The Decline and Possible Fall of the American Civilization?

We only escape being an empire at present because all power is not vested in one person. As presidential powers continue to expand we may become an empire in the future. The powers that be want us to be an ogliarchy or plutocracy with the illusion that we are a republic. They may have already achieved their goal in fact. They have certainly achieved their goal in effect for some time.

This is from the first few paragraphs of a Washington Times article titled Obama becoming increasingly powerless as world allies fall to populist uprisings


"The resignation of Italy’s prime minister Monday marked the abrupt downfall of the third key European partner of President Obama this year, as the president becomes increasingly powerless to confront a populist wave sweeping both sides of the Atlantic and challenging traditional U.S. alliances.


Matteo Renzi’s surrender in Italy came just seven weeks after Mr. Obama toasted the 41-year-old prime minister at a gilded State Dinner at the White House for possessing “the vision and the values that can carry Italy, and Europe, forward.” Mr. Renzi submitted his resignation after Italian voters resoundingly rejected his proposals for political reform in a Sunday referendum that became a judgment on Mr. Renzi and his internationalist stance.


Less than a week earlier, French President Francois Hollande — another key partner with Mr. Obama on issues such as fighting the Islamic State — announced he would not seek re-election. He was battling low approval ratings, high unemployment and a rising tide of conservative and populist forces.


Mr. Hollande’s announcement came less than six months after British Prime Minister David Cameron resigned in the wake of British voters’ decision to leave the European Union. Mr. Obama had traveled to London before the referendum and urged the British people to remain in the EU, to no avail."


Historical definitions of 'populism' aside, that term is currently (it seems to me) used as a perjorative.  Journalists and op-ed folks use it to paint a picture of the ignorant, unwashed masses holding pitchforks and torches, lashing out at things they are too simple to understand.

So, do you think the elites will at some point get a clue that the policies they are pushing are NOT WANTED by the majority of the people they supposedly represent?  I've been a supervisor at several different jobs (as well as in the military), and if I was doing something that was causing serious grumbling amongst the folks, I always tried to look at what was happening to see if it was ME who was on the wrong side of the argument.  Sometimes it wasn't, but sometimes it was.  And if it WAS me, I have generally tried to do the whole "OK guys, I hear you, you don't like the way this is working.  I get it.  What can we do to fix this problem?" instead of assuming the guys/gals I was supervising must be the problem, unable to grasp my brilliant plan and get on board.

I'm just an ordinary, ignorant, blue-collar guy, though.  If I had more money and education perhaps I would be enlightened enough to know that it must be the fault of EVERYBODY ELSE that they don't like what we're doing.  They're just too stupid to understand how great it actually is!

Anyway, I suppose my question is why the folks in charge aren't getting that the policies they espouse are pissing off most of their people, or at least the people who give a shit enough to get off their sofa and go vote?  At what point do you become so self-important that you begin to view your people as the equivalent of toddlers, too stupid and impulsive to know what is good for them?  For fuck's sake, some Democratic strategists and talking heads are saying that if their party would just become MORE liberal they would win more elections, this despite what appears to be overwhelming election results to the contrary!