Most of the time the public arena in a capitalist democracy such as America is dominated by a predictable political routine. Corporate media outlets greedily pursue ratings and advertising revenue by stuffing the airwaves with sensationalized accounts of murder, natural disaster, and political scandal. And special interests, who lobby first and ask questions later, strut upon the public stage in an attempt to cloak their narrow, partisan positions in the mantle of public acclamation. During these times, the public arena is a one-dimensional space dominated by the powerful, the media savvy, and the selfish.
Protests are rare.
Dissent is anemic. And movements that attempt to disrupt the routine and introduce spontaneity into the predictable political games find themselves relegated to the wings. At these times, the public arena comes closest to fulfilling its democratic potential as the location in society for the free discussion of issues of concern to all, not just to those who pay the bills. Arguably, America currently finds itself in the midst of one such moment of public mobilization. Part of the public arena's newfound vitality can be traced to the presidential campaign.