Reviewing key political ideas is good for all of us. It gives us the forest view that we need after we spend so much time staring at the weekly media trees. And it helps to gives us perspective.
So I want to discuss Gene Sharp's theory of power. I found this nice summary of it on a news story about him, found on his his webpage ( http://www.aeinstein.org/ ):
The theory can be stated simply: Power, even in the most closed and brutal dictatorship, depends on consent. Ordinary people can band together to withdraw their consent. Movements succeed when they refuse to resort to violence, since the regime always possesses superior instruments of violence. Ergo, the future of democracy and freedom depends on nonviolence.
http://www.ohiostatealumni.org...
If you wish to read more about Gene Sharp's theory of power and nonviolent strategic action, you can read the free download "From Dictatorship to Democracy"
http://www.aeinstein.org/organ...
George Bush had consent from BOTH parties to go to war with Iraq. George Bush also had popular opinion on his side, at the time.
I lost a job because I attended a protest prior to the war. Our nation at that time consented to me being fired for that, as well as many others in a much more prominent roles. The Dixie Chicks don't have a verb named after them for nothing.