It hurts me to say we have a ruling class, but we do. There are some elected and appointed officials, some members of Academia who advise them and unfortunately many journalists and members of the news media who believe that due to their superior ivy league educations, intellect and experience (however limited it may be) in government, education or journalism they are best suited to occupy the positions of power that shape and control life in America. They believe in theory over reality and bureaucracy over democracy. The sturdy bubble they dwell in keeps them well insulated from reality and reason.
They believe they are better than you. They know better than you how you should live. They know better than you what you should eat. They know better than you where (or if) you should work, what you should drive and whether you can be trusted to defend yourself. And…they are wrong. About everything.
The middle class is their enemy. Why? Because the middle class are sufficiently comfortable to accept the status quo while having enough education and common sense to reject the blue sky promises and ludicrous attempts at utopia building of their “betters”. Plus they don’t need or want anyone to take care of them – they want ot be left alone which is a do gooders worst nightmare. Your efforts to get ahead, improve your lot or provide for your family are viewed as greed or crass consumerism. If you succeed they view that as an injustice that requires rectification. Of course, they are entitled to their compensations. No inequality concerns there.
While they speak in terms of social justice, income disparity and equality, in reality they are the worst kind of bigots – they think no one can get along without them. And they are arrogant enough to believe that they can change human nature or the laws of economics with the stroke of a pen. They think they are smarter than you and I but they lack the intelligence and common sense to know that they don’t and can’t know everything. And that a person has the right to live their life as they see fit, fairness or not. You see, life isn’t fair.
They want to create change, and as all good community organizers know, before people will demand radical change you have to get them good and riled up. I think it’s working. But I think they change they are going to get isn’t the change they were expecting. At least I hope it isn’t.