From Populist Rage to Revolution

[statusquobuster]

Americans clearly are capable of being outraged. Missing, however, is a sustained, vibrant demand for deep reforms of our political and government system. You hear a lot about populist rage these days, especially connected to the AIG bonus debacle. But populist rage as a reflection of class conflict and anger about our economic meltdown does not necessarily make a political revolution. The saddest thing about Obama winning the presidency was that his change message drained what might have been sufficient national energy for true revolutionary political reforms.

With the Bush-corrosion of our Constitution and collapse of the economic system after it had been exploited by the rich and corrupt, what better time for revolution? Instead, we got a president with a glib tongue, a terrific smile and a deep commitment to the two-party plutocracy and corporate state. Obama is no populist, not even close. Nor is he a genuine reformer. At best, he is a master exploiter of populism.

Read the rest of my article at:

From Populist Rage to Revolution

 

[American]

The colonists took many many years of abuse before the Revolution.

 

[Hannou]

That's the thing - get too ornery, some politico will see that as a chance to get cart-blanche for himself. I mean, this anti-Bush thing man-for-man, I'm convinced, is more hipster-ism, and Obama's got it and is running up the field like a rape-date with it.

That rattlesnake in the 'don't tread on me' flag is making more and more sense - you know it's preposterous to think, even in democracy, one can just spout off and get a desirable effect - we gotta draw a line and hold it.

 

[joko104]

If people get angry enough they are going to post even more angry messages on the Internet. People aren't going to actually do anything no matter what happens.

 

[StandUpChuck]

The colonists took many many years of abuse before the Revolution.

And even then only 1/3 of the colonists supported revolution.

Americans have gotten too lazy to fight our own revolutions.