Bernie and the end of ideology
Bernie Sanders, in his last public comment Wednesday as a contender for the leadership of the U. S. Democratic Party, announced “we have won the ideological battle.” Despite that declaration of victory, Sanders then folded up his battlefield tent and handed control to Joe Biden as commander in chief of the Democrats campaign to bring down Donald Trump — described by Sanders as ” the most dangerous president in modern American history.”
Sanders could be right. Perhaps his plans to turn the United States into a radically restructured social democracy — with nationalized health care, confiscatory wealthy taxes, corporate breakups and mass redistribution of power and incomes — did capture the hearts and minds of Americans.
More likely is that the coming U. S. election will be fought in the midst of the COVID- 19 pandemic that leaves no room for the standard political clashes over where to draw the lines on government intervention.
As the coronavirus crisis sweeps the United States and the world, the familiar divides have dissolved. There are no lines. Socialism, capitalism, liberalism, conservatism, democracy, authoritarianism — all such labels today seem to have been wiped from the screen of politics. Sanders, to the extent he ever had a chance, was ultimately defeated by this unfortunate and disturbing ( but hopefully temporary) end of ideology.
With Trump unleashing $ 2.2- trillion in pandemic spending backed by Congress, there isn’t much elbow room left for a political leader and a movement whose standard proposals involve more — more spending, more interventions, more radical policies.
During the pandemic, when Sanders did offer more to fight the economic virus, he raised eyebrows.
A few days ago with liberal talk-show host Bill Maher, Sanders outlined one of his pandemic plans. He would tell “every worker in America you will continue to receive 100 per cent of your paycheque” through the crisis, a payout that would go to all of the millions of currently unemployed workers. To which Maher replied: “How long can the government do that? How long can we just keep printing money? Isn’t that a recipe for economic disaster?”
While the pandemic may have triggered Sanders’ decision to withdraw, sharper political minds than mine say the long knives were out to remove the standard- bearer of U. S. social democracy long before the pandemic struck. Democratic powerbrokers, unhappy with Sanders’ chances of defeating Trump, orchestrated the rise of former vice-president Biden.
Exactly what the backrooms see in Biden is far from obvious — outside of the obvious: Biden appears to hold a significant lead over Trump in polls. He also scored well in primary results in key states. Sanders, meanwhile, failed to win African- American voters and lost support among white working classes in key states.
One recent poll gives Biden an edge, with 49 per cent support against 42 per cent for Trump, although Trump is said to be holding his own as the preferred handler of the COVID- 19 crisis.
None of these polls and outlooks can be expected to stand up through the long run to the November election and the presidential contest becomes a pitched battle of personalities that seem to be more remarkable for their limitations and flaws than their high stature and integrity.
Republicans and conservatives are out to portray Biden as an unsteady frontman for a Democratic Party that has turned into a hotbed of leftist radicalism populated by anti- corporate extremists such as Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez. The plan is to brand Biden and the Democrats as socialists out to stab U. S. capitalism. If Biden selects a more moderate Democrat for a running mate — such as Pete Buttigieg or Amy Klobuchar — that branding risk could be avoided.
But how far will that strategy take the Republicans when their own candidate offers his own steady
HOW LONG CAN WE JUST KEEP PRINTING MONEY?
stream of aggressive interventionism — on trade, economics, the role of government. Trump’s anti- ideological rants, policies and inconsistencies can hardly be framed as meaningful reflections of clear principles.
Sanders and his socialist backers and supporters say they will continue to try to shift the direction of U. S. politics; he will now be on the sidelines and outside the main picture frame as the 2020 election unfolds.
From now on, it will be Trump vs. Biden.
They say that ideas matter. During this unprecedented pandemic election, however, the real war for the U. S. presidency will be fought over personality and style between two septuagenarians who seem to perfectly represent post- ideology America.