I found the best way to beat that "elitist intellectualism" label: drop out of school before completing the 8th grade, go to prison, and after that earn 0 (zero that is) dollars a year!

You will get labeled many things for the aforementioned accomplishments, but "elitist intellectual" is not one of them!

Oh well, gotta keep a sense of humor about it all eh . . .

;)

Dear Gotham,

I am not an intellectual elite and with my broad basic education that I did receive during my teens, with which a woman could only become a secretary and nothing more, I have always had a broad interest in everything, from religions to cultures, to art, to science, etc.

Especially the internet has given me the opportunity to gather and study information.

Through this internet I visited a site: http://www.mahbubani.net/

and as I always receive information or whatever synchronistically, that evening there was an interview on our Dutch television with, who else? :): Kishore Mahbubani. I saw a man who was intelligent, very civilized and had a very good intellectual (:)) outlook on how the East and the West could proceed in the time to come.

Today I received his newest book: The New Asian Hemisphere. It also has a review comment of your own Shekhar Kapur in it:

“Kishore Mahbubani understands better than most that the relationship between East and West, established after 1945, is no longer sustainable. This book cogently and even thrillingly explains why global power politics is at a crucial moment of change, where the East and most especially the West must decide if power can be shared more equally or will be disputed more destructively.”

I would advice you to recommend this book in your circle of intellectual elite :)

Love, Mieke

IOKIYAR:

It's OK If You're a Republican. Meaning some action which, if it were attached to a Democrat, would be cause for a firestorm of outrage, but not when committed by a Republican.

Fancy degrees doesn't necessarily reflect intelligence, but I'm sure there's a decently high correlation between having Harvard Law degrees and having an above average intellect.

I mean there's always the Yale legacy like Bush.

But the reverse--people who don't have fancy degrees are generally less intelligent--does not play out.

Most self-made (multi-)millionaires went to average universities with average grades, if they even went to universities at all. I believe it takes a lot of intelligence to build a successful business, but there are many other expressions of intelligence as well (artistic, social, etc.)

Irvine,

I think there's an even higher correlation between having Ivy League degrees (of any type) and having significant family money and resources. As you pointed out, Bush is a good case in point.

Of course, there are always exceptions, such as my scarily smart brother. ;-)

Roger Cohen at the elitist NY Times:

"Sarah Palin loves the word "exceptional." At a rally in Nevada the other day, the Republican vice-presidential candidate said: "We are an exceptional nation." Then she declared: "America is an exceptional country." In case anyone missed that, she added: "You are all exceptional Americans."

I have to hand it to Palin, she may be onto something in her batty way: the election is very much about American exceptionalism."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25Cohen.html

Referring to the greatness of your intelligence is like referring to the greatness of your wisdom. It's like touching the wings of a butterfly. "How beautiful, I want to touch it... there it's gone."

The truth remains that you only really know something when you realize how little you know and are understand and are at peace with your ignorance as you strive for greater understanding.

Your post is disappointing.

Referring to the greatness of your intelligence is like referring to the greatness of your wisdom. It's like touching the wings of a butterfly. "How beautiful, I want to touch it... there it's gone."

The truth remains that you only really know something when you realize how little you know and understand, and are at peace with your ignorance as you strive for greater understanding of the world you can never completely comprehend.

Your post is disappointing.

The following was written by Baby G Chopra, our resident intellectual elite dude:

http://www.intentblog.com/archives/2005/08/the_f_bomb_1.html

"It's just such a f@#$%^$ great and expressive word if you know what I mean. You can use it in so many ways - as a noun, a verb (active or passive), an adverb or adjective (it's a great modifyer of almost anything you can think of). It can be crude or charming (use your f$@$%^@ imagination) and though I suppose it's technically an English word, it's such a unifying word in that it really probably has universal penetration (no pun intended). I mean who doesn't know what you mean when you tell them to just "f#@$ off?"

And, the genius goes on to elaborate: "Anyway, call me juvenile but even now I get a kick out of dropping the f#$%@#$ f bomb, the fact that my mother-in-law or my own parents are probably f@#$$#@ reading this:) makes me grin. I may take some heat on this blog for this, but you know what, (you guessed it) who the f#$@ cares?"

Ivy League, shmivey league!! goes to show, doesn't matter what school daddy gets you into, you can still be...uh...uh...unbrilliant?

The shame of all of it...we knuckle dragging, uneducated neanderthals really don't care if you went to college, we're actually kinda happy for you...and if the university happens to Princeton, Harvard, Yale...well kudos to you..we hope our kids and grandkids make it as well...

