Conservatives I know seem relatively sanguine about the prospect of a Sanders victory, not because they think he can't win, but because:
A) they think he's less "woke" than Warren or other Dems, and
B) they think he won't be able to get stuff through Congress.
A) they think he's less "woke" than Warren or other Dems, and
B) they think he won't be able to get stuff through Congress.
In fact, there's another reason conservatives should want a Sanders victory.
If Sanders loses, the 2024 Dem nominee will probably be extremely woke and culture-war oriented. And will probably win, because people will be ready for a change.
The analogy here is Trump.
If Sanders loses, the 2024 Dem nominee will probably be extremely woke and culture-war oriented. And will probably win, because people will be ready for a change.
The analogy here is Trump.
If Sanders loses the nomination to Biden and Biden loses to Trump (and there's a solid chance he would lose), it would be like when Romney lost to Obama. The Dems in 2024 would utterly reject moderation as an electoral strategy, like the GOP did after 2012.
If Sanders becomes President, there's a *chance* that A) the GOP could take back Congress in a big backlash wave in 2022, B) he could get little done, prompting disillusionment with socialism, and C) Dems could be pushed back toward moderation.
If Sanders wins the nomination but loses to Trump, it's possible Dems would be pushed toward moderation, but it's also possible that they'd explode with woke rage and nominate an extreme culture-warrior who would win in 2024 - conservatives' worst nightmare.
Thus, a Sanders presidency could actually be the least-bad outcome from a social conservative's standpoint. Let the left make some headway on economic policy, trusting in overreach and reversal to limit the damage, while diverting attention from the culture wars.
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@DouthatNYT @GiancarloSopo Would love to get your thoughts on the above thread...
