Tag: Populism

The self-emasculation of mainstream politics

Here in the Us we have ab election quickly approaching and while the candidates slug it out the rise of populism is barely noticed…..nationalistic fervor is on the rise…..not only in America but in Europe as well…..

The question could be asked with the rise of a form of populism is it doing damage to “mainstream” politics?

Candidates like trump and Sanders are energizing voters like they have not been so in the past…..I pressed an excellent article on this phenom….it is mostly about the EU but it can be applied to the USA as well…..

This triumph of populism is not solely a European problem. In the United States presidential elections often tempt fringe candidates to try their luck, but when the moment of truth comes, responsible people get the top job. For Europeans, similarly, it used to go without saying that though the EU might be confronted by severe threats, overcoming them always led to an even stronger union.

Source: The self-emasculation of mainstream politics | European Council on Foreign Relations

Democratic Primary Makes Clear: A Populist Revolution is Coming

This election, 2016, the newest term that the media is using ad nauseum is …..populist.

Trump has tapped in the is movement on the Right, according to the MSM and Bernie is doing so from the Left….

Again according to the media the country has found a new respect because of their anger with the way the government does business….

So is there a new “populist revolution” on the horizon?

And the answer is……..

The influential economist Thomas Piketty is the most recent trans-Atlantic observer to note that the “incredible success of the ‘socialist’ Bernie Sanders” is indicative of a deeper, populist movement that’s brewing across the United States.

Source: Democratic Primary Makes Clear: A Populist Revolution is Coming | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community

New Hampshire: Populist Uprising – LA Progressive

There is another interesting story about the rise of populism…..this is becoming a gold mine for the media and their overpaid analysts…….I know I posted one  today….but I saw this one and figured it would fit into the conversation nicely…..

You know… the rise of American Populist thought………the candidates that embrace it…….

Source: New Hampshire: Populist Uprising – LA Progressive

And you thoughts are?

New Hampshire: The Triumph of Populism

Iowa…..done!  New Hampshire…..done!  South Carolina awaits!

The media has been all over the 2016 election…..you see they have a new way to spin the angst of the American voter…..they are constantly talking about the new populism trend in American attitudes…..

This is the best thing that could happen so far in the election process….it gives the media something to focus on that they can spin, hype and exaggerate out of all proportion……

But is this populism really something to be proud of or something to be concerned over…..

The results of the New Hampshire primary are in, and the big winner is the new populism: that mysterious pro-“outsider” phenomenon that has the political class in a panic, and which no one has adequately defined – including its current practitioners. Donald Trump’s vote total of nearly 35 percent is impressive enough, but his two-to-one […]

Source: New Hampshire: The Triumph of Populism – Antiwar.com Original by — Antiwar.com

Whatcha think?

The empire strikes back: Salon.com

The Political-Media Empire has lost all control over the news and they are striking back to regain the control over the process that they have lost in the first couple of months of the political cycle.

I mean Jeb has a ga-zillion bucks in his PACs waiting for the best time to strike……and then there is Bernie whose average donation is $31.00……

No modern candidate can run a legit campaign without help from a super PAC with deep pockets, yes? The New York Times reports that Bernie Sanders is providing a real test of that accepted wisdom. He’s managed to build a “formidable” sum of $15.2 million while eschewing super PACs, with the average donation to his campaign at $31.30. The vast majority of that total comes from small donations routed through the ActBlue website, which handles donations for Democrats. Sanders knows he will still be widely outspent, but thinks he’ll have plenty of money to run a smart, frugal, and “winning” campaign.

The MSM cannot stand the fact that Bernie is doing so well without the use of Super PACs….and then there is Trump who is using his own cash and does not bow to a Super PAC…….it is as if these candidates do not need the MSM…..and that cannot be tolerated.

The popularity of Sanders and Trump has the media scratching their heads…..they pushed Jeb and Hillary for over a year and yet the people do not seem to be interested in their choices given by the media….

The MSM has got to take back the control over the process…..

 

The empire strikes back: The media-political elite’s campaign to destroy Bernie (and Trump) and restore order – Salon.com.

Dear Democrats: Populism Will Not Save You. – NationalJournal.com

The media has been pushing the term “Populism” for almost a year……both the GOP and the Dems have their own brands of populism……and 2016 may be the populists movement election……or maybe not……..

I have watched the Dems go from the Clinton centric BS to one of class issues……but is it a winning strategy for 2016?

In my mind I think NOT!  Why?  When the campaigns gear up for the final push to the vote the propaganda boyz and girlz will go all out to make any topic like inequality as some sort of plot from days past….

Of course situations can change by election day and all bets will be off……but for now I do not think the Dems have a winning strategy as of yet……(Believe me I do hope I am wrong on this)…….

