The primary season has gone on long enough now that we can reasonably extrapolate to the end-game: Sanders vs. Trump. No one can doubt at this point that Trump is the likely Republican nominee. Whether Sanders can secure the Democratic nomination is less certain, but still probable, in view of his rising momentum, his appeal to the party's base, his strong favorability ratings, and Clinton's negatives -- including email-gate, her high unfavorability rating, and, yes, the anchor weight of the sexual misconduct of her husband. The outcome probably won't be decided until California votes on June 7, but the smart money, at this stage of the game, has to be on Sanders.
So what would a Sanders vs. Trump contest look like? To be sure, there would be fireworks a-plenty. It would be the most highly publicized event in the political history of the republic. The radical base of both parties would be doubly energized, both by love of its own nominee, and by loathing of the other. The debates would be like Godzilla vs. King Kong. No sentient observer could sit this one out on the sidelines.
The dynamics of the contest will follow an unpredictable script. No one can imagine what improbable events will impinge upon the drama. Some terrorist attack or economic downturn or environmental catastrophe or other unthinkable crisis will shape the content of the dialogue and no doubt influence the outcome. But in this sea of uncertainty, the final result is inevitable: Sanders will prevail.
Why? Three reasons. First, across the electorate as a whole, Sanders's net favorability rating is far higher than Trump's. Second, there are more registered Democrats and independents than Republicans. A contest with maximum voter turnout, as this one will be, strongly favors Sanders. Third, and most important, Sanders has truth on his side: he is the one who has laid bare the reality of gross income inequality and the corrupt influence of billionaires on the political process. Trump traffics in fear and illusion. Ultimately, reality must prevail.
So hold onto your horses. It's going to be a wild ride from here until November. But in the process, the whole psychology of the 2016 voting public will be exposed, and the opportunity for fundamental change will be up for grabs. The nation is at a turning point, and all the old formulas have gone bankrupt. Something new is happening; honesty is in the air; and the thrill of victory for truth will never taste more sweet.