The Best Political Analysis of The Ruling Class To Date

Or the best that I have seen anyway.

In the early 80's I came to the conclusion that the central power struggle in America was not left vs. right, liberal vs. conservative, Democrat vs. Republican. The central struggle is insider vs. outsider. We didn't have blogs in those days (it sucked) and my observations usually fell on deaf ears. So you will have to take my word that I was a latter day Nostradamus who saw a glimpse of our ugly future.

Please follow the link. As much as I despise Emmitt Terrier (for reasons I can expound upon some other time) I implore you to read the article. Angelo M. Codevilla has written a scathing critique of our overlords, our social superiors, our upper crust. He has torn the mask off the villain for all to see. Judge for yourselves, ladies and gentlemen. http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the/print

A few quibbles. I disagree with the author's assertion that rustics have rejected Hollywood pop culture for Nashville/Branson culture. Firstly, the people who watch movies are not necessarily elitists or luftmenschen or dupes. I stopped watching movies partly for political reasons (although the rise of the remake was my larger grievance) but a lot of outsider/tea party/conservative types still patronize them. They are not as offended by propaganda as I seem to be.

Secondly, today's country music is not usually counter-culture (although there are some interesting artists in the alt-country category) nor is it egalitarian or anti-elitist. Country music died when rural areas became suburbs. Today's country artists are not the sons of sharecroppers or the daughers of coal miners. Today's country artist is a failed rocker who grew up listening to Led Zeppelin and making fun of George Jones (if he even knew who he was.)

I will also disagree that members of the military are more sympathetic to peasant than to patrician. Without trying real hard I can name off John McCain, Colin Powell, Wesley Clark, Barry McCaffrey, Scott Brown, Colonel David Hunt (who revealed on a Boston talk show that he voted for Obama) as warriors who support the premise of a ruling class. They might think that they could better lead the ruling class but they are in agreement that the unwashed masses need to be ordered about.

Mostly, I have to disagree with the author's statements regarding marriage and divorce. Divorce is like surgery. It should only be done as a last resort. It can be painful and bewildering. But it can literally (and I use that term LITERALLY) save your life. No-fault divorce offers the citizenry a small respite from priveleged-class rule. The option to exclude Kagan wannabes from one's mediations seems like a step in the right direction and one the author would support.

Quibbles aside, this article shines the spotlight on our "aristocracy of pull." Read it!