Super Tuesday Open Thread

[Link to great explanatory interview with Mike Cooley I neglected last time.]

Since I already owe Paul a 4-back of America’s best-named barleywine, I shall offer no predictions for the evening. I, did however, have a couple of points about the “should the Democrats STOP TRUMP!” argument and its close relations that Shakezula has refereed to a couple times:

• As Scalizi says, it’s not possible even if it were desirable.
• There is, you know, a competitive Democratic  primary going on. I think the stakes are lower than many supporters of both candidates do, and yes Clinton is a very heavy favorite at this stage, but the primary is not over and there are real issues at stake. Why would Democrats want to abstain from deciding the leader of their party to pick the Republican one?
• I agree with Dara Lind that no liberal should root for Trump because he can’t win the general. It’s not impossible.  But I don’t think that’s the real issue. If Trump is significantly less likely to win than Rubio, then liberals should be rooting for Trump. My guess is that this is true, although arguments about “electability” are really always speculative.
• But, ultimately, these arguments founder on the assumption that Trump would be worse for the country than Rubio or Cruz. I just don’t see it. Substantively, Rubio and Cruz are even worse. And having seen Bush do a heckuva job with New Orleans, Snyder deal with Flint, etc. etc. please don’t tell me that at least Establishment Republicans will provide competent basic governance.  Let’s be clear: there is no scenario in which the Republicans capture the White House that won’t be a disaster, and it’s possible that Trump would be the least disastrous outcome of the three.