echo

I have all sorts of thoughts about policy and politics.  But they generally aren't sufficiently coherent to do much more with than to muse about things from time to time.  And occasionally get into a conversation with folks, but that often doesn't go very far either.  I do believe that policy and politics matter; that it is possible to change the character of a nation over time via policy; etc.; yet many basic themes do endure.

Reading Robert Penn Warren's "All the King's Men" (1946), the echo from our current divider-in-chief was unmistakable.  Southern demagogue Willie Stark is making his first run for governor.  This being his first run, he is not yet a fully-developed demagogue.  Willie has a carefully thought-out tax plan that balances various competing interests; he presents this to the voters at various speeches; he is ignored, because absorbing policy nuances would require some thought and effort from the voters.

Jack Burden (newspaperman assigned to cover Willie's campaign) tries to straighten out Willie as to his approach:  "Maybe you try to tell 'em too much.  It breaks down their brain cells."

"Looks like they'd want to hear about taxes, though," [Stark] said.

"You tell 'em too much.  Just tell 'em you're gonna soak the fat boys, and forget the rest of the tax stuff."

**sigh**