For more than a decade, I’ve been arguing with would-be “progressive” revolutionaries who don’t understand the nature of their dilemma.
Despite the best of intentions and common sense policies for the country, the enemies of all they hold dear wield absolute power across the spectrum. The electoral math is very straightforward. Engaging voters under fifty delivers exponential returns. That demographic represents two-thirds of the electorate and only one-third of those who turnout to vote. It’s even worse for primary elections.
Another casualty of American politics is irony. Everything we need is easily solved with just a little bit of strategic planning and tactical execution. Stop lamenting the shitty system and start using its weaknesses against it. With a new generation of leaders in place, permanently changing all those things that keep us aimed at Mad Max rather than Star Trek becomes a realistic outcome.
Revolution sounds romantic, but it hasn’t gotten much done in the 20th or 21st centuries. Even our initial “revolution” was more of a violent renegotiation of stated terms than a true revolution. Nothing revolutionary was accomplished given the last 240 tumultuous and brutal years since those pivotal events in 1776. We are just as damaged and solipsistic as ever in America.
Machiavelli spelled this shit out for us almost five hundred years ago. Not much has changed, on either side of that equation. Thomas Paine lamented three hundred years after The Prince that all government was a necessary evil and bad government is made worse since we are responsible for our suffering. Everyday folks must get involved in politics as an everyday necessity for survival.
The data is inescapable. We The People remain public enemy number one in America.