One of the reasons that Donald Trump is distrusted by many Republicans and religious social conservatives is his association with a tiny, right-wing network of vocal populist opponents of liberal immigration laws, religious diversity, feminism and ethnic minority civil rights. But is this micromovement a boon or liability to Trump's electoral chances? This 'alt right' largely seems to be an online phenomenon, centred on a few vocal right-wing celebrities, some of whom are affluent, professional libertarian gay men who have a fixation that 'political correctness' represents a vaguely defined but strong form of behavioural and psychological control. Their adolescent, immature response is the use of virulent, vehemently abrasive racist, sectarian and misogynist phrases against women, Muslims and ethnic minorities. And that form of declarative, gestural and interpersonal exchange seems to be the sum total of their political endeavours to date. One of the most notorious figures on the US 'alt right' is Milo Yohannopoulis, technical editor for Breitbart, an acerbic right-wing US website. They seem equally antagonised by the centre-left and 'establishment conservatives.' The latter tend to keep away from overtly racist political themes, and have reached out to African-American and Hispanic religious social conservative elements, demonstrated by the candidacies of Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz for the Republican presidential nominee during the course of this year, and the fact that Trump's anti-immigrant/anti-Mexican demagoguery is alienating this growing voting bloc from the Republican Party. When it comes to African-Americans, it's already far too late. As well as Cruz and Rubio, Jeb Bush has little time for Trump's racist rhetoric, given his hard work in such outreach as Republican Governor of Florida. And their misogyny isn't particularly helping Trump's already dire polling amongst women (even Republican women), given his somewhat backward remarks about sexual harrassment and abortion rights during the course of this campaign. Nor did Trump's visible duplicity in simulataneously wooing the US LGBT community and then going off to an early September 2016 "Values Voters Summit", in which Republican candidates pledge allegiance to religious social conservative political orthodoxy when it comes to restricting abortion access, keeping assisted suicide illegal, rolling back LGBT gains related to marriage equality and inclusive adoption reform, curtailing stem cell research and the other items on the wish-list of obnoxious homophobes like the Family Research Council, the hardline US Christian Right pressure group which is hosting the event. Notably, this was also the first time that a major party presidential and vice-presidential nominee attended such a meeting. While some dissident US religious social conservatives might be hesitant over Trump, former Indiana Republican Governor Mike Pence is seen as one of their own and selected to pander to their particular Republican constituency. It also helps distance Trump from his rowdier 'alt right' supporters, who are nowhere near as pragmatic, strategic and focused. But if the alt right isn't electoral politics, then what is it? It seems to be a political style of demagoguery, overt incivility in rhetoric and public performances, with little substance beyond that style. No wonder it is centred around a few websites and social media, has little strategic or tactical orientation, and little else. They may be supporters of Donald Trump, but they do not seem to be coherent, durable or practical in their declarations. It's all very well to pontificate about 'political correctness', but their incivility and perjorative rhetoric are placing their preferred candidate's already chaotic campaign into a deeper quagmire. The alt right... looking pretty (vacant) and going nowhere? Meanwhile, in mainstream political endeavour, questions are being raised about whether the scale of Hillary Clinton's increasingly probable victory will include winning back Democrat control of the federal House of Representatives. Some commentators are sceptical about that scenario, given that the Democrats would need to win up to thirty seats back in the House for that to happen, although some have argued that it might be practicable. According to one University of Virginia political scientist, if Clinton's winning margin is more than six percent over Trump, the 'contagion' effect might drag Republicans out of Congress, unless they have incumbent loyalty and local strength. The 'alt right's' prima donna antics might well contribute to this result if it continues its idiosyncratic, narcissistic rants- ironically, just as Trump shows signs of catching Clinton in the polls, narrowing the gap between them. However, during the course of this campaign it seems to be the case that every time that happens, Trump self-sabotages. Recommended: “The Weird, Hateful World of Online Clinton Conspiracy Theorists”Sunday Star Times:28.08.2016: 23:http://www.stuff.co.nz Mike Wendling: “Trump’s Shock Troops: Who are the Alt Right?”BBC News:26.08.2016:http://www. bbc.com/news/magazine-37021991 Jeff Stein: "Democrats might really have a chance at taking back the House" Vox: 31.08.2016:http://www.vox. com/2016/8/31/12610176/ democrats-house-race Craig Young - 15th September 2016