Posted by What happens when the “chattering class” supporting a political party become more important than the Party?
The cheerleaders for each political Party help give it a sense of connectedness with the wider public. They make it seem like politicians are not just speaking on their own, and about themselves.
But when the cheerleaders become spokespeople for the ideals of a political party, or its ideology, the Party loses relevance and mana. In fact, it can lose control of its policy.
Parties worry about the role of cheerleaders like generals worry about soldiers making decisions in the field. Political parties are vehicles for people who want political jobs. So professional politicians view battles waged by random, inspired, foot soldiers as a risk to their greater strategies.
