My take is that if the Democratic party had stayed just left of center rather be infiltrated with the so-called progressive candidates (like Sanders and Warren), and especially at the urban center level (mayors, city council people, state legislatures), the disgust with Trump and his ardent followers would have delivered one of the most lop-sided victories of the last hundred years to the Democrats in the presidential and congressional elections. Unfortunately, the progressive movement's anti-personal property stance, its universal pro-union positions, focus on wealth taxes, the clumsy and inexplicable economic restrictions due to the pandemic in some Democratic states, and the de-fund police movement (which is associated with Democrats) is not sitting well with small business owners and individual landlords. The SBA estimates there were about 31 million small business owners before the pandemic, and HUD estimates over 10 million individual landlords. More than corporate and government employees, these two groups are deeply invested in private property rights, and they despise high taxation rates and income redistribution. Knowing a good number of these people personally, my worst fear now is that many of these 40+ million voters and their families will vote for Trump and the Republicans, because they feel their livelihoods and philosophies are being threatened by the progressives. The progressives are called "The future of the party". Threaten anyone's livelihood and they'll fight against anything that threatens it, even if those things are a benefit to society as a whole. Like the UAW arguing against electric vehicles. Or the teachers' unions arguing against charter schools. Lately I'm worried that we might be in for an unpleasant surprise in November, and not only will Trump win but surprise everyone by winning the electoral and popular votes by a decisive factor. I can't imagine his obnoxious ego and divisiveness with a perception of an electoral mandate.
