Brooks: Radicalism and pragmatism

David Brooks said some similar things here that I've said recently on the topic. Yes, he's a conservative, but of the kind that needs to be appreciated in negotiating practical political solutions to our crisis. He mentions the kind of  past leaders who translated radical ideas into practical policy, like Lincoln and FDR. This applies to current leaders like Bernie, AOC, The Squad and the progressive caucus. And yes, now Kamala Harris.

"But if you look at who actually leads change over the course of American history, it’s not the radicals. At a certain point, radicals give way to the more prudent and moderate wings of their coalitions. [...] Radicals are not good at producing change because while they are good at shaking up the culture, they don’t have practical strategies to pass legislation when you have to get the support of 50 percent plus one. They also tend to divide the world into good people and bad people. They think they can bring change if they can destroy enough bad people, and so they devolve into a purist, destructive force that offends potential allies. The people who come in their wake and actually make change are conservative radicals. They believe in many of the radicals’ goals, but know how to work within the democratic framework to achieve them."