by Mike SmithSenatorBernie Sanders and billionaire Donald Trump are two candidates for president of the United States. One might easily conclude that they have little in common, and yet their respective wins in Vermont’s presidential primary shows they have similarities.
They both champion the same message, which is: The political system is rigged against average Americans and controlled by elites whose sole interest is preserving their own influence over our politics and our economy. While Sanders and Trump have astutely recognized the power of this message, the political elites have not.
Americans are angry, profoundly angry, at a political system that seems more interested in self-perpetuation than meeting the needs of voters. Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, and Trump, an aggressive capitalist, have attracted voters by tapping into this anger. Both recognized — well before others — the economic, social, and political frustration of Americans and are speaking to that frustration sometimes with grand promises and outlandish statements, but it’s working.
Neither is following the playbook established by the political elite. For example, they both have rejected any money coming from political action committees to fund their campaigns. Trump is using his own personal wealth to fund his campaign and Sanders is relying on individual donations from the many supporters he’s won over. Both are boisterous and brash. Both have brought new voters to their respective parties, but neither seems to be attracting establishment voters. Rather, they are relying on Americans who are less concerned with party labels, but adamant about being heard. They feel that only Sanders or Trump gives them that voice.
Both have committed to advancing their campaigns well into the primary fight. And both have bucked their own parties and the normal path to the presidency to advance what the two of them now describe as a “movement.” Where they differ, of course, is in how they would address this voter anger. In this area they are diametrically opposed to one another. Also they differ on the likelihood of securing their respective party’s nomination.
After last Tuesday’s results, Trump appears to be on his way to winning the Republican nomination, while Sanders has a much more challenging path. But a Trump victory will likely have more of an impact on the Republican Party than would a Sanders loss on the Democratic Party.
A victorious Trump has the potential of permanently fracturing a broad Republican coalition. Established conservatives are finally realizing Trump may win the nomination and are now working feverishly behind the scenes to stop him. Trump is a populist and not necessarily a conservative. He shuns the orthodoxy of the conservative movement espoused by Ronald Reagan: a small federal government that stays out of the affairs of American’s daily lives.
As a populist he is beholden only to himself, and he seems to have little concern what happens to other Republicans because of his stances and policies.
Moderates in the Republican Party are also appalled by his positions. Running with him as the party’s standard-bearer could mean defeat for them. With Trump at the top of the ticket, there is fear among many Republicans that their control of the U.S. Senate, and even the U.S. House, could be in jeopardy and certainly Republican state races, depending where you are in the country, could be impacted.
On the other hand, a Sanders loss would not necessarily fracture the Democratic Party, though it could weaken it. Sanders supporters will harbor much doubt that the deep-rooted structural political change that their candidate seeks will be embraced by Hillary Clinton if she is the Democratic nominee. Sanders’ coalition sees in Clinton a political elite fighting to maintain the status quo. With Hillary Clinton at the top of their ticket it’s possible they will be so disillusioned they don’t come out to vote. However, it is less likely that Democrats will face the same insurrection in their party that the Republicans may face in theirs.
It is certainly odd to talk about Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders as connected in a common cause. And both would probably deny that either of them have anything in common. But this election is not about individual candidates. It’s about making political parties listen to the millions of Americans — with vastly different views — clamoring for change. If politicians continue to ignore these concerns and refuse to work together to address them, the major-party structure is in danger and there could be more tumultuous times and dangerous political tensions ahead.
Mike Smith was the secretary of administration and secretary of human services under former Gov. Jim Douglas. He is the host of the radio program, “Open Mike with Mike Smith,” on WDEV. He is also a political analyst for WCAX-TV and WVMT radio and is a regular contributor to The Times Argus, Rutland Herald and Vermont Business Magazine.