In the early days of the Arab Spring 2 years ago the “lunatic fringe” expressed concerns that the radical Islamist Muslim Brotherhood could exert inordinate influence on the political landscape of a post-Hosni Mubarak Egypt. The pundits all bashed this notion.
“The Brotherhood only controls 10 percent of the population.” “Nonsense!”
Two years later and the Muslim brotherhood’s in firm control of Egypt. They have the presidency and one third of the seats in the national legislature. Another third of the seats is controlled by even more fundamentalist Islamist factions.
The “lunatic fringe” was right. How could they have known?
It’s a political adage that any well-organized, highly-motivated faction within a party that controls 10% of the party faithful can assert control over the whole. The key to the Muslim Brotherhood’s success is their strong organization and their dedication to the cause. The progressive opposition is totally dysfunctional and tragically inept by comparison.
We have all been witness to much the same phenomena in American politics. How can gays, who are only 1/4th of 1 percent of all U.S. households, according to the 2010 census, become a top priority with the Democrats?
Gay bundlers raised $300 million for the Obama campaign, is how. Gays are highly organized and extremely motivated, to put it mildly.
The wealthy have a similar level of influence over the Republican party, far out of proportion to their numbers or even to their financial resources. They have driven Republican leadership into a Custer’s Last Stand over raising taxes on top wage earners.
The fate of the GOP itself is in the balance. The wealthy thumb suckers don’t even care.
The silent 10% in the whole political drama in Washington are the 11 million illegal immigrants. Actually, they’re only 3% of the U.S. population, but you’d never know it. Both parties have dropped everything in an all-out frenzy to court the Hispanic vote. Not just the Hispanic vote but the illegal Hispanic vote.
Imagine that – 11 million people who aren’t even citizens controlling America.
Meanwhile, the #1 concern of all Americans is the economy. Our #2 concern is jobs. Gay rights and amnesty for 11 million illegal immigrants don’t even make the top 10 big issues.
There are other third parties out there, but they’re all in lock step with one of the two major parties. The Green Party is in Obama’s hind pocket. The Tea Party is integral to the Republican Party.
Which begs the question, who’s going to stand up for America and Americans, apple pie, the American dream, quality products “Made in the U.S.A.” and decent jobs for all able bodied workers?
Who’s going to stand up, like that Chinese guy in Tiananmen Square years ago, daring the tanks to roll over him; stand up and invite the irascible ire of both parties, all extremes, and the total national blogosphere?
Ha-ha.