The Fantastical, Impossible Promises of Trump and Sanders: New at Reason

Donald TrumpDonald Trump and Bernie Sanders are the antithesis of the conventional politician. They are not programmed, their lines are not focus-group tested, and they take positions far outside the mainstream. But the victory speeches they gave in New Hampshire Tuesday night showed they have mastered the oldest political trick of all: promising things they can’t deliver. 

Trump showed the most chutzpah, conjuring gaudy images of the wonders he will bestow. You name the problem, and he will banish it. Sanders was not to be outdone in promising the moon. He vowed to “make public colleges and universities free,” slash student loan debt, “rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, increase Social Security benefits, and “guarantee health care for all” through a single-payer system.

A lot of voters are drawn to these candidates because they are sick of being let down by elected leaders. But, as Steve Chapman notes, if they think Trump or Sanders will redeem their faith, they are in for a big surprise.

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