College of Political Knowledge
Professor’s Classroom
Paper #26
Here is a subject that absolutely NO one has any idea what I am talking about! In 2008, Obama was a semi-populist and Edwards was the populist voice and now it is Palin and Bachmann and the Tea Baggers, as a whole that is the populist voice of America. But what is the Populist Voice?
Populism is a political stance, basically, that means an appeal to “the people”. It is a modern device of political activity. And as an extreme form tries to use the US Constitution in a way to block any and all legislation that they do not agree with. A voice against a supposed opponent, like foreigners, outsiders and especially the “elite”. The later describes that appeal; of the populist voice of today….they are fighting against the elite, as they see it.
One way to fight the elite, in the populist frame of mind, is to state that they speak for the “people”…the use of unclear expressions and catch phrases with NO clear decisions on how to repair a situation.
But as populism has grown it has become more about political opportunism than anything else. The use of “the people” as a tool to further an agenda….not necessarily for the good of the country but rather the good of a political movement….it depends heavily on the fact that most Americans are low information voters or one issue voters and as such can be molded into political force….a force that has NO foot in reality.
For instance, the populist Tea Party is still having people echo that the present admin is raising their taxes….when in actuality most Americans taxes have gone down….but that does not matter to these people……if Obama is a Dem then he MUST be raising taxes, is their thinking……..
As usual, today’s populism is short on solutions and short on principles but long on slogans, generalities and misinformation….none of which is good for American democracy.
Yes. Good points. Populism is, of course, really only a catch-phrase and when anyone in democratic politics as it is today talks about “the people” the first question that should be asked is, WHICH people? All politicians (almost without exception) and most certainly all political groups, parties and movements only (at best) represent some faction or other! 🙁
yes…..that is what I wish more people would recognize…..the use of “the people” is NEVER the people but rather some vague lumping of like thinkers….
True democracy probably isn’t possible because (as I think george Washington is misquoted as saying) “you can’t please all of the people all of the time” – it’s simply an impossibility.
The fact is, though, if you rely on a confrontational system, you will always have this situation where even a small, powerful group will claim to represent the “will of the people” and be, strictly speaking, truthful – even if there are only ten “people” with that “will”!!!
I do not think Washington had that much insight….all I have seen is that he was a humorless over-bearing egotist……sounds more like PT Barnum……”s sucker born every minute” fame….
Yes, we as a country have strayed far from the compromise type of government that was first intended and yes, small groups with lots of money can take a country like the US and bring it to a standstill……..
Sorry – it was of course Abraham Lincoln – the true quote is (as I’m sure you know) is along the lines of “you can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”
Sounds about right to me (if a little on the optimistic side of things), though I’m not sure how large the group is who can’t be fooled all the time… I mean – there’s you and me (on a good day)… and Chris and… er… oh, well… you know what I mean.
😈
Unfortunately, I do know what you mean…look at the Tea Party kooks…….or the birthers who have 47% of the Repubs believing Obama was not born in the US……these people just amaze me….on a good day….