That is exactly what I was trying to say to Brian. Hungry, jobless, hopeless people will begin to take what they need or feel they need under a perfect storm set of circumstances. It does not have to be the scary right wingers and if I were Brian I would stay out of the way of some of the flash mobs because I do not think his political belief system will save him from the mob. Demonizing the right might make him feel safe and smug, but it is just his inability to see the big picture.
SK and Econ. Thanks for the econ. review. You all make my head hurt in a good way. I think you are both brilliant, but the voters will not care. They will vote based on perception, and if they think they need a strong man to get them through these times, then that is what they will look for. Whoever creates the image that they will be better off than they are now will probably get their vote. It really does not boil down to who started the big pump priming give away and I know there is a poll out that still has a high margin blaming Bush for our woes. (Mix up woes and you get owes). Anyway, for voters whether it is chickens in the pot or a flat screen they will go with the guy (not sure about the gal) that “creates” the impression they will be better, safer, etc.
If Obama cannot undue his weak leader and lack of ability to turn around the economy image, he will be done. His brilliant oratory, his Harvard law school, his good looking suits, and his nice looking family notwithstanding; people want to feel better and to be in a better position than they are now. For those in the highest tax categories, most of them will be able to evade paying as much as the middle class does. So I am expecting one of the candidates to propose some serious tax reform. Not sure who, but I am expecting it.
Not that I want this interesting thread to end, but I have to say the H. word. Hitler made a lot of promises to Germany and the perception by the people that he was going to make them a strong country and the fact that he delivered on those promises helped get him elected. I am not saying Obama has anything to do with Hitler. What I am saying is he made a lot of promises and he has not delivered, blaming Bush (whether true or not), the weather and tsunamis in Japan, still does not take the onus from him. He is the bus driver at this time and he will be blamed if the economy continues to deteriorate. Not anything political, it is similar to what happened to Hoover and Carter. Bottom line most voters are not that well informed of underlying issues or facts, they vote with their feelings not with logic.
One more thing to Brian, you need to give up using
Alinsky’s rule about the right: “Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.” You need some new material.
