This is not a deep or complex explaination. It is short and simple. I figured I would add my voice to the chaos because I see so many “serious people” incorrectly characterizing POTUS 2016 to demonize one or more players in the contest.
This chaos is the direct result of hyper inequality, it should not be confusing and the optimal outcome is clear. Spoiler alert, Sanders has the best path to better outcomes.
Clinton (and failed GOP, Bush et al) are the status quo. Their policies will not dramatically shift, if at all, the trends of rising inequality. Therefore, the tails of the spectrum will get fatter and the representatives of theses sides will get more extreme. It maybe 4 or 8 or 16 years but it will reach a tipping point.
Maybe that tipping point in now!
When the resources and wealth becomes hyper concentrated one of two things happen to break the system and trends.
Those that think of society and the social welfare as a whole will try to create interventions to redistribute resources in a more equitable fashion, often focused on the most marginalized populations.
Sanders represents this left tail
Those that think only of their faction of society will try to exclude the others and direct the redistribution to their specific demographic. This will mostly come in the form of a radical "strongman."
Trump represents this right tail.
The major shift in trend happened around 1978-80, so we are two generations into the cycle. It makes me a little optimistic to see the younger crowd clearly on the left side. It makes me pessimistic that the race, gender, religion identity politics is working so well in this election.
Maybe Hillary Clinton can win and hold the system together, President Obama has survived for 8 years. However, it is a certainty it will break at some point.
It is hard to look at today and not think the system is breaking at this moment.
Be well.
