Dependent vs. Independent Populists: America’s Next Great Political Divide

Democrats are now going through an upheaval that Republicans have already experienced.  With the rise of Donald Trump within the GOP, the elitist element of the Party has largely been eradicated.  There is no Bush Republican Party.  The Never Trumpers have been around long enough; we have another name for them—Democrats.

What we are witnessing within the Democratic Party today is very similar in nature.  Their base is far more activist than its current leadership.  For at least a decade, the more moderate wing of the Party has been able to maintain support from the activist base by yielding ground to them on virtually every issue of concern—immigration, crime, even the environment.  We can call this the “pay the cannibals to eat you last” strategy.  

Only on economic matters have the Wall Street-Hollywood Democrats held the upper hand.  That is about to fundamentally change.  Yes, these high-income, well-educated, urban, mostly white Democrats will cave to the activist base.  Take a look at what happened in the primary for Mayor in New York City.  An avowed socialist thrilled the base while also garnering votes from the aforementioned rich white Democrats.  It is almost as though they were paying a penance for being successful.

What does lead us next?  Unlike what happened in the Republican Party, most of the more “moderate” Democrats will remain in the Party.  The Schumer Democrats will not do what Bush Republicans did.  For these Democrats, a matter of principle is simply whether it helps gain or maintain power.  Particulars can be very flexible, both in terms of the topics receiving attention and what policies are being advanced.

Once the dust settles in the Democratic Party, there will be no doubt who is calling the tune—their activist base.  Think of it as the triumph of the Cat Ladies.  The next battle will be between the independent populists and the dependent populists.

The independent populists (Republicans) put a premium on the culture, history, and traditions of our nation.  They (we) believe these are the keys to what has made us great in the first place and are the keys to addressing the present and the future.  The principles of hard work, personal responsibility, and keeping the government away from as much as possible govern their world outlook.  Their definition of who it is that is being overlooked is a hell of lot different than how the dependent populists view the world.  These independent populists surely do not see themselves as oppressors.  It says here they are far more tolerant of others than the dependent populists.

The dependent populists (Democrats) view our history as a record that demands repentance.  From taking the land from Native Americans, to tolerating the evil institution of slavery, to denying women the right to vote to colonizing foreign countries, for them, this proves the only thing that is exceptional about America is how far short we have fallen in being a fair and good democracy.  All of these things are true and deserving of honest discussion.  The issue is whether or not they define us.

For the dependent populists, there are only oppressors and the oppressed.  The battle is to qualify as being oppressed, thus deserving special consideration.  Since there is no way the oppressed can be expected to create a positive future for themselves, the government must step into the lurch.  Everything is evaluated in terms of its impact on “marginalized” individuals and groups—BIPOC, LGBTQ, etc.  

Bush Republicans left the Party.  Schumer Democrats will not.  The new fault line will be among populists with two different worldviews.  At the end of day, there will be three fundamental principles guiding the discussion.  First, do you consider our nation great or not?  Chatter about “living up to our promise” does not negate the basic view on the topic.  Second, who deserves special attention?  Third, where is the best place to find a remedy to problems—a massive federal government (even a socialist government) or somewhere else?

Remember this:  The revolution taking place inside the Democratic Party has a predictable outcome.  That outcome will result in a fundamental shift in the political debate for the foreseeable future.  What do you think?