Populism to me is a faith that the public has the capacity to govern without either liberal or conservative elite telling us what to do.
It's really more the concept in general, although I think that the inital agrarian revolt that really sprung the movement is the backbone.
Populism is about what we will and will not allow. Like, I don't often single-issue vote on issues like abortion, because I think that the public will not allow it to become illegal again.
I am angry when I see that the government wants to AMEND the freaking Constitution to define marriage when there is so much more of international importance going on. I don't think that either a Democratic or Republican winner will make the gay marriage issue one way or the other in the next four years--I do have faith that it may be a slow process; people will come to accept it as they did women voting, because the more gay people they're around and the more couples they see, it becomes less of an issue. The bigger fuss is made by each side, the longer it takes. At any rate, I have argued and convinced both right-wing and left-wing that gay marriage is both RIGHT and fiscally responsible. And it didn't take me that long!
I hate the political elite on both sides that tries to tell us what is and is not important based on their agendas. WE can decide what is important and MAKE them do it our way. I hate being patronized and told, "We Harvard men think women should be allowed to make as much money as us." Really? How nice of you.
I think that when it comes to racial issues especially, most PEOPLE don't have them. POLITICS cause them. People all have prejudices, but they're a lot more willing to talk about them in a less rhetorically inflammatory environment. I hate that the Democrats and Republicans have been IT for so long that they will filibuster the other side just on principle--when people need prescription drugs, and retirement plans, and an outline of how we're planning to get out of this mess.
Populism is when we tell our elected officials, "You work for US," and tell them what is important, so instead of bitching and moaning about having two sucky candidates come general election time, people see WHY we have those candidates. Populism sees beyond political parties. Populism reminds politicians that we didn't approve that last raise, and we don't want OUR time wasted while you boys try to decide whose penis is bigger, or who should and shouldn't get married.
Alas, methinks populism is also a pipe dream. I think that if people really FELT what power they can have through action and demand, we'd have moderation and acceptance, instead of allowing cultural rifts caused by people who want us divided because that's how they keep their power.
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It's really more the concept in general, although I think that the inital agrarian revolt that really sprung the movement is the backbone.
Populism is about what we will and will not allow. Like, I don't often single-issue vote on issues like abortion, because I think that the public will not allow it to become illegal again.
I am angry when I see that the government wants to AMEND the freaking Constitution to define marriage when there is so much more of international importance going on. I don't think that either a Democratic or Republican winner will make the gay marriage issue one way or the other in the next four years--I do have faith that it may be a slow process; people will come to accept it as they did women voting, because the more gay people they're around and the more couples they see, it becomes less of an issue. The bigger fuss is made by each side, the longer it takes. At any rate, I have argued and convinced both right-wing and left-wing that gay marriage is both RIGHT and fiscally responsible. And it didn't take me that long!
I hate the political elite on both sides that tries to tell us what is and is not important based on their agendas. WE can decide what is important and MAKE them do it our way. I hate being patronized and told, "We Harvard men think women should be allowed to make as much money as us." Really? How nice of you.
I think that when it comes to racial issues especially, most PEOPLE don't have them. POLITICS cause them. People all have prejudices, but they're a lot more willing to talk about them in a less rhetorically inflammatory environment. I hate that the Democrats and Republicans have been IT for so long that they will filibuster the other side just on principle--when people need prescription drugs, and retirement plans, and an outline of how we're planning to get out of this mess.
Populism is when we tell our elected officials, "You work for US," and tell them what is important, so instead of bitching and moaning about having two sucky candidates come general election time, people see WHY we have those candidates. Populism sees beyond political parties. Populism reminds politicians that we didn't approve that last raise, and we don't want OUR time wasted while you boys try to decide whose penis is bigger, or who should and shouldn't get married.
Alas, methinks populism is also a pipe dream. I think that if people really FELT what power they can have through action and demand, we'd have moderation and acceptance, instead of allowing cultural rifts caused by people who want us divided because that's how they keep their power.
Oops, you said a short answer was okay.