You see, goober, the education doesn't bother us, the condescension does....

Because you can parse words, and you live in a nuanced world...we peasants, who just might not think Curious George would make a good president, are sort of ignorant...

I sat in the little local country restaurant this morning...cigarette smoke thick in the air...the smell of bacon and coffee hanging over us like a pungent blanket.... I listened to the farmers, the construction workers, the retired factory workers...we laughed...we shared tall tales...then we all headed off to work....

Those relationships are of much greater intrinsic value than your 'intellectual elitism'. You could write a book, that most of those guys could not understand....you can razzle and dazzle with your ivy league vocabulary....but I'd be much surprised if you could change a spark plug, inflate a tire, build a fence, drive a tractor, or probably even mow a yard...

You see Baby G....we don't give a damn if you went to Harvard....but the people who make this country tick....do give a damn at the condescending drivel that falls from the mouths of those we call 'elitist'.....

have a wunnerful day!

:)

Not sure if my ealier post made it but I just want to say how ivy league of you Gotham for trying to portray youself as an out of the closet elitist victim.

Is this something that's taught the first or second year?

Steve

Lousy Cachet for Yale Degree Blamed on President Bush (Humor)

Recent surveys suggest that having President George W. Bush as an example of a Yale alum has damaged the prestige of a Yale degree almost to that of a rural community college.

The results of this survey — conducted in a joint effort by graduate students from Princeton, Colgate, Northwestern, Stanford, Cornell, Brown, Rice, Harvard, Columbia, the University of Chicago, and seventy-one other schools — have many of Yale's Ivy League rivals hooting with glee.

"This is a crippling blow for dear old Yale," lamented J. Everett Trouserdown III (Class of '66), a Yale booster. "Every time Bushie says the word 'nukuler' into a microphone a whole carload of ruling class white males apply to Dartmouth."

It seems Mr. Trouserdown is hardly exaggerating. The scions of old, elitist money have been steering clear of Yale in record numbers, despite their personal affections for the president.

"Look, it so totally has nothing to do with like or dislike of President Bush," sniffed Tanner Bannister, an Exeter student who'll be starting at Bennington next year. "We think he's everything a president should be — a closed-minded, classist bigot with a palpable hate for anyone who isn't a white billionaire. But I've got hotels in sixteen countries I'll be running five years from now and I want a degree from a big-time college hanging beside my portrait in my office."

Students currently enrolled at Yale are crying "foul" on the survey and especially at some of the schools involved.

Yale junior Tabitha Wainscoting is particularly frustrated that Harvard participated in the survey when, in fact, President Bush also attended, and got a Master's Degree, from Harvard. Ms. Wainscoting was happy to voice her opinion via telephone from her father's private plane.

"It's like so wrong that we should be held to standards like poor people or something. Harvard shouldn't be such traitors to their class and everybody else who doesn't have a lot of money should just shut up and rake their leaves or make tacos or whatever it is they do. If you're rich you can't be stupid. That's how it works. End of story."

Written by Dr. Manson Panic

http://theoriginalunoriginal.com/2008/07/10/lousy-cachet-for-yale-degree-blamed-on-president-bush/

From the featured column 'Cheers and Jeers'
at Daily Kos:

"In Bill Kristol's world, people from humble roots who bust their humps to get into an ivy league college can be criticized for being elitist, but silver-spooners whose families pulled strings to get their spoiled spawn into an ivy league college can't.

Jesus would be a registered Democrat and the Republicans would have no problem sliming him for wearing clothes that look kinda foreign and exotic (maybe even Muslim!). Cokie Roberts would urge the Messiah to spend more time in Myrtle Beach.

I'm moving all my money into Pez dispensers.

If John McCain becomes president, Phil Gramm will be his treasury secretary. It will be the first time a cabinet post is held by one of the mole people.

Democrats always have to "walk a fine line." Republicans never do.

When you accomplish all your intellectual, emotional, spiritual and financial goals by age six it leaves you feeling kinda empty.

The next person who says to me "You're a gentleman and a scholar" instead of a simple "Thank you" is gonna get a shoe in the head.

One thing John McCain and I agree on: you kids really should get off our lawn!

Republican charges of voter fraud committed by Democrats are almost always bogus. Democratic charges of voter fraud committed by Republicans are almost always valid.

When a mega-corporation is trying to get us on board one of their massive expansion efforts, like offshore drilling, their PR line is, "Mom, apple pie and American values!" When their efforts result in a catastrophe, their PR line is, "No comment, No comment and No comment."

