My favorite political writer, Jim Hightower, nails it in his latest newsletter when describing ‘REAL’ populists over ‘WANNABE’ populists like RUSH, DOBBS and Gingrich. In fact, cartoonist, Matt Wuerker does a toon in the lastest issue which he calls DOBBS a WASPulist. LMAO. I just call him a fucking racist. Anyway the statement;
First of all, populism is not a style, nor is it a synonym for “popular outrage.” It is a historically grounded political doctrine (and movement) that supports ordinary folks in their ongoing democratic fight against the moneyed
elites.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
True populism as articulated by WJ Bryan also was strongly in support of Prohibition as well as a universal rejection of Darwinism, to which the Republican’s of his day responded by calling him a religous whacko who would wreck the Economy. He also was a huge backer of the Harris Tax act, which was the early law that led to today’s War on Drugs.
He never sat in the big boy chair, but ironically, Bryan became a very rich man by charging $500 a speech plus a cut of tickets sold. Held a record for most speeches given/words spoken IIRC.
So yes, he’s the perfect father of the Populist movement, as he was totally full of shit.
Nope, wrong again, Sy. Populism started in the late 1870’s with a quibble over free coinage and silver, it caught on by 1890’s when the Populist Party (formed by farmers and workers) reshaped the national political debate, forced progressive reforms, and delivered a million votes (and four states) to the party’s 1892 presidential candidate, and elected 10 populist governors, six US senators and three dozen house members.
I am not wrong, Bryan’s political career began in 1890 and he is generally credited for Populism’s rise and ultimate fall. He ran for POTUS 3 times beginning in 1896. He was the equivalent of Obama in those days, as no one could touch him rhetorically & like Obama, was totally full of shit.
Just like the people he was up against.