What Democrats Can Learn from Santorum About Populism

America has a lot to be angry about. Wall Street’s reckless incompetence has slammed the economy, wiped out the home-equity savings of much of the middle class, and thrown millions of people out of work. The bankers haven’t been punished—in some cases they’ve had their subsidies enhanced, and they’re doing better than the rest. If now isn’t the moment for a good, stiff dose of populist politics, when would be?

Populism is needed once in a while to stir politics to action. Democracy’s not democracy without demos. Suspicion of the ruling elite and occasional reprisals against it go with the franchise. You can of course have too much as well as too little; populism can express bigotry as well as demand justice. But rule out populism in all its forms, and you’re denying democracy its animating drive.