In Joe Scarborough's world, when a Democrat stands in front of supporters and tells the truth about deficiencies in their opponent's record, they're "risking the election by talking down to the people." When a Republican stands in front of supporters and lies like a rug about both their opponent's record and their own, they're "a values candidate the people can relate to."

Any woman who votes for John McCain is declaring that, yes, her uterus is the property of the federal government.

"Dancing Queen" was my favorite song until I found out it was John McCain's all-time favorite. Now all I want is for ABBA to fall into a volcano.

Pink Floyd t-shirts will never not be cool.

When John McCain said in June that he wanted "bottled hot water for dehydrated babies," that was a mistake. His teleprompter actually said, "Dehydrated hot water for bottled babies." These people are sick."

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/16/74829/5388

"I'm an intellectual elite and I am not ashamed to admit it."

I agree with Gotham Chopra's interpretation:

Elitist = Intelligence

(Now, "elitism" is different.)

"You were raised by a single mother on food stamps — where does a guy with eight houses who was legacied into Annapolis get off calling you an elitist? And by the way, if you do nothing else, take that word back. Elite is a good word, it means well above average. I’d ask them what their problem is with excellence." - Jed Bartlett to Barack Obama via Maureen Dowd, New York Times, September 21, 2008

We are in crisis. The American Dream is on the precipice of turning into our worst nightmare. It's as if each and every one of the ten plagues has been set upon us. The economy is in shambles. The heavens have opened up and lay waste to our land. We are stuck in two, never ending wars that have no meaning and those who die in the sand are not remembered and are quickly forgotten. The image of America appears to be permanently damaged. Our schools are crumbling and our children have drifted into the midst of facebook, instant messaging text and obesity. Our health care industry is based on reaction, not action and some of our citizens lay dying while forms are filled in. And we continue to wait for our government to respond with some sort of plan that will enable us to deal with even one part of this unholy morass.

You would think that each and every member of this society would want to elect the most intelligent and capable thinker to the highest office in the land. It goes against all rational thinking that anyone would cast their lot with a candidate that didn't possess a deep, intellectual consideration of the intense, heretofore unseen problems that face the very core of this republic.

I don't want to have a beer or go bowling with the next President. I don't want to be able to slap him or her on the back and say what a great person they are. I can't fathom calling this person up and asking her or him to come to my house, kick back and watch Monday Night Football. I want the woman or man that we elect to be at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue trying to solve the myriad difficulties that threaten our very existence. I don't even want to see them on television assuring me that they are a wonderful human being who could walk on water.

I admit it. In this field, I am an elitist. I want the highly educated person that uses big words and has even big ideas to sit in the Oval Office and develop well-thought out solutions. I want an evolved individual that did well in school and demonstrated abilities inside and outside the classroom, not just on the athletic field or in the barroom.

Why don't Americans want the smartest kid in the classroom to succeed? Jealousy? This is an epidemic that has long afflicted us. We celebrate 90 yard touchdown runs with blazing headlines and pictures above the fold, but never mention the violinist that makes All-State orchestra. The scholarship-winning basketball player gets time on local television, but the scholarship-winning scholar is as anonymous as the members of Dick Cheney's energy commission.

For years, this attitude has permeated our Presidential races and look what it has wrought. The nation (s)elected the guy we wanted to have a been with and couldn't pronounce nuclear and we are teetering on the brink of demise. He defeated two of the smartest guys in the classroom by denigrating their intelligence and accomplishments, but it was perceived that he was one of us.

But, who was and is the truly elite one? G.W. Bush is a third generation politician whose grandfather was a Senator and father was President. He attended Yale undergrad and Harvard Business School. He is a the scion of a wealthy family that bailed him out of every failed venture.

The Republican that hopes to succeed him is also a child of privilege. He is a third generation military man who, as Sorkin/Dowd point out, wouldn't have had a chance at the Naval Academy if not for his long-standing connections. He would have been expelled if not for those same connections. His second marriage was to the daughter of one of the richest people in Arizona. He rides in corporate jets, wears $500 shoes, owns 13 cars and 7-10 houses.

But, he also finished at the lowest bottom of his class and still exudes that same lack of concern for minutiae that could make or break policy. His thoughts are from the surface at a time when we need someone to think both outside and inside the box. We all know this, from the out of work steelworkers to struggling, single mothers.

So, do we really want to excel as a nation? Do we want to once again want to stake our claim to being the beacon of the world? If we do, we have to be elitist. We must retake the mantle of superiority and attempt to scale the peaks of knowledge. We need someone that truly understands this and can lead us through the minefields that stare us in the eye.

