Populism: Why can't we use it?

[JHan]

43. It seems we've forgotten that the biggest populist movement in America was the KKK

"hooded populism" https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2702817.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Ac7abe46871e5f62e278dd9120d711ee3

Populism does not exist within a solely economic framework . The argument the populist always make is one for "the people" and he gets to define who "the people" are and who "the elite" are.. The gag is the populist just wants to replace one set of elites for another - of his choosing. In 2016 the big concern was the "white working class", seen as the ones who are really hurting in America. Working class people of color were erased in the many columns written during and after the election. "white working class" became synonymous with "The people", once again the mythical blue-collar white worker was elevated, other groups merely an afterthought. Despite Trump losing the popular vote, Kremlin fuckery and GOP chicanery, Trump is STILL being written about as if he connected to "The people" even though the average Trump voter makes 75k. It's all a sham.

Populists must demonize, reformation is not their language. They always need an enemy and they get to decide who it is, and I ain't here for that.