1. The Democratic primaries offer not just competing ideologies but, just as important, competing models for doing politics. The starkest difference is between the Bloomberg model & the Sanders/Warren model.
2. There's always been money in politics but Bloomberg is taking the rich-donor model a step further: the 9th richest man in the world, self-funding (and encouraging his rich buddies to do Super Pacs), getting endorsements (and silence) from decades of spending.
3. The Sanders/Warren model is to rely on small-donors, mobilization of volunteers, & rallies. Other candidates do that so some degree but Sanders/Warren have really leaned into it. It's the starkest possible difference with Bloomberg model.
4. The question Dems have to ask themselves is which model do they want to follow not just ideologically but in terms of party organization. Do they want to be a party beholden to 1 rich man? Or a party of many donors & volunteers? The money or the many? thenation.com/article/politi…
