In Politics, The Messenger Wins

James Carville is but one of many politicos predicting disaster should Bernie Sanders receive the Democratic nomination. There are no real numbers yet to back up that up, but the feeling is that your average voter sees Bernie, a self described socialist, as way too left.

But the truth is, macro-economic theory backs up Bernie’s assertions; most of America stands on the shoulders of Government assistance. From your iPhone to your highways, to your kid’s grade school, we aren’t free-range capitalists. We are a democratic, socialist society. But that’s not why the Sanders candidacy appears doomed. The trouble isn’t the content, it’s the messengers.

Despite evidence to the contrary, climate change, pandemics, Russian militancy, and the dangerous winds of populism, polling shows that 80% of Americans are optimistic about the near future. So when Bernie and his supporters cry “Revolution,” people say, “I’m busy next week. I have plans.

But attack away Bernie Bros. For all of your righteous indignation, your’e not very tolerant of dissension. Bloomberg and Buttejieg are racists, Klobachar and Warren are (shhh) women, and Biden is too old. (Seriously?) I’m not saying you don’t have the stuff. And I’m not saying that you aren’t right. I’m just saying I can hear you without screaming.

In politics, the messenger wins.