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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

Posted on 05/17/2010 10:20:28 PM PDT by 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)

(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...


TOPICS: Conspiracy; Government; Health/Medicine; Politics
KEYWORDS: 2010election; 2010midterms; bookreview; civilwar; civilwar2; crushliberalism; cw2; cwii; cwiiping; democrats; donttreadonme; elections; liberalelite; liberalfascism; obama; obamacare; remembernovember; sonsofliberty; sonsofliberty2; teaparty
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And Newsweek wonders why they're going out of business. If not for doctors, dentists and chiropractors offices, we'd have forgotten their name by now.
1 posted on 05/17/2010 10:20:28 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The first Civil War was about States rights, the Second Civil War will be about, STATES RIGHTS.

It was not all about slavery.


2 posted on 05/17/2010 10:22:52 PM PDT by television is just wrong
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
When in a doctor's, dentist's or chiropractor's office, remind them who's paying the bill,
and DEMAND they change the channel to FOX NEWS!!!
3 posted on 05/17/2010 10:25:10 PM PDT by Yosemitest (It's simple, fight or die.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Within a year, any fool who still has an 0bama bumper sticker on his car is liable to get his a$$ kicked. That’s one, small way, things like civil wars start. It is an indicator of how pi$$ed off people are.


4 posted on 05/17/2010 10:25:12 PM PDT by unkus
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
And Newsweek wonders why they're going out of business. If not for doctors, dentists and chiropractors offices, we'd have forgotten their name by now.

,

Yeah, but now NOBODY dares to even touch any magazine in any doctor's office as they are all covered in germs and bacteria, and flu germs.

5 posted on 05/17/2010 10:26:09 PM PDT by timestax (Drug tests for the President AND all White Hut staff!)
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To: television is just wrong

Second Civil War will be about, STATES RIGHTS.


Arizona knows!


6 posted on 05/17/2010 10:26:22 PM PDT by unkus
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
They still don't get what the tea partiers are.

Small groups of like-minded people, fighting for a cause which deeply affects their way of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, as well as that of their progeny. All over the United States.

It's May, but November is coming.

7 posted on 05/17/2010 10:27:54 PM PDT by Bosco (Remember how you felt on September 11?)
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To: unkus

yes they do.


8 posted on 05/17/2010 10:35:02 PM PDT by television is just wrong
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

No kidding! Wonder if Newsweek will have a new owner named Ahab?


9 posted on 05/17/2010 10:36:17 PM PDT by nolongerademocrat ("Before you ask G-d for something, first thank G-d for what you already have." B'rachot 30b)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

not just Liberal Elite, but the GOP elite, who talk the good talk but never act on it because they never run to rock the boat that they themselves are on


10 posted on 05/17/2010 10:38:28 PM PDT by 4rcane
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To: Jack Black; Travis McGee

Ping.


11 posted on 05/17/2010 10:40:15 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar (*)
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To: Yosemitest

When my dentist works on my mouth, FOX News is playing on the monitors in the ceiling. He even pauses to catch the details of breaking stories. Rides motorcycles too. What’s not to like about the guy?


12 posted on 05/17/2010 10:43:32 PM PDT by Blue Collar Christian (A "tea bagger"? Say it to my face. ><BCC>)
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To: Jet Jaguar
Geez Louise, JJ!

Newsweek is stirring the pot again?

Guess they've taken over from Time.


13 posted on 05/17/2010 10:46:37 PM PDT by BIGLOOK (Keelhaul Congress!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The problem is not liberal elites. The problem is liberal idiots who have political power.
14 posted on 05/17/2010 10:47:53 PM PDT by stripes1776 ("That if gold rust, what shall iron do?" --Chaucer)
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To: unkus

I saw a woman with an O “Hope” tee-shirt on in a store this weekend. My initial disgust turned to pity as she walked by - apparently either still in the “Hope” brainwashed zombie coma or else a total entitlement-mentality “Get some free!” parasite. Either way, no concept of the freedoms that are rapidly being dismantled, the betrayal of Israel, and the betrayal of our Constitution.


15 posted on 05/17/2010 10:56:16 PM PDT by MonicaG (God bless our military! Praying and thanking God for you every day. Thank you!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

bookmark


16 posted on 05/17/2010 10:57:33 PM PDT by GOP Poet (Obama is an OLYMPIC failure.)
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To: MonicaG

Disgusting.


17 posted on 05/17/2010 10:58:39 PM PDT by unkus
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The previous civil war was not even really a civil war but rather a war waged to maintain secession & independence from the rest of the USA. The purported coming civil war [ just like the last one ] will only benefit the very forces who want to centralize even more power because the “rebels” are always scapegoated on the alter of creating even MORE oppressive & intrusive macro States. I wonder if the true purpose this coming civil war will not simply be used as the convenient pretext to implement & rationalize the proposed North American Union plan.


18 posted on 05/17/2010 10:59:26 PM PDT by Republic_of_Secession.
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To: Republic_of_Secession.

Just a thought.


19 posted on 05/17/2010 10:59:59 PM PDT by Republic_of_Secession.
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To: MonicaG

The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to an electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails us. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The republic can survive a Barack Obama It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president.” — Author Unknown


20 posted on 05/17/2010 11:00:43 PM PDT by unkus
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