In an unconventional year for presidential politics, would an unholy marriage win the election?
Populist politics is in full force this election year. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are amassing large delegate counts by running as anti-establishment candidates. Trump now appears likely to become the Republican nominee while Sanders seems headed back to the Senate. However, a WJS/NBC news poll indicates that up to 33% of Sanders voters will not support Clinton during the general election. That’s a huge number of disenfranchised voters looking for a candidate to support. Trump could leverage those votes by selecting Sanders as his running mate.
On many things, to be sure, Trump and Sanders disagree widely. But at their core, they are united on several key issues:
Preserving Social Security and Medicare: Trump has bucked Republican orthodoxy by promising to protect Social Security and Medicare. Sanders has provided a plan to protect and expand both plans.
The democratization of politics and enfranchising the public: Both Trump and Sanders have stated the primary selection process is rigged and in need of serious reform. Trump and Sanders both clamor against the injection of money into politics.
Using higher tariffs to protect American businesses: Both candidates denounce free-trade agreements, such as NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, saying they depress U.S. wages and send jobs to other countries.
Stopping foreign countries from manipulating their currency: Sanders wants to impose a currency manipulation fee to protect jobs and lower the deficit. Trump pledges to end China’s currency manipulation.
Support rebuilding public infrastructure: Trump plans to use money on public infrastructure instead of costly foreign wars. Sanders proposes to create jobs by addressing rampant crumbling infrastructure.
The reduction of illegal immigration: While Sanders does want legal status for some current immigrants, he recognizes that undocumented workers depress wages and wants immigration regulated. Trump strongly supports regulation and has proposed building a wall along the Mexican border.
America’s role as global defender: Both Trump and Sanders hold isolationist views and agree that actions taken during previous administrations have destabilized the Middle East. Both opposed the Iraq War and would reduce America’s financial role in NATO.
There is plenty of common ground between Trump and Sanders. A case could be made that more commonality exists between Trump and Sanders than Trump and necons like Bush, or Sanders and neoliberals like Clinton.
While a combined populist ticket is unlikely, it would demonstrate the ability of Americans overcome their differences to unite. And it would send a powerful message to elites in the established parties that government “derives its power from the consent of the governed”, not campaign donors or powerful lobbyists.