Or to put it another way: as an elitist, you lead. All the others fall behind.

There is this lingering suspicion, Gotham, could it be you are also a closet atheist?

“The problem, as far as our political process is concerned, is that half the electorate revels in Palin's lack of intellectual qualifications. When it comes to politics, there is a mad love of mediocrity in this country. "They think they're better than you!" is the refrain that (highly competent and cynical) Republican strategists have set loose among the crowd, and the crowd has grown drunk on it once again. "Sarah Palin is an ordinary person!" Yes, all too ordinary”.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080/page/1

Thanks Freyja, your comment in spot on. In the article you quoted, Maureen Dowd described a meeting between Barack Obama and Jed Bartlett of The West Wing as written by Aaron Sorkin.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21dowd-sorkin.html

Bartlett's advice to Obama is worth reiterating.

Bartlett explains to Obama while some Americans might not support him:

"Because the idea of American exceptionalism doesn’t extend to Americans being exceptional. If you excelled academically and are able to casually use 690 SAT words then you might as well have the press shoot video of you giving the finger to the Statue of Liberty while the Dixie Chicks sing the University of the Taliban fight song. The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it."

He advises Obama to get angry:

"GET ANGRIER! Call them liars, because that’s what they are. Sarah Palin didn’t say “thanks but no thanks” to the Bridge to Nowhere. She just said “Thanks.” You were raised by a single mother on food stamps — where does a guy with eight houses who was legacied into Annapolis get off calling you an elitist? And by the way, if you do nothing else, take that word back. Elite is a good word, it means well above average. I’d ask them what their problem is with excellence. While you’re at it, I want the word “patriot” back. McCain can say that the transcendent issue of our time is the spread of Islamic fanaticism or he can choose a running mate who doesn’t know the Bush doctrine from the Monroe Doctrine, but he can’t do both at the same time and call it patriotic. They have to lie — the truth isn’t their friend right now. Get angry. Mock them mercilessly; they’ve earned it. McCain decried agents of intolerance, then chose a running mate who had to ask if she was allowed to ban books from a public library. It’s not bad enough she thinks the planet Earth was created in six days 6,000 years ago complete with a man, a woman and a talking snake, she wants schools to teach the rest of our kids to deny geology, anthropology, archaeology and common sense too? It’s not bad enough she’s forcing her own daughter into a loveless marriage to a teenage hood, she wants the rest of us to guide our daughters in that direction too? It’s not enough that a woman shouldn’t have the right to choose, it should be the law of the land that she has to carry and deliver her rapist’s baby too? I don’t know whether or not Governor Palin has the tenacity of a pit bull, but I know for sure she’s got the qualifications of one. And you’re worried about seeming angry? You could eat their lunch, make them cry and tell their mamas about it and God himself would call it restrained. There are times when you are simply required to be impolite. There are times when condescension is called for!"

Bartlett encouraged Obama to fight on, explaining that he is making progress:

"Four weeks ago you had the best week of your campaign, followed — granted, inexplicably — by the worst week of your campaign. And you’re still in a statistical dead heat. You’re a 47-year-old black man with a foreign-sounding name who went to Harvard and thinks devotion to your country and lapel pins aren’t the same thing and you’re in a statistical tie with a war hero and a Cinemax heroine. To these aged eyes, Senator, that’s what progress looks like. You guys got four debates. Get out of my house and go back to work."

watz up with zat, dude? damn!

the first thing that comes to mind when a dude says he's coming outta the closet is ...? u guessed it...its like that clay aiken dude! damn! i betya...there are more repugnicans who are closet h..os...but just to afraid to come out...maybe these three abmigos are big flamers...too! damn!

Rethugs are proud to be ignorant. Go figure

Watch out for generalizations about intelligent people/individuals.

The skill set involved in politics and leadership does not really overlap well with academic intellect.

Of course, there are some that can do both, but I'm not sure that the number of leaders among the highly intelligent are any larger than the population as a whole -- maybe less.

There is a limit, of course, I doubt you could be a politician at any significant level without at least above average intelligence -- although they often seem quite dumb.

This country has a history of being wary of very intelligent people: kids who are very smart are considered "different". Literature of this country is full of dislike of the smart people.

Some smart people know how to get the right help from others and listen to other people's expertise. Smart people: some are good leaders, advocates and some are not.

