What Would Happen in a Trump vs Sanders Presidential Race?

A month ago, I would have told you I was sick of the Bernie & Trump comparisons. The two men are the polar opposite of each other, at least in personality (the two have a surprising number of issues they agree on). Trump represents the capitalist billionaire class, and Bernie champions socialist ideas to raise the middle and impoverished classes.

Despite media cries that neither one of them will be their respective party's nominee, let alone president, their poll numbers keep climbing (weeks and months after the media insisted, and continues to insist, that those numbers will level out). As much as I hate to admit it, the more I look at the trends and consider the options, a Trump vs Sanders presidential race in 2016 seems very likely.

Bernie Sanders has said since his campaign began that the American people are fed up with conventional politics, and he was right. What no one paused to consider is that people on the right might be just as fed up as people on the left. In fact, a Chicago Tribune article goes so far as to say Trump and Sanders are appealing to the same voter base (let that blow your mind for a second).

As a Bernie supporter who has no doubt in the candidate's electability and constantly points to his trending poll numbers, I have to consider (as much as I don't like to) that Trump's electability may be in the same boat. Bernie supporters have praised his straightforwardness, and Trump supporters have done the same. We're all tired of the bullshit of secular politics, and Bernie and Trump represent the chance to break away from it (this Salon article points out a similar theme).

I don't want Trump to be the Repubican nominee. But, when it comes right down to it, I don't want any Republican candidate to be the nominee because it means we have a chance that one of those guys could be president and none of them seem ideal (though, to me, Rand Paul seems the safest).

However, when I think about it, a 2016 Trump vs Sanders race would be amazing because it would send a message that Americans are tired of our political parties. It would be the first time a Bush and Clinton both ran and were turned down by voters. The family and political party dynasty that has held the presidential seat for decades, would be cast aside. It would change America's politics forever.

I say, bring it on.