Obama's an elitist?

[toasty]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

dude...elitism is in fact natural and largely unavoidable. Let's face it - not everyone is born equal in terms of abilities. Everyone should have certain inalienable rights, but you don't want the high school dropout with 3 teeth setting your monetary policy or trying to find the next cure for cancer. And so it's always going to be the case that you will have an elite higher IQ set of people who will generally "run things" in society...one way or another.

Daily show had a great thing on this last night, where Jon Stewart pointed out, correctly I think, that we should want our president to be elitist in a lot of respects. The way he did it was obviously designed to be funny, but he's spot on to the extent that the presidency is a position that calls for the best of the best, not a simpleton that "you can have a beer with."

Besides, we've seen what happens when we elect someone that reminds us of ourselves and is approachable -- let's shoot for someone brilliant for a change and see how that works out...

[subterFUSE]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

let's shoot for someone brilliant for a change and see how that works out...

They have to nominate someone brilliant first.

[toasty]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

They have to nominate someone brilliant first.

This was more intended to be an indictment of our current President than an endorsement of anyone in particular, but I think it would be tough to argue that Obama isn't a sharp mother fucker. You might be able to get yourself admitted to an Ivy League school through your connections (cough, Bush, cough), but you don't get to be editor of the Harvard Law Review without being a seriously smart cookie. Matter of fact, although I like her zero, I would have to concede that Hillary is an extremely intelligent person as well.

Obama, in particular, is renowned for being exceptionally intellectually curious, going out of his way to try to understand the things he doesn't understand and asking lots of questions. Bush, in contrast, can't be bothered to read something that is more than one page. Do you ever get the feeling that you could beat Bush at Scrabble? I do, and that bothers the hell out of me.

[Shpira]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

dude...elitism is in fact natural and largely unavoidable. Let's face it - not everyone is born equal in terms of abilities. Everyone should have certain inalienable rights, but you don't want the high school dropout with 3 teeth setting your monetary policy or trying to find the next cure for cancer. And so it's always going to be the case that you will have an elite higher IQ set of people who will generally "run things" in society...one way or another.

What your saying for the most part is true yes elitism is (in reality so far) unavoidable...but thats simply not what is meant by the term elitist or elitism...if the elite in power acts in its own interest - to preserve its power position, its financial supremacy...

But thats a completely different topic and I don't want to bore MS members with my political theory stuff...whoever is interested

The best book I have on the topic is called "The Irony of Democracy: an Uncommon Introduction to American Politics" written by Thomas R. Dye and Harmon Zeigler.
Its really good if you have a chance read the first chapter at least.

[88Mariner]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

[subterFUSE]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

This was more intended to be an indictment of our current President than an endorsement of anyone in particular, but I think it would be tough to argue that Obama isn't a sharp mother fucker. You might be able to get yourself admitted to an Ivy League school through your connections (cough, Bush, cough), but you don't get to be editor of the Harvard Law Review without being a seriously smart cookie. Matter of fact, although I like her zero, I would have to concede that Hillary is an extremely intelligent person as well.

Obama, in particular, is renowned for being exceptionally intellectually curious, going out of his way to try to understand the things he doesn't understand and asking lots of questions. Bush, in contrast, can't be bothered to read something that is more than one page. Do you ever get the feeling that you could beat Bush at Scrabble? I do, and that bothers the hell out of me.

I you want to be president, then you are not brilliant. You are either a complete imbecile or hopelessly insane. Possibly both at the same time. It's the worst job in the world.

[Kamal]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

[scottpuig]

Re: Obama's an elitist?

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you scared the shit out of me with that!!!!!!