DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SANDERS AND TRUMP IS LARGE
“But the difference between [Bernie] Sanders and [Donald] Trump is large,
and more fundamental than the difference between their
personal styles or their places on the political spectrum. Sanders,
who has spent most of his career as an outsider on the inside,
believes ardently in politics. He views the political arena as a
battle of opposing classes (even more than Elizabeth
Warren, he really does seem to hate the rich), but believes that
their conflicts can be managed through elections and
legislation. What Sanders calls a political revolution is closer to a
campaign of far-reaching but plausible reforms. He proposes
a financial-transactions tax and the breakup of the biggest
banks; he doesn't demand the nationalization of banking. His
views might appall Wall Street, but they exist within the realm
of rational persuasion.
and more fundamental than the difference between their
personal styles or their places on the political spectrum. Sanders,
who has spent most of his career as an outsider on the inside,
believes ardently in politics. He views the political arena as a
battle of opposing classes (even more than Elizabeth
Warren, he really does seem to hate the rich), but believes that
their conflicts can be managed through elections and
legislation. What Sanders calls a political revolution is closer to a
campaign of far-reaching but plausible reforms. He proposes
a financial-transactions tax and the breakup of the biggest
banks; he doesn't demand the nationalization of banking. His
views might appall Wall Street, but they exist within the realm
of rational persuasion.
Trump (whatever he really believes) is playing the game
of anti-politics. From George Wallace to Ross Perot,
anti-politics has been a constant in recent American history;
candidates as diverse as Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Barack
Obama have won the Presidency by seeming to reject or rise
above the unlovely business of politics and government. Trump
takes it to a demagogic extreme. There's no dirtier word in the lexicon
of his stump speech than ‘politician.’ He incites audiences' contempt
for the very notion of solving problems through political means. China,
the Islamic State, immigrants, unemployment, Wall Street: just let him
handle it. – he’ll build the wall, deport the eleven million, rewrite the
Fourteenth Amendment, create the jobs, kill the terrorists.
He offers no idea beyond himself, the leader who can reverse
the country's decline by sheer force of personality. Speaking
in Mobile, Alabama, recently, he paused to wonder whether
of anti-politics. From George Wallace to Ross Perot,
anti-politics has been a constant in recent American history;
candidates as diverse as Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Barack
Obama have won the Presidency by seeming to reject or rise
above the unlovely business of politics and government. Trump
takes it to a demagogic extreme. There's no dirtier word in the lexicon
of his stump speech than ‘politician.’ He incites audiences' contempt
for the very notion of solving problems through political means. China,
the Islamic State, immigrants, unemployment, Wall Street: just let him
handle it. – he’ll build the wall, deport the eleven million, rewrite the
Fourteenth Amendment, create the jobs, kill the terrorists.
He offers no idea beyond himself, the leader who can reverse
the country's decline by sheer force of personality. Speaking
in Mobile, Alabama, recently, he paused to wonder whether
representative government was even necessary. After ticking
off his leads in various polls, Trump asked the crowd of thirty
thousand, ‘Why do we need an election? We don't need an
election.’ When Trump narrows his eyes and juts out his jaw
he's a showman pretending to be a strongman.”
off his leads in various polls, Trump asked the crowd of thirty
thousand, ‘Why do we need an election? We don't need an
election.’ When Trump narrows his eyes and juts out his jaw
he's a showman pretending to be a strongman.”
George Packer, “The Populists,” pp: 23 and 24, a Talk of the
Town essay in The New Yorker, September 7, 2015.
