(Readers: The assumed chronological date for most of the entries in this blog is after the expected 5^th revolution in the US.  For more background about  the expected revolution – labeled the Revenge Revolution – and the author, please view entry #01.)

Scene: Jordan having coffee with friend, Helicopter Man, aka H-Man.

Helicopter Man: “So, Jordan, now that we’ve had the so-called Revenge Revolution, when do you think the tipping point was?”

Jordan: “Good question, H-Man.  Most people might think it was an event immediately preceding the start of the revolution.”

H-Man: “Like the Boston Tea Party just before the American Revolution.”

Jordan: “Right.  But, most of the time the real tipping point is before those events.”

H-Man: “So the tipping point is when?  When the dynamics of the situation changes?”

Jordan: “Think about a football game,  The tipping point is when the momentum in the game changes…”

H-Man: “…and not the touchdown or field goal when a team takes the lead or wins the game.  The momentum probably changed much earlier in the game, even if the team did not score right away.”

Jordan: “Take that same idea and apply it to Revenge Revolution.  I think the tipping point for the revolution was the 2014 mid-term elections.  That’s when the momentum changed to a very small group of people.”

H-Man: “Why do you say the 2014 mid-terms?  Nothing really happened right after that.”

Jordan: “I agree that no changes were obvious to the general public.  But that does mean there weren’t some significant changes.”

H-Man: “Tell me more.”

Jordan: “A major change, albeit subtle, was the elimination of checks and balances the country’s founders designed into the Constitution.”

H-Man: “C’mon, Jordan, you sound like some pointed-headed academic spouting gibberish.  Whadda mean elimination of checks and balances?”

Jordan: “Hear me out.  What changed was the check of power in checks and balances switched to a check book.  Whoever could write a check for the largest amount of money had the power.”

H-Man: “I assume you are talking about Republicans.  But least we not forget the Democrats spent a great deal of money too.”

Jordan: “The difference was the Republicans were very targeted and basically bought the US Senate.  Buying the Senate in and of itself was not such a big deal.  But, you H-Man, being a former history teacher, know what the Senate controls.”

H-Man: “The approval of Federal judges and especially the approval of new Supreme Court Justices.”

Jordan: “Republicans knew for some time the core of the party was becoming a minority of voters.  I don’t know exactly when they started but for a number of years they worked to control the courts with special emphasis on controlling the appointees to the Circuit Courts and the Supreme Court.”

H-Man: “You think the 2014 mid-term election put them in control?”

Jordan: “Think about what Republicans were able to do.  If they were able to control the House of Representatives, and the White House, OK.  But what the Republicans really focused on was controlling Senate and therefore the Supreme Court.”

H-Man: “You’re right.  If they get only 5 of 9 justices to vote their way, they win, no matter who controls the House, the White House, or the Senate for that matter.”

Jordan: “Let’s see.  Five people have as much…actually more power…than the Legislative and Executive branches combined.  Not only that but the 5 Supreme Court Justice never stand for re-election.  If the Republicans can get the Senate to approve judges who are in their 40’s, then the Republicans can effectively control the country for 30-40 years without any concern over who wins the elections.”

H-Man: “You really think that was their strategy?”

Jordan: “Absolutely.  And I have to hand it to the Republicans.  It was brilliant.  Even most Democratic strategists missed their real motive.”

H-Man: “Clearly the general public didn’t understand, especially those who voted Republican.  Looking back many Republican loyalists had their real earning power eroded by Republican legislation…and never did understand what happened.”

Jordan: “If you think about what the Republicans did  – and I’m talking about the 1.0% group, more like 0.1% group and not the run-of-the-mill Republican — they bought 3-4 talk radio hosts who then convinced many people the Republican platform was the road to salvation.”

H-Man: “What’s even more ironic is when the country elected Obama president it made the Republican’s job easier.”

Jordan: “If I had to pick a different tipping point, the election of Obama would be it.”

H-Man: “True.  Here you have a black man in the White House…in and of itself an interesting contrast…with an Islamic middle name.  What a perfect set up for a feeding frenzy by ultra-right wing Republicans.”

Jordan: “I never quite thought of the situation in this context, but seems to me the 0.1% Republicans were able to brainwash many less-educated white voters.”

H-Man: “Brainwashed to do what?”

Jordan: “Brainwashed to support ideas and economic policies that were directly against their best interest…and, at the same time, have the voter believe he or she is…or at least was…right.”

H-Man: “You saying lower-income people really voted against their own interest?”

Jordan: “Not just lower-income but many middle-income people were brainwashed as well.”

H-Man: “Whatever the case, many people finally woke up to the real Republican agenda – me included – and started the Revenge Revolution.”