel that if enough of them suffer the hard realities of Republican policy being shoved on us now, maybe 10 or 15% might swing our way if the message is clear.
4. Republicans are trying their best to enter us into an international race to the bottom of economic existence by lowering taxes, reducing government (our common good) to the bare bones, and possibly starting trade wars. This process could lead us into a downward spiral of wage depression, price inflation and a slave labor/renter's economy. This is however, utopia for the wealthy.
Much of my negativity comes from not being able to see ways to reverse any of those four dilemmas. It could be done, but I don't believe Americans have the will.
I do , like you, feel a tad of optimism compared to the summer, and thanks for allowing me to vent!
Sometimes I just need to write out some of my frustrations to maintain a little sanity. As you probably know, much of this has been building up since Nixon's days (within my recollection) and many of us have been hopelessly watching it all go down.
We're trying to stay positive, one day at a time!
IIRC, there is also some question if he uses voice mail...like to the point of not even leaving a "call me" message on an answering machine. Supposedly it goes back to Roy Cohn training around leaving a trail.
It seems hard to believe and I'm open to hearing that it's an urban myth. I just remember when I first saw it all I could think was "classic play for a sleazy MF like him".
