No, Your Other Left

It's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys these days. Well, in fairness, that's because they're all bad.

The byline today is that we're about to witness the worst case of suicide in the history of political parties. Drive down Republican Boulevard. Turn right. Now take your next right. Drive several hours on the right side of the road. Turn right again and Donald will be on your right.

Of course, Bernie is just as far to the left. Socialism is no longer a dirty word. Hell, it's even the draw. We want to be like Norway! Or Germany. Or whatever place that gives everyone free medical care and still has bread on the store shelves. Not many of those around, but stay with me.

So one would think that Bernie and Donald couldn't be more different. As much common ground as a catfish and a mountain goat.

Well, one would be wrong. They're from different parties and far from the center of each, but these gentlemen are not defined by well thought out philosophical ideals. They're defined by one simple thing: populism.

- Both claim that immigration is costing American jobs and depressing wages.

- Both are against foreign military endeavors that spill both American blood and treasure.

- Both are against free trade agreements that move manufacturing jobs overseas.

- Both draw huge crowds of angry white voters who long for the days of yesteryear.

- Both are new to the parties to which they currently belong.

Both would be horrible presidents.

Anger should not elect a leader of the free world, or any other position for that matter. It's a scary thought that it just might happen.

But the anger is real and it has 2 primary causes in my view:

1) Technology and globalization have eliminated the traditional factory jobs that so many communities were built upon. Combine that with the go-to remedy by the left, institutionalized assistance which leads to demotivation and dependency, and you get a lot of hot-under-the-blue-collar voters.

2) Barack Obama is a terrible leader. He's a smart guy with good intentions, but he lacks the intangible qualities of a great president and he generally does not respect the principles that made this country so great. Many people who aren't emotionally invested in the man see this clearly.

So people look around and see decay. They look up and see a professor going on and on about climate change. Then they hear an outsider candidate screaming and promising to turn back the clock and that message resonates. A lot of emotion that those rallies and it feels like there's a way out.

The only consolation is that Bernie and Donald seem to be splitting the angry vote and neither seem likely to be the next Hugo Chavez. 

So that's the bad news. But wait, there's worse news? Unfortunately.

The only remaining candidate is a horribly corrupt, paranoid, opportunistic, power hungry, bitter has-been who has accomplished absolutely nothing in her political life that hasn't resulted in blood on her hands and who would step over her own husband (he's often on the floor, for various reasons) to get to the White House.

In other words, your next president.