So, I heard Bernie Sanders on the radio talking about trying to work with the Tea Party base.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. Maybe we have a definitional problem here.

To me, it seems like the Tea Party base (as distinct from its funders and ideologues) contains different strands of conservative thought.

There's a libertarian strand.

There's an economic conservative strand.

There a religious/social conservative strand.

There's a right populist strand.

I think maybe some of these people can be pulled over on some issues.

Libertarians on foreign policy and drugs and crony capitalism.

Right populists on crony capitalism.

The economic and social conservatives, not so much.

I think there is tremendous discontent with centrist politics and a political system that seems to care mostly about enriching the rich. You see it on the left here on this board. You see it on the right with all their screaming protests.

I think someone like Rand Paul can make headway with this, if Democrats leave an open field for him. It looks like he's already positioning himself to do just that. I used to think a Rand Paul candidacy would ensure a Democratic victory, but now he's got me a little bit worried.