OPINION:
“The future ain’t what it used to be.” Whether meant as the wisdom of the ages or a wisecrack, words commonly ascribed to master of the malaprop Yogi Berra never seem to grow stale. Ten days ago, the future of the Democratic Party was all Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden appeared used up. Then Super Tuesday happened: Uncle Joe climbed out of the political crypt and back into the party’s contest for president. Moderation has ambushed socialism, but it’s too early to cheer: The party is still solidly planted in left field.
Primaries in 14 states from coast to coast allotted one-third of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, and Mr. Biden walked away with the lion’s share, owing to his sweeping victories in the South. Among the 10 states he captured are delegate-rich Texas, North Carolina and Virginia. Mr. Sanders underperformed in only taking four states, including his home state of Vermont. But he won the biggest prize of all — California — to stay within sight of the former vice president.
“They don’t call it Super Tuesday for nothing,” crowed Mr. Biden before supporters in Los Angeles. “We were told, well, when you got to Super Tuesday, it would be over. Well, it may be over for the other guy.”
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg proved that money can’t buy love at the ballot box. His $500 million campaign won him only American Samoa, prompting him to fold and endorse Mr. Biden. The most embarrassing defeat was reserved for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who could only manage a third-place finish in her home state of Massachusetts. Both are candidates for the Democratic Party dustbin in order to clear the path for an emerging winner. Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was swept out of sight like post-Election Night confetti.
An ad hoc coalition of anti-Sanders Democrats is credited with flipping the forecast practically overnight. First, Democratic icon James Clyburn delivered South Carolina for Mr. Biden on Saturday. Then, campaign dropouts Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar joined other party heavyweights, including Virginia’s Sen. Tim Kaine and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, in a sudden surge of support for the man President Trump likes to call “Sleepy Joe.” For his part, the president easily swept his sole opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, in Super Tuesday’s Republican primaries.
Super Tuesday represents a breathtaking reversal of fortune for the two Democratic septuagenarians. On Feb. 24, the Real Clear Politics poll betting average showed Mr. Sanders with a commanding 57 percent to 9 percent advantage over Mr. Biden. As primaries opened Tuesday, Mr. Biden had flipped the field and showed a 59 percent to 36 percent lead over Mr. Sanders. The takeaway: Knees go wobbly when Democrats must choose between far-left Bernie Sanders and the less-far-left Joe Biden.
For Bernie Sanders and his followers, socialism has the magnetic pull of a quasi-religion that sacrifices the opportunity for personal achievement in favor of the right to the fruit of someone else’s labor. Americans are generous by nature, but they are understandably resentful when forced to share at government gunpoint.
Mr. Biden rejects the “moderate” label and boasts his political credentials are as “progressive” as anyone’s. His frequent critique of Mr. Sanders’ blank-check spending on so-called Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and free college nonetheless place him to the right of Bernie in left field. By all appearances, Joe Biden is no Bernie Sanders. For that, Democrats and Republicans alike can be grateful.
The road to ruin is never overgrown from disuse. It is currently as well-marked as it was when described in the 18th century by Scottish historian Alexander Fraser Tytler: “The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.”
The lessons of history are worth pondering. The past few days demonstrate that Democrats are smartly rethinking whether they are willing to risk marching back into bondage with Bernie or go with Joe. A race for the ages will determine whether there are enough patriots left on the left to lead the party back to in the direction of liberty. If not, Americans by the millions are ready to stick with Donald Trump, whose love for the red, white and blue is beyond question.
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