The Next American Civil War: The Populist Revolt Against the Liberal Elite

Newsweek's We Read It So You Don't Have To ^ | May 17, 2010 | "We Read It" Reader: McKay Coppins

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Next American Civil War: The Populist Revolt Against the Liberal Elite
Lee Harris

Remember those rowdy Town-Hall meetings last summer sparked by President Obama’s proposed health-care reform? Harris wants to make the case that those eruptions of populist anger could prove to be the beginning of the next American civil war. Yes, that kind of civil war. Drawing from a wealth of history and political philosophy, he contends that the philosophical divide between the Tea Party populists and the liberal intellectuals is so deep that nothing short of a “civil breakdown” is likely to mend the rift. And he says that’s healthy American politics. The Tea Party may be a fledgling political outfit, but it’s already flexing its muscles in advance of the midterm elections, especially in Senate races in Utah, Arizona, and Florida. The big question, of course, is how disruptive will this third party be? To Harris, the answer is “very.” He argues that if the liberal intellectuals and populist conservatives don’t come to an understanding, it could spell violent revolution and lead to an overthrow of the government.

--snip--

1.Either take up arms, or drop the rhetoric. The 18th-century Sons of Liberty, who drove the populist uprising against the British crown, sparked violent riots, committed serious crimes, and fought against the government. The cause? Taxes, of course! Harris says that today’s Tea Party activists may echo much of the same language as the Sons of Liberty, but they haven’t backed up all that talk with action: “If those who claim to be fighting in the name of liberty are not prepared to go to extremes, if they are reluctant to break either laws or windows, then perhaps it would be best if they just dropped their pointlessly inflammatory rhetoric, and got back to reality”(continued)

[celtic gal]

America, in the greater scheme of the ages of civilizations, is rather young, similar to a smartalek teenager. The Teen think (s)he knows everything; smarter than the parents.
In the case of America, this so called Teenager of a nation is not listening to the “Parents”, those nations who have tried socialism and can tell anyone willing to listen, that it does not work.
What horrible growing pains some of these elite liberal idiots are taking this nation.

[Dem Guard]

"Either take up arms, or drop the rhetoric. The 18th-century Sons of Liberty, who drove the populist uprising against the British crown, sparked violent riots, committed serious crimes, and fought against the government"

The Tea Partiers will get what they want through the ballot box and peaceful protests as Ghandi recommended, not violence.

[FreedomPoster]

Very well put.

I was part of Cynthia McKinney’s district for several years. I was redistricted out of Newt’s old GA-6th and unceremoniously dumped into Jihad Cyndy’s GA-4th. It was a sad time, to be sure.

As I liked to say, it didn’t bother me much that a Cynthia McKinney existed. What bothered me greatly was that there was a Congressional district full of people who would vote her into office over and over.

Over the long haul, as you say, it is going to take much more than just taking back a majority in Congress to set things aright, that is only the start. Education is the key, and the one ray of hope is the increase in private schools and especially home schooling. The theme I really believe in is separation of School and State. There’s a concept that really causes Liberals serious alarm.

[FreedomPoster]

I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who noticed that glaring incorrect assumption.

I attended the Tea Party National Convention in Nashville this last Winter. One thing people were very keen on was *not* being a third party. People “get” the lesson of Perot.

[FreedomPoster]

One of the Lefties posted that on a forum I’m on. That’s quite a collection of idiot whiners, for sure.

[jazzlite]

...”The problem is not liberal elites. The problem is liberal idiots who have political power”...

Could it be that academia, especially Ivy League academia, and the leftist media are more to blame because they have thrown up the defense shield of propaganda around the usurpers of American freedom? The main tool of the liberal elites has been to infect our society with PC, which is nothing but a method to grab freedom from people and to criminalize normal behavior in the population. PC ultimately perverts and destroys.

[jazzlite]

You post the truth. The problem is ignorance about our form of government as opposed to others. I am starting to believe that Glen Beck is a prophet. He is trying to give America a crash course which, if he can reach enough people, will be lifesaving to our way of life. He suggested recently that if each of us could reach only ten people with the truth, it could spread across the country. It is time that normal people get together in homes..Direct people to sources of good information and know how to explain to others what you believe. And, never, never support the left with your dollars if you can help it.

