The Huffington Post is today reporting that Democratic Representative Bruce Braley will (later this week) be announcing the formation of the Populist Caucus in Congress. The group will initially have 21 members, all House Democrats. From the full article:

Braley said that the caucus will give voice to the populist anger created by the plummeting economy and opaque bank bailout.

"As someone who has been out holding town hall meetings and getting a faceful of that populist rage, I know that it is real, it is a force that needs to be dealt with, and it needs to be given a voice," said Braley.

It won't be all pitchforks, though, Braley said. "We want to give voice to those cries and at the same time work constructively with other individuals in Congress to craft policies that are going to respond to those concerns."

The article also has a convenient list of founding members of the caucus:

The founding membership includes folks from a broad swath of the political spectrum, including Reps. Michael Arcuri (D-NY); Pete DeFazio (D-OR); Betty Sutton (D-OH); Leonard Boswell (D-IA); Steve Cohen (D-TN); Joe Courney (D-CT); Keith Ellison (D-MN); Bob Filner (D-CA); Phil Hare (D-IL); Mazie Hirono (D-HI); Hank Johnson (D-GA); Steve Kagan (D-WI); David Loebsack (D-IA); Eric Massa (D-NY); Linda Sanchez (D-CA); Jan Schakowsky (D-IL); Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH); Peter Welch (D-VT); and John Yarmouth (D-KY).

While it is an intriguing development for a group of congressfolks to actually take up the "populist" mantle, the concept of "populism" itself can be a tough one to adequately define. Populist movements are usually fairly unique to a specific set of political circumstances. Historically, populism has been used by both the right and the left (usually at different times), with varying degrees of success. And there's an ugly side to populism as well -- the "us against them" mentality which scapegoats one segment of society (usually the most recent immigrants).

But I don't want to sound pessimistic here at all. Far from it. I welcome this development, and want to know more about it. American Populism usually begins with outrage over Wall Street bankers and their policies. And that outrage does exist in America right now. It's when the "what do we do about it?" questions get asked that populism gets taken in one direction or another.

An early indication as to that direction is quoted in the article: "The Populist Caucus will make its first major play by advocating for the inclusion of a "Buy American" provision in the stimulus package. Fair trade, healthcare and middle-class tax policy will also dominate the caucus' agenda, said Braley."

So, while I greet the formation of the Populist Caucus with cautious optimism, I would still like to ask Representative Braley a few questions. Feel free to add your own in the comments. If I can contact his office this week, I will be sending these questions to the Congressman in the hopes of getting a better picture of what he intends to accomplish with the Populist Caucus.

• How do you define "Populism"? What are the core principles a congressman must adhere to in order to join the Populist Caucus?
• After the emergency bailout legislative phase is over, what will the Populist Caucus' top priorities be for the rest of the 111th Congress? What will your top priorities be on the budget, for instance?
• Will you encourage a separate Populist Caucus in the Senate, or is your group open to members of both houses?
• If your caucus were solely in charge of rewriting the American tax system, what specific major changes would you make? And, more down-to-earth, what changes do you think are possible to actually legislate during this term of Congress?
• What will the Populist Caucus position be on how health care should be changed? Again, what is your ideal solution, and what policies do you think you'll actually be able to implement in health care legislation?

-- Chris Weigant