Discussing politics anymore is a waste of time, people are so dug into their beliefs on either side that you might as well be in an echo chamber. It's not that you shouldn't challenge your ideas but people are so tied to their opinions that any conflicting idea cuts them personally. And with all social media, this effect is only compounded because you are further conditioned to believe that your (everyone's) narrowly educated viewpoint is somehow important. It's good for finding out what ads to run to you, that's about it.
If the argument that what we're experiencing now is spillover from previous presidents, then that can apply across the board for all achievements, because we all know change takes time. And frankly I don't see the evidence that that is true, only that Obama has cost the taxpayers a **** ton of money as well in different ways. No difference.
I'd rather have a bloated DoD ready to fight, rather than rely on other foreign countries' help, who can't even do their fair share. Thankfully, our role as world police is supposed to lessen. Plus, with the economy doing "better", there are less available recruits and less young people these days are capable of military service anyway due to obesity etc. So if you can't have a "large" fighting force I would imagine there is a belief that you spend the money to have a more "quality" existing one. Obviously there are going to be outliers.
As for the border, I'm all for it. I don't think it's racist one bit. It's circumstance that it's that the people on the other side are Mexican. If there was another white country or whatever filled with crime or cartels there would be a border there too. I don't buy for one second that "seeking" a better life elsewhere is a smart move, what happens when this country goes to ****? We all migrate to Canada, leaving trashed wastelands and failed infrastructure? But then again, I'm a believer in personal responsibility and what must be done, must be done; regardless of the heightened emotions.
I think a better option would be sponsorship programs, so that the people that really believe in that kind of thing can have hands on care of a family or whatever; invite them into their houses and share space with them; provide for them. It's a win for everyone, the burden is on those who opt for it and less if none on others.
I find it interesting though for as many complaints people have about how we're not getting paid enough, want to raise minimum wage etc, can't get a decent job, they want to invite more people in to dilute the workforce and lessen wages even further. Regardless, corporations are going to be corporations. That's the enemy if there is one, but people are too caught up in convenience etc.
TL;DR: Reality is what it is; all the huff-n-puff is unnecessary. We're stuck with what we got unless you want to do something illegal, and if that's the case you're just as disgusting as those you reproach.