It is the riddle wrapped in mystery inside an enigma for all who lean left: how is it possible that Donald Trump’s sins, deceits, criminal acts, vile behaviors, racist bloviation, misogynist bile, xenophobic rants, impeachable offenses, and now broadside volleys against the Constitution have had, in aggregate, no discernible impact on his approval rating?

Theories abound. Some involve arrogant estimates about the IQs and education of Trump supporters, but a modest amount of googling can shoot these theories to pieces. There is the theory that many Trump supporters care only about the strong state of the economy and stock market. Other theories hold that Trump gives voice to the anger of Americans who feel that their government has failed them.

But there is of course another factor, and it is profound. And that is the fact that millions of perfectly intelligent Americans choose to get their news from Fox News, and each and every day they are provided an aggressively curated version of the day’s events. If you want to know a want to know a big reason why Donald Trump’s approval rating is immutable, the answer lies there...

All of which brings me to a recent flash of brilliance from contrarian Bernie Sanders.

Sure, we can worry that Bernie's ideological rigidity and uncompromising rhetoric could lead to damaging rifts in the Democratic Party. But it is fair to argue that he has been the pre-eminent thought leader for the Party over the past four years... creative, perceptive, original, and way out in front of the party's sharp shift to the left.

A few weeks ago Bernie participated in a town hall-style television event broadcast on Fox News. Bernie’s town hall in the other team’s town was particularly notable as the Democratic Party had recently announced that it would refuse to allow Fox News to host any of the televised debates in the Democratic primary season.

This time, it’s sure not crazy Bernie. Bernie is right and the Democratic Party leadership is crazy...

So Bernie Sanders decided to go behind enemy lines and speak directly to Trump's base. He realized that allowing the base to listen exclusively to Sean Hannity was to acquiesce to the polarization that fuels Trump's power.

If you don't shake the faith of Trump's base, he keeps his Senators, he keeps his job, and he keeps crushing the checks and balances that make our nation a democracy governed by the rule of law.

We must try to get to Trump's base.