Yesterday I introduced the concept of The People’s Champions for discussion and refinement by the community. This is a continuing exploration of the concept, please join in!
It is the politics of fear that have brought us to this sorry turn. If there is one thing that Bushco can be said to have done well (besides making the rich obscenely richer and the poor obscenely poorer and kill folks) it is their masterful use of the politics of fear. They cowed Congress, they cowed the press and with a few exceptions…they cowed the populace. This phenomenon is far from over. It will be on prominent display from now until the election…and beyond.
It is manifested most clearly in the Emperors New Clothes metaphor, where no one of prominence has survived standing up and pointing. Every person who has done this has been smeared marginalized or ignored. The lesson was well learned and is still observed. But the proverbial (impeachment free) table is turning. His lame duckness, the weakness of his successor and the nations desire for change are conspiring against him. As are the sands of time that are removing us from the trauma of 9/11, the trauma that made that fear the most powerful force in the land.
Obama is a symbol of that…but as a symbol he is perhaps most enduringly affected by it. He cannot buck the fear to0 hard without incurring a backlash….from those forces and voters who still treasure or use that fear. Due to the success of the ‘wedge issue effect’ of that fear that has succeeded in dividing the nation, he cannot be seen to be “angry,” or attack Bushco other than on pure policy grounds. That would be ‘shrill’ or ‘looney.’ He, as I have previously stated, needs surrogates to attack for him. The Peoples Champions would be one aspect of that strategy. These three Great Men, backed by a citizen coalition could attack Bushco….and metaphorically live to tell the tale. In fact I think this is what it will take, since we have exhausted nearly every other option. Is it possible? It is certainly worth a try!