In the meantime, Senate Democrats must resist because if they don't they will lose whatever standing they have left with their increasingly energized and mobilized base.
If the bill, or part of it is overturned, the right wing will, rightfully, present this as a major accomplishment, but it is an accomplishment that does little more than excite an already mobilized base.
It is one of those rare leadership qualities that simultaneously persuades swing voters and mobilizes base voters.
The GOP arguably began down this path under Nixon, who assembled a winning coalition by whipping up racist opposition to the Civil Rights movement and mobilizing voters based in part on white, Christian identity.
Interest groups would take strong positions against one change or another, would seek to organize and mobilize people based on ideology and class and cohort interests, and would fill the airwaves with their messages.
Nonetheless, there is plenty of current and historic evidence to identify the Tea Party movement as a predominantly white right-wing populist movement that uses conspiratorial, xenophobic, and reactionary rhetoric to reframe and mobilize resentment based on race, gender, and class.
The theme of the Congress 'Empowering People, Strengthening Networks' was chosen in recognition of the vital importance of linking strong networks to mobilize responses based on the latest best practices and scientific evidence.
Strategies to foster collaboration between the government authorities, civil society organizations, foreign experts, and international agencies in the relevant fields were also critical for mobilizing broad based support from other countries and actors.
"You have to go educate your base, mobilize your base, inspire your base," said Larry Scanlon, political director of the state, county and municipal employees' union.
As prime minister, Mr. Thaksin mobilized this base with populist policies like low-cost health care and financial assistance, and it is the empowerment of the country's poor majority that underlies the current political tensions in Thailand.
