The Democrats Are In Trouble!

The Democrats are in trouble. They appeared about to gallop headlong into a box canyon from which there may be no escape. Even after super Tuesday Bernie Sanders may still be nominated without the capacity to be elected.

I hate to say “I told you so” but I told you so. Back in September I suggested that a rush to impeach the President would probably result with the Republican led Senate declaring Trump innocent, and catapulting him into the 2020 election. And that would put the Democrats at a serious disadvantage.

Bernie may be right about every critical issue with the exception of “Medicare for all,” but that doesn’t negate the depths of his problem. The unknown trillions of dollars this program would cost would be a budget killer for years to come. Every poll tells us that the American people would not swallow any system depriving a hundred and forty million Americans of the right to keep their hard-won health insurance. Freedom of choice is fundamental to democracy. I also doubt that the American people would elect a self-identified socialist—even a cleaned-up, redefined, democratic, Denmark-like socialist. The socialist label at the top of the ticket would guarantee the continued loss of the Senate, and would probably doom the Democratic hold on the House. And there goes the Presidency!

While Bernie claims to possess the ability to bring hordes of new moderates and independents to the voting booth, the primaries thus far fail to prove his claim. He may well rally young liberals and non-Caucasian Democrats, but so far his loyal base has not expanded, nor do I believe it will. Trump holds onto his devoted 35% and so does Bernie. What is more, every speech Bernie makes is an angry divisive harangue, and we have already endured too many Trumpian diatribes. While Bernie might be nominated, I question his electability. My greatest pleasure would be to be proven wrong, but for now I don’t see that happening.

Early on Elizabeth Warren was my choice, but only if she distanced herself from Bernie’s “Medicare for all.” While Warren has altered her position somewhat, exactly where she now stands remains unclear, and she may be on the way out.



The candidate with the best policies probably was Mayor Pete Buttigieg. But he concluded that the voters would not get enthused about a young man who was only mayor of a small mid-western city, and is married to another man?



That leaves in the top tier, Joe Biden, who may be a very gracious gentleman with a superb political resume, but until super Tuesday had been smothered by Bernie and his young army.



Then there is a second tier billionaire, trying to buy the nomination. and one competent woman Senator whose campaign stalled and who backed out the day before super Tuesday.



The positive news is the Democrats’ (all the candidates) political agenda: health insurance for all, “Medicare for all who want it,” the promise of advanced education, a serious effort to confront the disastrous effects of climate change, raising the minimum wage, re-engaging with international partners to meet common world problems, a gracious welcome to immigrants, a tax policy benefiting America’s middle-class, and an insistence that the very wealthy pay their fair share.

Political contests are usually won with a combination of attractive candidates, popular issues, sufficient money and a dynamic campaign strategy. But do the Democrats have this combination? They know how to raise money, and have robust campaign skills. Their policy agenda would certainly do well with the electorate. The question remains as to the development of a Presidential candidate who can defeat Donald Trump.



At this point Joe Biden may be the most electable, but not if he can’t be nominated. Can Bernie be stopped? It appears doubtful.



THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE. All of the remaining candidates share a common policy agenda, and all of them view Bernie’s nomination as fatally flawed—for the reasons detailed above. Might it be possible for them to put aside their egos, meet off the stage and select one of them to be supported and funded by the others? At this point the rallying around Joe Biden is a positive sign. Klobuchar and Buttigieg may have already begun the process.



In the meantime, many Democrats may still seem comitted to charging headlong into this political box canyon by nominating a candidate who cannot be elected, and failing to nominate a candidate who can.