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Vail Daily column: The ‘Obama’ bet for president

Don Rogers
My View
Don Rogers
Laura Mahaffy/lmahaffy@theunion.com | The Union

Most of the analysts I’m reading say Bernie Sanders would raise our taxes, raise our debt and equalize our society to something akin to northern Europe.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, at least not in the long haul. It’s also a sign, like hiking the minimum wage into the middle class, of blowback to the rich getting richer while the mass of us find our personal economies stagnating.

If Sanders gets his way, our gross domestic product will plummet, as well, according to the sober-minded observers at least somewhat free of partisan hot air.



No, I’m not buying Sanders’ pie in the sky and not buying the Republican doomsayers, either.

Just as shedding taxes won’t lead the country to prosperity, neither will promises of free everything that actually does come with costs.

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These are expressions of fantasy. As we can see, they have flowered in the presidential primaries as populist and progressive candidacies disrupt their parties.

We love the personalities and their promises. It’s the party regulars we’re not so enamored with.

Hillary Clinton carries baggage as well as experience. But Marco Rubio may yet emerge among the establishment candidates as the GOP’s answer to Obama; at last they have one who might yet stick. He’s also everything the Republicans have complained about for the past eight years: Youth, inexperience, glibness, a sort of false gold in the maturity department. Nevertheless, someone who can attract the youth vote across ethnicities.

Put him with a friendly “adult” who can carry a key state or two in the Electoral College and voila, the next in a line running from W. to Obama so far.

Only thing is the red-haired nut keeps rolling. The formerly godless billionaire now carries the evangelical vote, spewing anti-Christian invectives all the way. I thought I’d seen everything.

And Clinton grinds away in her party. We should take some comfort in seeing enemies have only nonsense to heap upon her: Benghazi, email, getting rich while serving her country in standard fashion for politicians, and standing by her man through his troubles two decades ago. That’s pretty much the same as there’s nothing real to complain about.

Still, this is not an inspiring nominee. I see her as the Democrats’ version of Bob Dole when he made re-election easy for a compromised Bill Clinton largely because the GOP thought they could throw up anyone and win. The presidency would be a present for all those long years as a party insider.

Seems the Dems tried that with Hillary already. A young upstart took her out. This time a crazy old uncle didn’t get the message and could yet win the nomination. From a practical standpoint, the Democrats best pray — and vote like hell in open primaries — for Trump. He’s her best chance for victory in the general election, with Ted Cruz a close enough second.

But say the final showdown does come to Rubio and Clinton. Well, the kids who fell for Bernie’s BS will flock right across party lines to Rubio. This bloc fell as mindlessly for Ron Paul, if you remember. The Hispanic vote will come up for grabs; no Democratic lock there.

Then it’s the Obama nightmare all over again for Hillary.

This is as good a prediction as any, I think. And at least less terrible than the other scenarios.

Alas, that’s what we’ve come to, and only if we’re fortunate: Less terrible.

Publisher Don Rogers can be reached at drogers@vaildaily.com and 970-748-2920.


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