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Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 01:09 PM Jan 2015

BEWARE: the "Nonpopulist liberalism"

[font size="18"][font color="red"]T[/font][/font]he democratic establishment is preparing
it's "push back" against the rising Populist surge.

There's an article over at the WSJ which informs us as to what
the "Nonpopulist liberals" at the Brookings Institute are thinking.

Of particularly interest is the following:

Populism offers many satisfactions. Its narrative is clear and easy to understand. It identifies villains—corrupt officials, unresponsive bureaucracies, arrogant elites, large corporations, giant banks, immigrants, even the Jews. It legitimizes outrage, the expression of which is one of the greatest human pleasures.

Interesting, right?
William A. Galston is suggesting that Populism is
anti-immigrant, and anti-Semitic?
That's quite a wedge he's put into the Populist Movement!
But why? Who reads the WSJ? Why would those readers
respond to a specious claim of anti-immigrant, and anti-Semitism?

Galston goes on to identify two Nonpopulist democrats...
Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton!

In his controversial post election speech, Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) made the case for a nonpopulist liberalism more interested in diagnosing conditions than in identifying enemies.

“Large forces—technology, automation and globalization—are not inherently malign forces,” he said. The task for Democrats is not to turn back the clock to the fleeting period when the American economy dominated the world. It is rather, Mr. Schumer said, to “figure out ways for the middle class . . . to be able to thrive amidst these forces.”

Huh? He needs to figure out a way for the middle-class to thrive?
Could his credibility go any lower when he feigns confusion
as to why the middle-class is NOT THRIVING?
And the "working-class"... oh well.
He must have forgotten about you?
Hey working-class, you still vote?

On the Democratic side, populist economics has found its voice; not so for nonpopulist liberalism. That is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ’s most important test as she contemplates a presidential run.

Apparently Hillary still needs to "find her voice".
Those "listening tours" must have given her so much
to consider she's still processing and as yet can't address
the economic disparity between the "have almost everything"
and the "have little to none".


There is some comment over at The Democratic Strategist
So there it is folks.
The "nonpopulists" are shaping their message.
Don't be surprised when their talking point turn ugly



16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
1. Is ANYONE surprised? I would like to know how much they have paid which 'security corp' for these
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 01:45 PM
Jan 2015

smears?

Or did they just turn to the Third Way Think tank who are responsible for MOST anti-Left smears?

Just weeks ago, two of the Third Way's board members I believe, wrote an article directly attacking POPULISM and aimed at two people they view as populists, Elizabeth Warren and I believe it may have been Grayson. Will have to check that again.

People need to be WARNED about these deceptive, manipulating thugs who are more in fear of the Left than they are of the Right.

Try to find similar attacks on Republicans from them, it is very hard to do.

Warnings should be issued about the Third Way.

Their recent attack on Populism and Warren didn't go over very well, btw.

And the more of this I see, the more determined I am personally, to reject their candidate, Hillary, regardless of whether she gets the nomination, and any others they are supporting. Schumer eg.

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
2. You just know they're plotting how to exploit this "populist" energy.
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 02:21 PM
Jan 2015

And what they can't exploit, they'll crush.

Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)
3. Just need to illustrate and deconstruct the tactics...
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 02:28 PM
Jan 2015

Avoid arguing or reinforcing their narratives.

When people understand how they are being
manipulated it becomes an emotional issue.

It is useless to argue with facts and reason...
Emotion trumps reason

aspirant

(3,533 posts)
8. A bit more guidance, please
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 08:19 PM
Jan 2015

If we "avoid arguing" won't they respond with, look the populists have no response so you know we're telling you the truth.

How will they know they're being manipulated if we populists don't point it out to the low-information voter?

Why are we always on the defensive? Why aren't we working on all media sources we can to proclaim the corporate loving dems are anti-American(replacing our constitutional judicial system with corporate dictatorship tribunals) Also labeling these corporate dems are anti-jobs, anti-worker with ObamaTrade shipping jobs to Vietnam. Be prepared for crash courses in Vietnamese so you can train your replacements.

Today, corporations = dictatorships

Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)
9. It's about controling the "narrative"
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 08:38 PM
Jan 2015

The "narrative" is the dominant story people
subscribe to in defining their world view.

