America Has a Ruling Class

 

 Samuel Goldman, in his column, argues that persons of privilege and power often masquerade as common folk and disrupters of the status quo because that allows them to distance themselves from the consequences of their decisions. Another reason, he postulates,  is their discomfit with the dominant positions they achieved given their rebellious youth. While these proclamations may be accurate they miss the greater myth perpetrated by the powerful, that they have the interests of the common man at heart.

Somehow, the Republican party, which for generations has promoted and protected the concerns of the wealthy and privileged, corporate and individual, has managed to persuade the working class (or at least a large segment thereof) that it is their champion. This bewildering achievement has been gained by, among other things, not so veiled appeals to racial and religious bigotry, fracturing the working class.

While the Democratic party has its own exemplars of intolerance and power-hungering politicos, it has, in many respects, advanced programs benefitting the less privileged. Still, today a substantial percent of the Hoi Polli regard Democrats as elitist and out of touch their concerns around religion, guns and right to life. Now these masses march behind Republican banners and identify with the most regressive elements of that party and with outsiders whose vision for America is even more invidious

The successful impersonation of Every Man by the privileged class will be the ultimate undoing of our civilization.