More accurate word for "populism" : "assholism"

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. .

But I certainly think populism has a place in politics, particularly progressive politics.

It does, absolutely, because the concept of progressive politics relies on the idea that the "ordinary" Americans are being taken advantage of by evil, greedy un-American billionaires, and that holding one group as more worthy over the other will correct that dynamic.

The country is ALREADY divided between the rich and poor... so identifying "ordinary hard working Americans" as the US-Group is appropriate while calling the "wealthy billionaires" the OTHER-Group...

But populism doesn't always divide on rich and poor. Economic populism does.

Populists highlight and contrast the two groups to motivate groups of supporters.

Right, which is why I said "Populism and assholism is pretty synonymous. Populism always requires an 'other' no matter what flavor it is." Sometimes the "other" is racialized. Sometimes it's genderized. Sometimes it's conceptualized around class or economic standing. But no matter what, it always depends on the idea that some people are The People, and others are not.