There is ONE HOPE for avoiding an economic & cultural meltdown and electoral disaster in 2010.

[Faryn Balyncd]

Re-igniting the progressive populist movement that started in the Dean 2004 campaign, and which resulted in Barack Obama's 2008 victory.


Without this grassroots progressive populist energy, we will lose the middle class and what is left of labor. A federal mandate to purchase an inadequate, overpriced, and unaffordable product from predatory and corrupt corporations will, contrary to the beliefs of our party "leadership", simply put the nail in our collective coffin.


A populist movement of some sort -- constructive or destructive -- is always a consequence of economic meltdowns.


We now have two options: We can either re-kindle a genuine progressive populism, or stand by while we lose millions of 2008 Obama voters to a destructive pseudo-populist of the demagogic right.


Unfortunately, President Obama shows little inclination, and is rapidly squandering the ability, to lead such a progressive populist movement.


So where do we go from here?


And who will lead?

[still_one]

1. It all depends where their interest really lies /nt

[Richardo]

2. ...you go to 15% of the electorate

Enjoy the ride.

[Fumesucker]

4. You think mandated private insurance will *help* Democrats in 2010 and '12?

I think that making the IRS the enforcer for the health insurance giants will create a generation that will hate Democrats even worse than the teabaggers do.

People, particularly low income people, are terrified of the IRS.

[Zodiak]

10. Populists in the party know this

DLC types....not so much.

Being closer to the people means that you might have an idea of what will piss them off. Mandated insurance forced down their throats by the government with the IRS enforcing it is as a nightmare for the little guy no matter what his politics. Subsidies that do not cover 100% of the cost of premiums and have no controls over copays, etc. are going to put a squeeze on a lot of people.

They will get mad, and then find out their insurance company is now found in South Dakota, which just passed the least stringent insurance regulations of all 50 states...the little guy will have no recourse (hypothetical based on the bill's allowance for insurance companies to sell across state lines).

And the HHS Secretary is in charge of this regulation. You KNOW both parties like to put industry people in Cabinet positions to regulate their own industries. So great....Republican president = NO regulation. Nice job, Democrats. And what's more...the government doesn't work meme will be floated...as Repukes ALWAYS do when in office.

All of these little guys will blame the Democrats, who they will REMEMBER did not do a thing to stop this travesty from happening, and then signed the bill with a smile so they could pat each other on the back. This over the objections of the people according to polls.

And then the Republicans will remind them that they were against this from day one....and the rest will be history. A really, really, bad one. Democrats out in the wilderness...with he DLC rubber stamping everything the Republicans want. And the liberals even further out in the wilderness, with no party to call home. Not to mention that the "small increments" are far from enough to avert a national economic disaster...and so that will become an inevitability.

The Democrats are sewing the seeds of their own destruction, the return of the Republicans, and the ultimate collapse of this country with this strategy. It is stupid, infurating, and depressing all at once.

[Fumesucker]

12. DLC types don't know it largely because they are upper middle to upper class..

Already have good insurance and also by and large have the wherewithal to fight the IRS should it come to that.

It's not the upper class that's terrified of the IRS, it's the lower class who can't fight them because they lack the resources to do so if the IRS comes after them.

[Zodiak]

13. Yup

It's attack of the gentrified.

Oh well...before pride comes the fall.

[truedelphi]

18. This is way bigger than just poor people or marginalized people being hassled.

This industry-serving government is planning on receiving ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SIX BILLION bucks from We the People in the way of penalites, in just six years (2013 to 2019)

This is going to make so many people angry.

Oh and this was done so that the government could make it affordable to "subsidize" certain people.

Well why the heck

not stop the wars and the munitions and the Penatgon. Put that 636 Billion to work for the People and then this nation would be a good place to live.

[Faryn Balyncd]

6. When a majority of Americans cannot afford mandated coverage, "15%" becomes a enraged 60%.

[truedelphi]

19. + 1 n/t

[girl gone mad]

8. Better than the ~5% who support Wall St. bailouts and mandated health coverage. n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

3. "a destructive pseudo-populist of the demagogic right" = Sarah Palin

Do the math. The assholes are not worried because the election is far away and there's nothing coming down the pike that even remotely resembles a viable challenger.

[Faryn Balyncd]

11. There is enomous populist anger which will find expression, either constructively or destructively..

Maybe some don't see the anointed demagogue on the horizon now, but the there is a vast pool of wannabes.


If we close our eyes to the present pain, or worse, perversely increase it by misguided and corrupted "reforms", we, and our nation, will pay an enormous price.

[xiamiam]

5. if obama said, i've changed my mind and have decided to not escalate afghanistan

bring home all the troops from iraq and spend that money on fixing america and healthcare and foreclosures..now that would give me hope..until then...

[Faryn Balyncd]

7. The SILENT "UN-RECers" have struck!!

(Sowing constructive ideas everywhere they squat.)

[davidwparker]

9. I'm hoping Howard Dean runs in 2012. We need health care reform.

[bvar22]

14. K&R

I can't believe the Centrist/DLC Democrats don't see this.
I BELIEVE they don't care.

THEY would rather have a Republican in office than a genuine Working Class Democrat.

After all, the DLC (Obama included) and the Republicans both work for the same employer.

This is just one more Smash & Grab for the Top 1%.
Republican or "Centrist Democrat"?
Doesn't matter to the Money People.

[KakistocracyHater]

20. it really has become the Right & the Other Right

after all......

[leftstreet]

15. K&R

[Union Yes]

16. Big KNR! nt

[Waiting For Everyman]

17. K&R Very true.

Left populists + right populists = a majority. (at least theoretically, if it could be done well enough)

An extra problem now would be, if the huge goodwill for Obama turns to cynicism. It would be harder for any leftish political re-direction to catch on - led by him, or anybody else. Then again, maybe not. Maybe the disaffection would turn into increased energy for real anti-corporate change. After all, our backs are to the wall - it's survival at stake now.

Of course we should try though. That's a no-brainer.