Left-Wing Outsiderism Through the Ages

Cartoon from the Boston Globe, re-posted on Politico

As Ceaser and Busch pointed out, outsiderism is nothing new in American politics. In many ways, Bernie Sanders is just the latest reiteration of left-leaning outsiderism. However, Sanders is distinguished from recent outsiders like Brown by his significant electoral success, especially in Iowa and New Hampshire. His loss in more demographically diverse Nevada, on the other hand, may signal that Sanders is doomed to follow in the (losing) footsteps of his liberal outsider predecessors.