For example: the right-wing narrative is that THEY are strong,
uber patriots, and "liberals" are weak, un-American, traitors.
You won't sway anyone who buys that narrative with facts or reason.
Arguing the "facts" is proven to cause people to double down
on their deeply held beliefs.

The only immediate remedy is to not reinforce their
narrative, which is what a rebuttal does.
Better yet, change the framing of the issue.

Mayor DeBlasio did exactly that with the infamous ...
"are you going to keep dividing us" frame.
Rather than entertain the right-wing narrative, the mayor re-framed.



See also: George lackoff's informative C-span talk

 

2banon

(7,321 posts)
4. Thanks for the heads up Cosmic Kitty.. watch those talking points lead OP headlines here..
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 07:41 PM
Jan 2015

Neo Liberalism at it's worse.. their's but a dime's difference between them and Neo Conservatives.. what we have to look forward to with up coming horse races and shrieking Washingtonian media spin doctors especially those manufactured from the "Brookings Institute!

Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)
6. It's becoming clear the division in the democratic party...
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 08:10 PM
Jan 2015

is between the Populist wing and the non-populist wing.
The 99% and the 1%

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
10. And the 1% is over represented in the Dem Party, way over represented. That is what
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 08:49 PM
Jan 2015

will have to change if we are to actually have at least a two party system and some representation of the people.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
5. The WSJ has exactly Zero credibility, however........
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 07:48 PM
Jan 2015
These evil miscreants seek to define us. In doing so they hope to undermine any influence we have. They would not go to such extremes unless they feared us.

Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)
7. Defining the opposition is a tactic
Mon Jan 5, 2015, 08:14 PM
Jan 2015

By framing the issues and the opposition
the dominant message controls the narrative.

Change the frame, capture the narrative.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
15. I try to avoid any publication owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 06:17 PM
Jan 2015

So I'm not in a position to say. The WSJ articles cited every morning by the C-Span host are always critical of liberals and their positions—either real or imagined. But I no longer even watch Washington Journal because C-Span appears to be nothing more than a propaganda mechanism.

Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)
16. C-span could be a really great public service...
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 07:02 PM
Jan 2015

to bad it has turned into an extension of the right-wing.

Waiting For Everyman

(9,385 posts)
12. The result would be either niche liberalism or neo-liberalism.
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 03:25 AM
Jan 2015

When so much care is being taken to avoid siding with the interests of the general mass of citizens (i.e., democracy), then by logical default one is siding with elites. This is obvious. I suppose this is why the linked article (as those of that type usually do) downplayed common sense.

If one opposes the general mass of citizens, then of course it follows that a necklace of right-sized interest groups must be strung together in order to (appear to) get elected... not too big -- as to be too effective in empowering too many people too much, but not too small either -- big enough to win a given election, at least sometimes.

(I believe this is why so many phoney Dems hated Howard Dean so much for winning with his 50-state strategy. How dangerous! Omg, we can't have that! )

Bottom line: remove populism from liberalism and what's left is niche liberalism and neo-liberalism. All of this to avoid acting in the interest of the whole population.

Only very confused people would support that, or else those who are paid for.

Non-populist liberals claim the focus should be on finding answers, and yet... they have none! I wonder when these mythical answers are supposed to materialize? They have no legitimate agenda either (much like their pals, the Repubs). I predict a LOT of distraction coming from that wing of the party, paid for by a lot of money. Those two things are all they've got.

Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)
13. interesting points
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 10:33 AM
Jan 2015
Non-populist liberals claim the focus should be on finding answers, and yet... they have none!

Pretty much sums up Schumer's quest for the "BIG ideas".
Apparently a "Living Wage" wouldn't win HUGE in the next election?

Overwhelmingly the Public supports a Populist platform.
Non-populists, neoliberals, are seeking daylight to insert wedges.

The whole "win at any cost"... elect Hillary, because...
the supreme court and reproductive rights, is the best they have.
Expect more of the "if we don't elect Hillary"...
republicans will <insert apocalyptic prediction>!!!1!!!1!11

aspirant

(3,533 posts)
14. "Mythical answers"
Tue Jan 6, 2015, 12:44 PM
Jan 2015

Do you truly feel that they want to find answers? If they can get away with "Hope and Change," "Compassionate Conservative" "I Believe in America" why risk anything?

The repubs and the non-populist liberals are the same and I think some even realize this and help the movement by working inside both parties.

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