ACORN are great folks, but they have always avoided a national focus. It's a matter of principle. They are not merely populists. They are also localists. I don't think localism goes anywhere.
The old movement had a national platform, and their localism was oriented to building institutions. I don't see any institutional focus in ACORN either.
We don't need to dwell on J Jackson, except to note he has not been interested in organizing outside of the DP since at least 1984, if not before then.
The best audience for populism right now in the U.S. would be people who might have joined the Reform Party before Buchanan destroyed it.
mbs
Yup, I was in the midst of the little populist-revival circuit when Goodwyn uttered those words. And yes, his mix of farm/labour 'bama and anti-communist E.European trade unionism struck me as untenable, even then in the heady days of financial blowback. . . .