 

Dear Democrats: Populism Will Not Save You. – NationalJournal.com.

Can a New Populist Movement Fight Off American Oligarchy? | Common Dreams

There are many that see the uptick in populist thinking as something good……and others that seem to be afraid of it…….regardless of which side you are on….we all have to admit that things are not gong well in our beloved country…..but can populism save us from ourselves?

This is an important subject….please give us your feelings on this……..

 

Can a New Populist Movement Fight Off American Oligarchy? | Common Dreams.

A Populist Behind Every Tree

Today I would like to drop out of Hyper-space and into the reality of the nether world of American politics….no matter how hard I try to avoid writing about it…….I cannot escape the pull of the force……..

Okay, in today’s political climate there is not much that the two sides can agree on…….we know there is NO consensus on immigration or healthcare or …….well just about anything……but believe it or not there is an exception to the rule……that’s right…..while you were jumping up and down about Benghazi or keystone of the ACA…….the two sides are closer together on one subject……economic populism.

We need to establish a new group…..economic freedom fighters…..and you can take that any way you would chose……this new found consensus has 6 principles that bind the two sides together…….

This list is from commondreams.org…….written by Robert Reich, the former sec of labor………

…………the rhetoric that’s converging. Populists on the right and left are also coming together around six principles:

1. Cut the biggest Wall Street banks down to a size where they’re no longer too big to fail. Left populists have been advocating this since the Street’s bailout now they’re being joined by populists on the right. David Camp, House Ways and Means Committee chair, recently proposed an extra 3.5 percent quarterly tax on the assets of the biggest Wall Street banks (giving them an incentive to trim down). Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter wants to break up the big banks, as does conservative pundit George Will. “There is nothing conservative about bailing out Wall Street,” says Rand Paul.

2. Resurrect the Glass-Steagall Act, separating investment from commercial banking and thereby preventing companies from gambling with their depositors’ money. Elizabeth Warren has introduced such legislation, and John McCain co-sponsored it. Tea Partiers are strongly supportive, and critical of establishment Republicans for not getting behind  it. “It is disappointing that progressive collectivists are leading the effort for a return to a law that served well for decades,” writes the Tea Party Tribune. “Of course, the establishment political class would never admit that their financial donors and patrons must hinder their unbridled trading strategies.”

3. End corporate welfare – including subsidies to big oil, big agribusiness, big pharma, Wall Street, and the Ex-Im Bank. Populists on the left have long been urging this; right-wing populists are joining in. Republican David Camp’s proposed tax reforms would kill dozens of targeted tax breaks. Says Ted Cruz: “We need to eliminate corporate welfare and crony capitalism.”

4. Stop the National Security Agency from spying on Americans. Bernie Sanders and other populists on the left have led this charge but right-wing populists are close behind. House Republican Justin Amash’s amendment, that would have defunded NSA programs engaging in bulk-data collection, garnered 111 Democrats and 94 Republicans last year, highlighting the new populist divide in both parties. Rand Paul could be channeling Sanders when he warns: “Your rights, especially your right to privacy, is under assault… if you own a cellphone, you’re under surveillance.”

5. Scale back American interventions overseas. Populists on the left have long been uncomfortable with American forays overseas. Rand Paul is leaning in the same direction. Paul also tends toward conspiratorial views about American interventionism. Shortly before he took office he was caught on video claiming that former vice president Dick Cheney pushed the Iraq War because of his ties to Halliburton.

6. Oppose trade agreements crafted by big corporations. Two decades ago Democrats and Republicans enacted the North American Free Trade Agreement. Since then populists in both parties have mounted increasing opposition to such agreements. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, drafted in secret by a handful of major corporations, is facing so strong a backlash from both Democrats and tea party Republicans that it’s nearly dead. “The Tea Party movement does not support the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” says Judson Philips, president of Tea Party Nation. “Special interest and big corporations are being given a seat at the table” while average Americans are excluded.

Since the Right and the left are close to agreeing on these……it would be a great place to start the change that this country desperately needs……….but then the aftermath would be dazzling…..talk about a divide……will be worth the price of the ride………

Your thoughts, please.

Populism By Any Other Name

College of Political Knowledge

Subject:  Political Theory

Oh boy, a new year and new crap to report!

There seems to be a ground swell (at last according to the MSM) on a little known and less understood political theory of POPULISM.

The term is batted around like there is no tomorrow….but what is it?  Is it creeping socialism?  Or maybe a trip down a road we would not like?  Just what is this new form of political thought?

Let me do the work for you…..please give your Google finger a rest….I am sure that it is overworked because it is easier than reading……

Populism is a political philosophy which focuses on standing up for the rights and positions of the common people as opposed to the elite and the government. Several political movements around the world have promoted populist ideals. When used to describe political rhetoric, an individual or a political party, the term often carries pejorative connotations, and “populism” has become a loaded word to many people.

