POPULISM—NOT A BAD WORD

The President of the European Union recently warned about “the rise of populism” like it was some kind of infectious disease we had to be alert to avoid.  Populism is being used as a political insult or disparaging epithet by the left who suggest that the practitioners (of populism) are somehow related to the likes of Mussolini or that other mid-twentyith-century dictator.  Frequently, the MSM attempt to class  Mr. Trump as a “populist”.

Populism is defined as: a political stance that emphasizes the needs of “the people”, the term often referrs to  the average Joe and Jane working-class taxpayer.  “Populism” often juxtaposes the needs and desires of these “people” with those of the “elites” or the “establishment”.

What is wrong with that?  Populism seems to me a return to what democracy should be...the rule of the “demos” or the people.  That is a government which attempts to meet the needs and concerns of the majority of the people. It  seems to this author that the “elites” may have forgotten that.  They keep referring to populism as a “THREAT” to democracy.  No,  they are the threat to democracy.  what they prefer is a form of oligarchy.

Let is not forget that when governments get so large and so distant from their constituents, the representatives  (such as in DC or Brussels) are apt to make decisions which they find satisfactory to their personal agenda, often underplaying  and ignoring  the needs and wishes of those who sent them into office.  Big governments, corrupted with corporate money, shot-through with nepotism, plagued with an entrenched bureaucracy, and led by a cadre of entrenched, networking, revolving -door-official elites is too often incapable and uninterested in serving the “people”.  These deep-state government elements become —in their minds. ”the government” and begin self-replicating and self-serving behaviors which they rationalize as “best for the people” as they feather their own nests.  In the modern state, too often an elite minority have sidelined the people they are supposed to serve and for all intents and purposes serve themselves.  These bureaucrats feel beholden to none other than their own.  Political threats of change from reformers or “swamp drainers” are viewed as an existential threat to their cushy jobs and the nepotism, emoluments and corruption which characterizes their tenure. This corruption of the goal of government for the people and by the people inevitably leads to dissatisfaction and popular revolt—that some would call as a “rise of populism”.  Yes populism is a fearful specter to the corrupt elites in DC and Brussels...but it is a refreshing breeze of change toward democracy to the decent people in the heartland.

Populism is good thing!