The 2020 Democratic Primary is revealing an ideological struggle which is best represented between congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the Left and Presidential hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg representing the liberal class for the future direction of
the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party began the process of abandoning the working-class and poor in the 1990's under President Bill Clinton and his embrace of neoliberal economic doctrine . A doctrine that defers to Wall Street with balanced budgets, privatization, and de-regulation, to name a few characteristics. President Obama continued this fealty to Wall Street, though in fairness Obama's first term in office was hampered by the Great Recession- much of which was caused by Clinton and his Treasury Department. This narrative finally changed when Bernie Sanders ran for President in 2016 on a platform of Roosevelt style "New Deal" big government approach to solving America's and the working-classes economic and social malaise.
The current ideological struggle between AOC and Mayor Pete will set the course of how our country, and the world at large, approaches the problems of the 21st century. AOC, whose meteoric rise to Washington has captured the imagination of the Left and more importantly, Generation Z, was inspired by Bernie Sanders and his message of taxing wealth and rebuilding the working-class and the welfare state stands in stark contrast to Mayor Pete and his approach to market logic and deference to the donor class. Both candidates have broad appeal. Mayor Pete is very articulate and feels that much of what has been lost in our culture is civility and sanity. AOC on the other hand, feels that the system that produced Donald Trump ( the neoliberal system) must be dismantled and a more robust democracy created that gives voice to all people. Which one of these rising political stars will guide the Democratic Party into the 2020's and beyond? Stay tuned!
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