"So and so is accusing (fill in name of Presidential Candidate here) of being an elitist. . . ."
I don't care what your politics are (well, I do, but not for the purposes of this post), but if the idea of the President being an elitist bothers you - you're an idiot.
I don't care how down home W. seems, he's elite. And so is anyone else running for president. By virtue of being a senator, governor, vice-president or whatever other job qualifies one to run for president (congressperson? general? Is there anything else?), that candidate is ELITE. How many senators and governors do you hang out with? Hmmm?
According to Dictionary.com, elitism is the practice of or belief in rule by an elite.
And no matter how humble a candidate starts out, by the time his or her name is on the presidential primary ballot, he or she has become pretty damn elite. He or she makes more money than the average person, has handlers and assistants up the wazoo and gets photographed for eating in diners. Doesn't that only happen to a small group of people in this world, comparatively speaking? (Though the group grows as more and more people join the ranks of the famous through reality television)
But elite implies that the candidate is better than the average American! We can't allow that, say the handlers and the media and the candidates. So Obama tries to bowl and Hillary talks about hunting affectionately and McCain makes jokes on Saturday Night Live and I get depressed.
I want the president to be better than the average American - smarter, more creative, more courageous, more independent. I don't care if he or she doesn't know the price of a gallon of milk at my grocery store, I want him or her to understand the economics of why the damn milk is so expensive and how to fix it. I don't want a president I can drink with - I know tons of great people to drink with but I don't want any of them leading the free world. I want a president who's too damn busy reading and researching to drink beer.
Do we really want a president who's just like us? Mired in credit card debt? Lacking health insurance? Had a C average in college? Unable to find Iran on an unlabeled map? Can't remember what rights are protected by the Bill of Rights? Unsure of what the Geneva Convention is? Never studied history, the law or economics?
Give me an elitist any day.
6 comments:
Well, the term "elitist" implies that the person himself/herself feels they are better than other people. I don't want that. I don't care how much smarter, more athletic, charming, whatever, you are than someone else you aren't better. No one is better than anyone else.
I do want the president to know the price of a gallon of milk. I want them to know the struggles of the every-man. To be able to relate. How else are they supposed to better a country if they are completely oblivious to the hardships everyone who isn't as "smart" or "weathly" as they are are dealing with?
Perhaps it isn't the word "elistist" that is bad but the implication of the word.
Yes, of course, I want a smart, capable president. But I also want someone who is able to relate, have compassion, and understanding of those different than himself. The term elitist just doesn't fit that in my mind.
No, it isn't a dirty word and I'm with you on this one. I want someone smart, capable and compassionate. Someone who can read foreign policy briefs and understand them. Who will listen to advice, but who has the background to make up his/her own mind. Period.
hmmmmmm why do I think I missed something?? I try to pay attention but I am of course sort of a dummy when it comes to American politics (is being a Canadian an excuse???)
I guess I see both sides (the kind of person not to run for pres.) seems as if this country was built by elitists too when you go back to look at it...
I think I *want* my president to think he/she is better than (most) others. If not, why the heck are they running for leader of this country?
I am SO with you on this one!
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