Regardless, what is clear is that Biden would rather placate his base than keep Never Trump conservatives on board. Yet, just as one could point to conservative-leaning voters’ refusal to support Trump as having cost him the presidency, one could make the case that Never Trump conservatives elected Biden president.

As recently as July, a New York Times analysis of a new Pew Research Center report concluded that “Mr. Biden prevailed by making significant inroads among moderate or conservative constituencies,” including married men and veteran households. As I noted at the time, the data suggests that Biden won the election by making inroads with traditionally center-right constituencies by broadening his base of support—as opposed to winning by juicing traditionally Democratic constituencies.

The truth is that all politicians have to balance base turnout with persuasion. But both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party seem hellbent on the former and completely apathetic to the latter.

Meanwhile, we have a vital chunk of gettable voters just sitting out there waiting for a sane, centrist party that won’t lie to them—a competent party that isn’t evil and doesn’t take them for granted. It’s like both sides are singing those Green Day lyrics, “I want to be the minority,” but since someone has to win, one side will.