The Establishment's Worst Nightmare
In 2016, the Washington Establishment suffered what it thought was its worst nightmare when Donald Trump was elected President. With the growing likelihood that Bernie Sanders will be this year’s Democratic candidate, that nightmare has been succeeded by one even worse: the possibility that the Establishment will be shut out of the Presidential race entirely.
That would be a clear signal that the Establishment’s days are numbered and it is on its way to being replaced. Remember that the Establishment’s most important goal has nothing to do with governing the country. Its highest objective is remaining the Establishment and enjoying the privileges that come with Establishment status: power, prestige, and great riches.
At the same time, their policy options are limited, limited to policies that do not work. To become and remain a member of the Establishment, you must be a Globalist in economics, an internationalist in foreign policy, a loyal servant of Wall Street, a fan of lots of immigration (for cheap labor and cheap votes), and a soft, sentimental “multiculturalist” who gets very, very distressed at the thought that somewhere in the world, a child is crying. Above all, you must never transgress the rules laid down by cultural Marxism. Even an accusation of “racism”, “sexism”, or “homophobia” endangers your Establishment status.
Since Establishment policies add up to poor governance, the only way the Establishment can keep its monopoly on power is to make sure voters have no choices but candidates who are Establishment stooges. They call it a “two-party system”, but no matter which party wins, nothing really changes, because neither the Republican nor the Democratic Establishment wants change. Change could upset their apple carts. Elections are just kabuki for the rubes out in flyover land so long as only Establishment candidates can get on the ballot.
Donald Trump royally upset the Republican Establishment’s apple cart (or perhaps more accurately manure wagon) in 2016. Now Bernie Sanders threatens to do the same to the Democratic Establishment’s Jim Jones Memorial Kool Aid stand. And the Democratic Establishment is in a panic.
The February 28 New York Times ran a front page story on the Dems' headless chicken act, “If Party is Bruised to Stop Sanders, So Be It, Key Democrats Say”. After interviewing 93 Democratic superdelegates (some delegates are more equal than others), the Times wrote,
Dozens of interviews with Democratic Establishment leaders this week show that they are not just worried about Mr. Sanders’ candidacy, but also willing to risk intraparty damage to stop his nomination at the national convention in July if they get the chance. . .
“Bernie seems to have declared war on the Democratic Party--and it’s caused panic in the House ranks,” said Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, a supporter of former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York.
What Bernie has declared war on is the Democratic Party Establishment. That Establishment would rather see President Trump reelected than Sanders get the Democratic nomination. If a candidate from the Democratic Establishment loses in November, they were at least still in the game and they maintained their monopoly. If Sanders is nominated , they’re out, over and done--cooked.
As a conservative Trump supporter, I say, let’s hear it for Bernie--not because he would be the easiest Democrat for Trump to beat, but because of his nomination (and Trump’s, of course), the whole Establishment is shut out. If populists from the Left and the Right take over and the Establishment no longer has a monopoly, not only does it lose power but all those other lovely things that power brings, especially prestige and endless bags of gold. No more bowing and scraping flunkies? No more “campaign contributions”, i.e., legalized bribes? My god, how could a man (or woman) live?
I don’t know, but it would certainly be entertaining to find out.