"The Uprising" and The New Federalism
David Sirota's post this morning reminds us that real change starts at the state and city level. In California, we have been experimenting with this New Federalism for the last five years, much to the consternation of the Bush Administration and the Republican Party. Whether on the issue of auto emissions, appliance efficiency, stem cell research or financial records privacy we have moved in a progressive direction despite the efforts of Bush and Cheney to stop us. Our market power as the 7th largest economy in the world allows us to force automakers to be more efficient. We don't need the EPA. We only need them to stop blocking our laws.
The reason The Uprising is so important is that Sirota understands that the forces of leadership and change will come from a networked, bottom-up set of forces rather than the centralized, hierarchical world view that is quickly losing its grip on power.
If there's anything I find appealing about contemporary libertarians (the types you'd find at Reason), it's that they recognize just how counterproductive a fair amount of regulations are to achieving the desired ends. And this is just another example of this.
July 9, 2008 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Viva la regulacion!
July 9, 2008 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the point I take out of Mr. Taplin's post is that you cannot effectively find leaders for a movement from outside the movement...the movement itself has to create its own leaders. That is why there will be no real progressive/populist movement which can be lead by establishment politicians out of DC.
July 9, 2008 9:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
The parties exist to co-opt grass roots movements and to divert their energy so as to maintain the status quo and enrich the powerful.
July 9, 2008 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink