NYC Letter: Overwhelmed By Awesomeness, Part IV Redux

Day 47 of CHOPE

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear.

President Obama,
ushering in the fearless age
Inaugural Address
WASHINGTON January 21, 2009 (White House)

Republicans have made no secret of their wish to blame Obama for the bad economy, and to stir up as much populist rage against his so-called socialist tendencies as politically possible. History shows how effective demagogic ravings can be when a public is stressed economically. Make no mistake: Angry right-wing populism lurks just below the surface of the terrible American economy, ready to be launched not only at Obama but also at liberals, intellectuals, gays, blacks, Jews, the mainstream media, coastal elites, crypto socialists, and any other potential target of paranoid opportunity.

Robert Reich,
mini-advisor to Mr. Obama
on the economy and scary monsters
March 5, 2009 (Slate)

[Hat tip: JammieWearingFool]

Mr. Reich's philippic prompts so many questions.

So-called socialist tendencies? What exactly would Mr. Reich call government buyouts of private enterprises, government appropriation of the dynamics of the economy, and government expending the credit of the commonweal?

Populist rage? Populism is "a political strategy based on a calculated appeal to the interests or prejudices of ordinary people", which is to say the grist of electoral politics. In Mr. Reich's small worldview "angry right-wing populism" is a danger to all. But where was Mr. Reich's dire warning against "angry left-wing populism" (and this) that openly sought the failure of the preceding presidency? Well, there was none because Mr. Reich along with Democrat fellow travelers pointedly rode that anger to the White House (and majorities in the House and Senate).

So what is Mr. Reich up to? [Pause.] He is pre-establishing the patsy for the failure of the president's policies. When the CHOPE falls away and it becomes obvious to all that the government cannot spend its way to prosperity, to economic health, Mr. Reich will pop up again to say, "There, you see, 'angry right-wing populism' queered the recovery."

This, of course, is nonsense. Mr. Obama's policies will fail of themselves. And it will not be "angry right-wing populism" that heralds it. It will be a bankrupt citizenry who has gotten little for its money other than more government, a gutted 401K, and a standard of living on par with Slovenia.

America is not in danger of brown-shirt populism, but Democrats are in danger of a 2010 route after irresponsible governance since 2006 and no one else to blame since 2009. Mr. Reich notwithstanding.

CHOPE.

Partisan success. Partisan failure. Partisan cowering.