For the Common Man

The key ideal behind populism is that the common man should have a chance in society and an active role in government. Populist movements generally divide society into “the people” and “the elite,” with individuals who have limited power being considered the people and individuals who have clout being among the elite. The elite typically are wealthy and often use their wealth to influence the political system while accruing more wealth. Populists typically feel that the government protects the interests of the elite, not the needs of the common people, and they want that to change.

In Support of Democracy

People who espouse populism generally support democratic systems and believe that democracy is the best way for the people to play a role in the government. Although they promote the welfare of the common man, populists tend to shy away from socialism and extreme liberalism. Politicians from various political parties or viewpoints can be involved in populism, and politicians might accuse each other of pandering or playing to populism in an attempt to get support and votes.

For the Greatest Good

These sorts of political movements are designed to encourage governments and society in general to work to provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people. This might be achieved through policies and pieces of legislation that support ordinary people. Populist movements, however, often reject policy suggestions such as living-wage mandates, public assistance and government-sponsored healthcare, even though these policies are often designed to help the members of the public who are most in need.

Negative Uses

Some people are fond of using the terms “populist” and “populism” in descriptions of public outcry over political events. People might be said to be “erupting in populist rage” when they lodge complaints about flagrant abuses of power among the elite or when there is backlash against a government pushing through legislation that does little to benefit the lower and middle classes. In this sense, these terms might be pejorative in nature and are often used to suggest that the public is too ignorant or short-sighted to understand what is really taking place.

There you have a concise and yet simple definition that anyone can grasp….well just about anyone.

It seems that populism does not conform to traditional Right/Left paradigm……the Tea Party is said to be a populist movement…..meaning that it is suppose to be all about the rights and the need of the people.  People like Rand Paul have been labeled a “populist” and even Ted Cruz is being seen as such.  It appears that the extreme Right of the GOP is being seen as “populists”.

And then there is the Left version of populism….aka the Occupy Movement….it is all about the need for democracy, true democracy and the work of the common people against the Wall Street elites that are doing as they please without any constraints.  On the Left people like Eliz. Warren and Bernie Sanders are called “populists”…..I guess we could say it is the extreme Left of the Dem. Party.

All eyes have been locked on Hillary Clinton in relation to the 2016 Democratic nomination. However, could 2016 be similar to 2008 when an up-and-coming candidate to Clinton’s left beat her out of the top spot? Supporters of progressive-minded politicians like Elizabeth Warren, Senator from Massachusetts, certainly think so. Report from the Washington Post: For […]

Read more of this post

George Wallace was a populist……..the Black Panther Party was a populist movement…..and even Mao’s Cultural Revolution can be seen as populist movements….my point is that to call something a populist movement is just BS……basically, to me, it is nothing more than an anti-intellectual movement that depends on slogans and half ass science as its roots….it is party politics with a new name to avoid being type cast……

Who’s The Populist?

The GOP is trying to be a milder, kinder face on the party these days….well at least the supposed leaders, that is…….mellowing their message and trying to appear more “populist” than they really…..they are jumping on the minority voter bandwagon, the immigration and the women’s bandwagon…..but after listening to them for a week or so…I ask just what part of their plans sound “populist”?

Do you even know what a populist is?

Populism–any of various, often antiestablishment or anti-intellectual political movements or philosophies that offer unorthodox solutions or policies and appeal to the common person rather than according with traditional party or partisan ideologies.

Digest that for a minute.

One of the most famous populists of all time was Huey Long, governor of Louisiana and here is what he ran on…………

Number one, we propose that every family in America should at least own a homestead equal in value to not less than one third the average family wealth. The average family wealth of America, at normal values, is approximately $16,000. So our first proposition means that every family will have a home and the comforts of a home up to a value of not less than around $5,000 or a little more than that.

Number two, we propose that no family shall own more than three hundred times the average family wealth, which means that no family shall possess more than a wealth of approximately $5 million—none to own less than $5,000, none to own more than $5 million. We think that’s too much to allow them to own, but at least it’s extremely conservative.

Number three, we propose that every family shall have an income equal to at least one third of the average family income in America. If all were allowed to work, there’d be an income of from $5,000 to $10,000 per family. We propose that one third would be the minimum. We propose that no family will have an earning of less than around $2,000 to $2,500 and that none will have more than three hundred times the average less the ordinary income taxes, which means that a million dollars would be the limit on the highest income.

Does any of that sound like populism of today?  Personally, I do not like the word populist because it has been misused for too long.  Likewise the use of progressive to describe a liberal……it may be PC today but they are two different political animals….

In the truest sense of the term, the GOP can never be a populist movement, not with the issues it champions today.