Rex Huppke at the Chicago Tribune kindly asked me to answer a few questions for his latest article, “Populist Irritation Doesn’t Have the Same Ring as Populist Rage” – I think it’s a good satirical look at the state of politics in America….more of the same, and more of the same.
Here’s an excerpt:
Over the airwaves and in print, Americans are being told repeatedly that the stumbling economy has transformed the country into a simmering pot of “populist rage.”
Frank Rich at the New York Times posited that “unchecked populist rage” could overrun President Obama’s agenda.
Fareed Zakaria on CNN asked, “So, the populist rage against these million-dollar bonuses and the companies that give them–has it all gone too far?” And “Hardball” host Chris Matthews recently went to a commercial with this tease: “Up next, how should Democrats and Republicans harness this populist rage?
The article continues:
For further clarification, let’s ask an actual populist.
“I wouldn’t say I’m enraged,” said Michael Boldin, co-founder of the California-based Populist Party of America. “I am pretty irritated.”
Populist irritation? No way that’s going to fly with the pundits and headline writers.
Boldin explained that populists like him focus on what is best for the people.
“Virtually everything that the government is doing now is wrong,” Boldin said, referring to the billions in bailout bucks being tossed about. “Almost 180 degrees from that would be the right way to do it. People need to save and be more frugal, and monetary policy needs to chill for a little.”
The main point is that even if people are frustrated, even if people are sick and tired of war, corporatism and violations of their liberty, not much is really changing.
Huppke seems to agree:
Way to go, America. Populist rage finally becomes fashionable and the best we can do is vote angry. Not only are we broke, it appears we’re hopelessly boring.
Way to go, Rex – and thanks for the opportunity to contribute to your article.
3 comments ↓
Yeah all that “rage” dumping some tea into a river and asking for city permits to allow them to do it.
The founders would be ashamed.
Way to go is right. Keep voting in those democrats and republicans, that sure seems to be working!
You guys got that right. Unfortunately, those citizens who think that because they are Republicans or Democrats, their Party is just as righteous or moral as they are, have need to learn a sad truth.
The Party is the Great Corrupter. It doesn’t have to be that way, it just is, and all because of the unmovable faith many have in their Party First mentality.
Party First politics is the way to destruction of freedom.
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