[central_va]

I didn't leave my Constitutional beliefs, they left me(or were taken away). We now live in a color coded anti-white male feminized society that has been rubber stamped by the Supreme Disappointment.

A Constitution not followed is worse than no Constitution at all because this state of affairs breeds contempt for the government in the intelligent, and a sentimental belief in the phony protections it was supposed to have in the weak minded. As such the Constitution now provides a fig leaf for the naked aggression of the socialist statist agenda.

Some men look at constitutions with sanctimonious reverence, and deem them like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched.

                    -- Thomas Jefferson

[Quickgun]

You are right about that. I told my friends when Clinton won a second term as president, that our country had developed a serious problem. The election of Obama proves that problem, a huge chunk of either “dumbed down” or welfare electorate.

[AFreeBird]

Yea, that’s a good quote. I’ve read it here before but it needs to passed around far and wide.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

The most likely cause of Civil War is Republicans who say one thing in November and do another the following May.

If we don’t get some results from Washington next year, we could head in that direction.

[Oceander]

bumper sticker

[Leisler]

It took 70 years of complaints against the British Crown, before it came to be that people accepted that only war would relive them of tyranny.

We had one war against a King.
One war against Slavery.
Someday, one war against dictatorial government.

[MNJohnnie]

It was not “State Rights” that motivated Davis, Stephens, Ruffin, et al.

It was not “State Rights” that lead a SC Congressmen to beat a Massachusetts Senator to the edge of death on the Senate floor.

It was not “State Rights” that brought Abraham Lincoln back into politics in the 1850

It was not “State Rights” that caused men to butcher each other in “Bleeding Kansas”.

It was not “State Rights” that lead John Brown to raid Harper's Ferry.

No issue but Slavery lead men to political violence in the antebellum period. Without Slavery all other issues between the North and South could be dealt with in the normal political progress. Only Slavery is the "irreconcilable difference" that makes it impossible to forge a political solution.

To ignore the facts of that period to create a faux history in order to justify current political dogmas is intellectually dishonest.

We on the Right routinely decry the attempt by the Left to rewrite history to justify their current political dogmas. We should not do it either.

That Slavery was fundamental issue that split the North and the South in the Civil War is just plain fact. That it was the issue in no way is relevant to the current arguments about the 10th Amendment and State Sovereignty.

Conservatives should give up this foolish attempt to rewrite Civil War history to justify current political arguments

[Leisler]

“The more powerful and advanced a civilization government becomes, he reasons, the less liberty it can afford to its people serfs and slaves. Peace and stability require laws, not freewheeling libertarianism.”

[central_va]

"No issue but Slavery lead men to political violence in the antebellum period. Without Slavery all other issues between the North and South could be dealt with in the normal political progress. Only Slavery is the "irreconcilable difference" that makes it impossible to forge a political solution."

And the Revolutionary War was about Tea!

[central_va]

That it was (slavery) the issue in no way is relevant to the current arguments about the 10th Amendment and State Sovereignty.

That is just plain retarded.....

[MNJohnnie]

Trying to re write history to fit current political dogmas is equally wrong when it is done by the Left or the Right.

This is an argument that you cannot win since the truth is wholly on the other side.

To continue mindlessly smashing your heads against an uncomfortable truth does neither yourself, nor the cause, any good. It merely make the current cause of State Sovereignty and the 10th Amendment look like the current outpost for the extreme lunatic fringe to average voters.

Quit trying to hijack the current political movement to validate your ignorant emotion based ideas about US History.

[panthermom]

I agree with you. The psyche of this country is so damaged that a man like Obama could be elected is more scary than Obama himself, he is just the figure head.

[central_va]

Are you crazy? The Colonial Confederation begat the US Constitution which limited the Federal Govt. in scope and power. largely it's (Federal) concern was fighting the War with Great Britain and form alliances. The USC was largely written by slave owning patriots BTW. Secession is not in the Constitution, it is silent on the matter.

So,from 1787 to 1860, we went from a republic designed based on a loose Confederation of States to an empire created by your hero Lincoln. Bravo. I guess you run with the Geo. Washington was just a slave owing rich whitie crowd too.

If you think I will EVER TAKE ADVICE from YOU. FORGET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's end with a quote from your GOD - Lincoln

I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.[16]

                    -- Honest Abe

I guess there isn't room in the Temple to chisel that bute of a quote!