America's Ruling Class

(Image from: President Suit, Savior of the World)

Last week, one of my friends sent us the in-depth article, "America's Ruling Class--And the Perils of Revolution," by Angelo Codevilla in the on-line summer issue of The American Spectator:

http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the

Meanwhile, Victor Davis Hanson (VDH) struck a similar chord with his "Pity the Post Modern-Cultural Elite" posted on his Private Papers website:

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson072310B.html

Yesterday, VDH continued the theme with "Pampered Populists:"

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson072710.html

Since the 08 Election, Mainstream America woke up to realize we now have an entrenched "ruling class" that does not listen to the will of the people.  Hence the Tea Party Movement.  The American Spectator article generated the following comments from my friends:

This is quite interesting. The thing that drives me insane is that our overlord class is rife with imbeciles. You see it everywhere - so many  stupid people who think they are brilliant, but in truth are buffoons.  And the author certainly gets it right that this phenomena is not limited to one political party. I keep saying I hate "borrow and spend" Republicans as much as "tax and spend" Democrats, but this cuts more to the chase of a pseudo aristocratic class populated by self-appointed know-nothings.

What really irks me to no end is the complete lack of any sort of academic work or critical thinking to all this. I suppose it's a direct result of the worthlessness of higher education these days, where goobledygook courses pass for learning on what were once the core subjects of education. Its deeper than just PC -- it truly is a quasi-religious, faith-based approach to the spectrum of human existence except that the faith is based on the triumph of reason over right.

But you are right that there is little academic rigor--there is some, but it seems to be limited to evil conservative think-tanks. Most of academia today are enablers for the ruling class as it is.