A Fight for Control

On Facebook, I came across an early manifestation of the coming struggle for the Democratic Presidential nomination. We're in for two difficult years. The conflict will be between the New Deal & democratic socialist wing of the party and the overpowering centrist big money wing. The difference in ideology is genuine, but behind it are the thousands of staff careers and millions of dollars that go to the winners in the Democratic primaries. Think of the party as a giant corporation where you can make a good living and sometimes get Clinton rich if you support the winning faction. That's not all of the conflict, of course, but that is a major aspect of it.

I hope the Democrats nominate someone people like. Voters liked FDR, JFK and Obama. If voters actually like the candidate, it gives him or her an edge. But for the power brokers in the party, winning control of the party money is what counts most, not winning the election in November. So Democrats sometimes end up with a candidate most voters dislike. So do the Republicans. It's a strange outcome of our system.