Thread by @MattGrossmann

Despite few immediate policy diffs, there is key debate at stake in Sanders v Warren: whether to advance an ideological message for moving the US political & economic system leftward or defend liberal policies on technocratic & utilitarian grounds to help those in need now
1/n

https://twitter.com/karpmj/status/1175759494166564864

Bernie makes several ideological arguments rare in the US (but not elsewhere):
- Government works better than the private sector
- US political & economic systems are worse than other comparable countries
- It’s government’s responsibility to redistribute wealth
2/n

- Capitalism is an inherent (not recent) failure
- Social issues are an upper class distraction from economic change
- US foreign policy is now an engine of moving policy rightward globally
- This is a coherent belief system that should be labeled an alternative ideology
3/n

This won’t amount to real change in achievable policy. Based on their records, both Senators are likely to push similar maximalist policies but compromise based on what is achievable:

https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1175850609347575808?s=21

Their policy disputes are not about things with a chance of passing
3/n

In short run, Bernie’s posture is bad electoral politics compared to Warren’s because Warren’s arguments fit things the Democratic electorate has heard & (to some extent) already believes. A different Bernie primary strategy would’ve been better:

https://twitter.com/mattgrossmann/status/1128691605135876097?s=21

5/n

But long-term, Dems do suffer from not forthrightly making ideological arguments in favor of government & other countries’ economic systems. Partially as a result, public maintains conservative predispositions (relative to other nations) despite their liberal policy positions
6/6