"Richard Hofstadter pointed out years ago that a 'paranoid style' and populism march hand in hand. Hence, the outlandish charges of 'socialism' and 'death panels' from today's populist right. Take, for example, one of Palin's more famous remarks about Obama: 'I'm not going to call him a socialist. But as Joe the Plumber has suggested, in fact he came right out and said it, it sounds like socialism to him. And he speaks for so many Americans who are quite concerned now after hearing finally what Barack Obama's true intentions are with his tax and economic plan.'
"Translation: The people, yes, and damn the facts."
Kevin Mattson in The American Prospect warns against liberals embracing populism.
And he inspires a wave of responses.
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