On Sanders and LBJ

Other than being old white guys with plenty of experience in the Senate, the two would appear to have little in common. Bernie will be relying on LBJ as a role model of sorts, however, because the Great Society is the best example of a major expansion of federal power that did not occur during an economic crisis.

Unfortunately, the analogy is unlikely to hold. LBJ was a very resourceful politician; JFK’s death created a degree of public sympathy for his agenda; and he ran against Goldwater. Bernie will have none of those advantages.