Koch Brothers believe Trump Presidency could lead to Far Left populism

[The_Doctor]

They're not wrong. They're actually pretty prescient. If Trump fails (which I think he will) and there's no substantial change to the lives of the working class voters who backed him, they will choose another option. And a lot of them said many positive things about Bernie Sanders during the campaign. Take that hint as you will.

[The_Doctor]

I thought Tom RINO was wrong; I'm kind of coming around to his opinion that the Republican Party will continue dominating among the richest segments. Or, let me amend it slightly...

I think that the Koch brothers are right in the sense that neoliberal economic policies have failed to account for those left behind by globalization, the support of the people who are absolutely electorally, politically crucial to the success of the institutions that undergird neoliberalism. So if they abandon the neoliberal regime we have had since 1980, you can expect the far left populist movement to take charge in drawing up a new paradigm.

It would follow this new populist left would take their base of support from the working class while the richer vote GOP. I do think that the rich liberals will stay voting Democratic until the GOP stops having an evangelical southern base and starts making inroads into urban and suburban areas fed up with Democratic rule in the cities. But right now, yeah, a ton of rich areas vote GOP and voted for Trump; I just dispute Tom RINO that it was a blowout among the rich in terms of Trump support. Probably majoritarian support but not say, on the order of maybe 60-65%?

I do think Trump understands this but doesn't have the political capital or power to overhaul the GOP to be far more populist. (Another area I'm slowly coming around to Tom RINO's opinion on).

There's simply too many people like Tom RINO to oppose him in Congress, the states, and political structure. The 46% Trump got (and his significant popular vote loss) also makes him exceedingly weak in forcing on a new populist GOP. So, the GOP will make feints towards populism but will retain its Reaganite identity as a neoliberal party.