It’s occurred to me that everyone already pontificating on the Democratic 2020 field seems to have ignored the basic rules around primaries.

Democrats move to the left for the primaries, while moving towards the center in the general.

It’s the same with GOP - they move right in primaries typically and then towards the center in the general.

Why?

Because in the primaries you’re trying to win over the base, but the general is about mobilizing the moderates and independents.

Why is it that everyone always seems to forget this motivation in the primaries? Same with the GND. It’s something that will speak to Democrats in the primaries - which is why McConnell saying that he’s going to throw something out there to vote on as though it’s a threat is such bulkshit and doesn’t exactly spell doom. The GND is something that needs to be fleshed out more and some of the candidates are open to various aspects. Why is that a bad thing?

The GOP thinks so, but most people believe the science behind climate change and that reducing emissions, improving efficiencies, and infrastructure spending are good things.

But all the while, we’re being told that Democrats are in disarray (see Politico, ad nauseum - and with nausea) when there’s actual disarray and chaos in the GOP ranks as the Congressional ranks are pulling their hair out over Trump’s actions - and some think Trump should shut down the govt again (Freedumb caucus - even though the shutdown resulted in a deal on the wall that throws less money than had they accepted the December deal). Trump’s going to try and spin this as a win, but the reality is that Democrats reduced appropriation by a couple hundred million dollars on wall spending thanks to the shutdown.