Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Obama, the Tea Party, and Magic Thinking

"During election season, we sometimes give ourselves permission to regress...we frequently suspend what we know about politics--most crucially, how difficult change is--and choose to believe that this time, by pulling a lever or touching a screen, the choice we make will have a magical effect...

"Politicians have always recognized and exploited such fantasies. This is, among many things, what the Obama movement of 2008 and the Tea Party movement of 2010 have in common: Their candidates ran grass-roots campaigns that made participants feel like they were empowered to enact those dreams, whether they were about electing a superhero or destroying one."

Jennifer Senior, The Week, Nov. 26, 2010.

[I am grateful to God for the bulk of the Tea Party nonetheless]

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