What a wonderful thing it would be to see Tom Steyer accept the 2020 Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
It’s certainly a realistic possibility. Consider the liberal billionaire’s latest flirtation with a 2020 presidential bid. At the left-wing “Netroots” conference this week, Steyer embraced the language which propelled President Trump to the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. He lamented, “I don’t see a single constructive thing coming out of Washington, D.C.”
That video encapsulates why it would be so great to see Steyer run for president. Because his vision of “constructive” is very different from most American understandings of that word. Think about some examples.
For a start, take Steyer’s recent argument that “Republicans have led the takeover of America by corporations. Ninety-five percent of the population is getting screwed.” While it’s true that things might change before November 2020, I’d suggest most Americans don’t share Steyer’s sense of economic disenchantment. The economy is booming, wages are rising, unemployment is falling, inflation is stable, and the financial markets are confident. Indeed, all of this confidence is taking place in spite of President Trump’s tariff conflict with China — imagine if that ever got resolved!
That divergence between Steyer fictions and the standing facts speaks to why a Steyer presidential bid would be so positive: it would expose liberal “new deal” policies for the bad deal that they really are. Unlike most liberals who try and hide the true extent of their socialist agenda, Steyer has the passion to truly outline liberal policy ambitions for what they are. And consider what that would mean on the campaign trail.
When Steyer talks about creating a green economy, conservatives could push back by showing the gut punch that green economy means for California energy bills. He would be forced to tell Americans that they need to learn to live with higher costs of living.
When Steyer talks about “Medicare for all,” conservatives could articulate the fiscal myths and service deficiencies that necessarily underpin that healthcare model. He would be forced to tell Americans that he’ll be okay paying personally for superior healthcare, but that they must make sacrifices.
When Steyer talks about raising taxes on “the rich” and “the corporations,” conservatives could point to the wealth exodus from liberal-run states like California and New Jersey. Conservatives could also note that the Trump tax cuts have led to a massive increase in repatriated wealth to the U.S., dramatic increases in corporate investment, and yes, plummeting unemployment rates.
When Steyer talks about boosting the power of unions, conservatives could point to the fiscal calamity that such policies have meant for residents of states like Illinois. They could contrast that reality with the positive morality of recent conservative successes in freeing workers from sacrificing their paychecks to political groups with whom they disagree.
It’s easy to watch Steyer and think “boy, that guy is tedious.” But if we care about conservative success, Steyer is the ultimate 2020 Trojan Horse for Democrats. He has the look and the anger to get the Democratic nomination. But once there, his policy failings will be unleashed and conservative victory rendered near certain.
