Wonks, Cranks and The Unwashed Masses

Science And Politics: Wonks and Cranks

The post at the link above is way too long to re-post here. The basic discussion is about whether policy experts (wonks) or political tacticians (cranks) are more valuable to Left Blogistan. But the author gives us real value with his breakdown of political movements into strata of involvement.

So far so good, but when they get down to the people they really need on their side to get anything done -- The Unwashed Masses -- they instantly fall into that "if you don't agree with me you're an idiot" wanking that served the Democrats so well in 2004.

(Sarcasm doesn't translate very well in print, does it? I'll put it straight: just because somebody disagrees with you, they are not necessarily stupid. And saying again and again and again how stupid Bush supporters are doesn't seems to help, either.)

I give my $0.02 in a comment at the end, pointing out that all the wonkery or crankery in the world does nothing to motivate the 50% of the country that sits out presidential elections. This is where anybody who wants to move the political needle needs to focus their energy.