Although the general election campaign informally started weeks ago, after Senator Clinton's endorsement of Senator Obama last week, it has officially begun.

We are consistently told, from the media and from both campaigns, that this is a "change" election. Obama in particular has been able to mobilize and energize millions of people either disillusioned or newly political, and bring them onboard his campaign.

GOOD 'BRANDING' DOES NOT A MOVEMENT MAKE

"That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security." -- The Declaration of Independence

What's scary is when people base political ideas and actions off such a silly, sweeping phrase. For one, it can lead down some disgusting paths (paeans to "those meant to lead and those meant to follow", justifications for removing power from the people to bureaucratic and elected self-proclaimed mandarins, etc.). A much better sweeping statement would be "generally people rise up (or lower down) to your expectations."

Here's some anecdotal evidence that may prove a bit of a cure to the arguments that the people Frank writes about in What's the Matter with Kansas and poor, white (and rural) Republicans in general, and a brief sketch of what the real problem may be...