2020, the election campaigns have begun

[Labster]

The large donors are hedging their bets, though, giving to two or three of the front-runners. Of the people I talked to who actually voted Trump, they break down into two categories: (1) racists and (2) people who wanted change because social elites have too much power. The first group is by far the larger group, but Democrats aren't going to win them no matter what.

Voters like "change", whatever that means. But sometimes they want it more than others. I'm with Rob on this. I still think people want change, and that's kind of the global zeitgeist now. To the first group above that means that they see Trump as causing changes that they like and generally annoying the elites. The second group of "undecideds" can be won by presenting a platform that shakes up the economy a bit. You know, like maybe a platform that resembles European centrist parties instead of continuing down the economic centre-right that the neoliberals did.

So while I'd vote for Biden if he's the nominee, this is not a high bar. I'd vote for Margaret bloody Thatcher's ghost over Trump, at least she had some sense of propriety. I like Biden a good deal more, but all the same it's hard to get excited about yet another neolib baby boomer seeking office.