Populism - Good or Bad ??

[kentuck]

Populism is almost always couched in language against the status quo. In a way, that is what the Tea Party is doing right now. Unknowingly, they are against the status quo which they enthusiastically helped to create.

Would a language of populism help Barack Obama and the Democrats right now? I tend to think it would. However, the populist language would come from the left of the Party and they have denounced the "professional left", believing they are detrimental to their cause?

What are the effects of populism? It tends to get people emotionally involved. Once they are emotionally involved, they are more likely to vote. Once they are more likely to vote, they are more likely to vote Democratic. Simply because, the truth has a liberal bias.

Only two months until the election, the Democrats have time to play the "populism" card. They could recruit the left of the Party and it would be of great political benefit to them. But they seem inclined to keep their distance from the left?

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. the Democrats have time to play the "populism" card....

...and attack the Jews on Wall Street who take your money, and the Catholics and other foreigners that take your job, the urban centers full of lazy colored people, and the pointy-headed intellectuals who run the whole show.

The last populist in this country to make much of an impact was George Wallace.

There are some things even winning elections don't make worth doing.

[Vincardog]

3. Do you really believe that "populism" = Anti Semitic race bater? I don't

[kentuck]

4. What a confused definition you have?

Are you listening to the President right now? He is talking populism. He is talking to the people. If he keeps this up for the next few weeks, the Democrats will keep the House and the Senate, I guarantee.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. David Duke ran..

..for president in '88 on the Populist Party ticket.

Liberal lion, he.

[kentuck]

6. He was no populist.

He was a racist.

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. I would maintain...

...then, that a term that can mean so many, and so opposed, things doesn't mean anything at all, and should be retired.

[kentuck]

8. You would be wrong...

and I would bet most of the folks here would disagree with you if there was a vote.

[Davis_X_Machina]

10. A lot of people believing something silly...

...doesn't un-sillify it.

"Populism" is sufficiently incoherent a term, and has applied to so many different people with diametrically opposed opinions -- Pat Buchanan and Jim Hightower both used it of themselves, as did their supporters, at the same time, FDR and Huey Long, ditto; Ralph Nader and David Duke, ditto -- that its continued use performs no useful purpose.

But I suppose if the left wants or needs a meaningless empty bag of a label, it will do. The right has the word 'conservatism' to perform that function -- it doesn't actually mean anything any more, either.

[kentuck]

11. They are calling Obama's speech today a populist speech...

What do you think of that?

[Davis_X_Machina]

12. It's a big-p and small -p Progressive speech...

...it's in the FDR mold, a speech clearly informed by a sense of social justice, a old-fashioned liberal speech, a speech in the social-democratic tradition, a throwback to the language of the New Deal, a speech stolen under cover of darkness from the archives in Independence, Missouri -- those all mean something.

A 'populist' speech could cover anything from King at the Lincoln Memorial to Buchanan at the Astrodome.

It's lazy, bumper-sticker reportage, and I don't like it.

[kentuck]

14. You are entitled to your opinion.

and I will keep mine.

[eilen]

15. Populism is too general a descriptive

One can also describe the Tea Party as a populist party.

[kentuck]

16. FDR was a populist...

But just calling yourself a populist does not make it so. The Repubs call themselves "fiscal conservatives" also....

[provis99]

17. no, FDR was a liberal.

from his era, people like Huey Long and Rev. Coughlin were populists. Pat Buchanan is a typical populist of today.

[kentuck]

18. That, too.

Father Coughlin was a populist like Limbaugh is a populist. He was a propagandist. Huey Long was a "populist" albeit an extreme one.

[madrchsod]

19. you`re right...i have a speech my grandfather gave in the 20`s

big banks,big railroads,and foreigners...yup nothing much has changed but the name of the enemy.

huey long was a populist.hell the teabaggers could be populists.

interesting the media used the 'populist' label instead of the 'progressive' label is`t it...

[Vincardog]

2. If they get any further from the left they will have to register as GOP

[lumberjack_jeff]

9. Good. We need to do more of it.

When we don't, the assholes do.

[OHdem10]

13. Good Populism is a good thing. Obama is using Populism

effectively. Keep it up.

There is a dark populism which the Republican use,
applying hate and wedge issues.

We must use good populism (of the people) to counter
the Rights dark populism.

[kentuck]

20. I can't believe some folks want to turn "populism" into a negative term...

The way the Repubs were able to turn "liberal" into a negative word. It only happens if we permit it. Populism is what Obama was talking today. It can be used for negative as well as positive purposes. I think if the President can wake some voters up and get them emotionally involved and they go to the polls and vote and that keeps the Repubs out of power, that would be a positive populism. Just my opinion.

[DirkGently]

21. Yes. And if the term has been too sorely abused, it should be reclaimed

And rehabilitated. "Liberalism" is certainly no more abused, confused, and degraded.