Really intelligent people are not necessarily good leaders. They have a tendancy to get involved in the details and try to micro-manage things, relying on their analytical intelligence to solve the problems.

The presidency is simply to big for anyone, no matter how intelligent, to solve the problems by themselves. The job involves managing other intelligent people to find the solution and then explaining it to the American people.

Politics is about people and leadership skills, really intelligent people don't always understand people very well.

Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are highly intelligent people who understand others well.

Now I agree that 'most' really intelligent people don't understand others well and have the necessary leadership skills to enter and then excel in the political arena.

My take

ignorant R's: they are so concerned about their feelings being hurt.

smart R's: they like idiot politicians as they make good puppets. :-)

Re. 19

Actually, smart Rs like to make it cool to be dumb so they can control everyone.

Read up on the neo-cons and Leo Strauss. Scary but true.

"Leo Strauss (September 20, 1899 – October 18, 1973) was a German-born Jewish-American political philosopher who specialized in the study of classical political philosophy. He spent most of his career as a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, where he taught several generations of students and published fifteen books. Since his death, he has come to be regarded as one of the intellectual fathers of neoconservatism in the United States."

There was this incredible dad who always took time to try and answer any question his son had. This father was very well educated with a logical, evidence-based mind. His son came away from these exchanges with the feeling how wise his father was. But In spite of that his son always accepted dad’s explanations with a healthy dose of doubt, and skeptisism.

Why?

Because his dad always finished the interactions with his son with something like: “Just because your dad, or anybody else for that matter, gives you an answer that makes sense, or sounds reasonable, does not mean you have to accept it as the truth. And when you are old enough you must find the truth on your own. You may never find it but you must try to get as close as you can”.

His dad also asked his son to be especially careful when things are presented as the truth for no other reason than that they always were the truth. Be especially careful, he warned, when they have something to do with tradition, authority and revelation.

And finally he said: ”When someone runs for political office, you start off by not believing a word s/he says and go from there”!

Were some others here lucky, or unlucky, to have a dad like the kid above?

Gotham,

I am fairly well-educated but for some reason do not normally disclose that information to others. I guess I honestly feel like I dislike all reactions--either "whoah, impressive" or "oh you must be a friggin' snob"--better to have people judge me on the basis of my character. I don't like to be judged on what education level I have. I don't judge others on theirs--some of my friends dropped out of high school and they seem just as smart as Ivy League people I know. It just depends how thoughtful you are about life is how I see it.

You know, I just read my post, and I think what I really meant to say is that I find discussing education levels to be a very uncomfortable subject.
To me, any education level is fine.
The truth is that some intelligent people are also very creative and sometimes that creativity really does tend to make them want to drop out of school. I admit I always wanted to drop out of school but did not. Was that a good thing? I dunno.

Palin Couric interview reviews are in, and they are devastatingly bad.

A Taste:

Palin talks to Couric -- and if she's lucky, few are listening James Rainey - LATimes

"Her third nationally televised interview, with CBS anchor Katie Couric, found Palin rambling, marginally responsive and even more adrift than during her network debut with ABC’s Charles Gibson...."

*

Katie Couric carves up Sarah Palin Kansas City Star

"Palin looks unprepared to be vice president (and certainly president)..."

*

Couric shines, Palin doesn't in CBS interview The Oregonian

"Ouch. Only one of the two women showed poise, focus and a good grasp of the facts, and it wasn't the one who's running for vice president...."

*

I’m sorry — Sarah Palin is a bad joke Jay Bookman - Atlanta Journal and Constitution

"Palin is living, breathing proof that John McCain lies when he claims to put this country first over politics. She makes Dan Quayle look like Albert Einstein with a better haircut."

*

Shameless and clueless Sarah Palin David Horsey - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"How would Republicans be reacting if Gov. Christine Gregoire were the Democratic candidate for vice president and she claimed that, because Washington borders Canada and sends trade missions to Japan and China and Russia, she is, therefore, experienced in foreign policy? And what if Gregoire also claimed to be a seasoned commander-in-chief because she is titular head of the Washington National Guard? We all know how Republicans would react: they would roar with mocking laughter. And they would be absolutely right to mock such idiotic pretense."

*

And no help from Palin's side of the aisle either:

Jake Tapper at ABC News quotes conservative columnist Kathleen Parker:

"Watching the CBS interview of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin did not exactly fill Parker with confidence:

"Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League."

*

And my favorite, from a compilation on the British "firstpost":

Babbling Palin ‘makes George Bush sound like Cicero’ Rod Dreher

"a religious-conservative blogger who frequently appears on Fox News and was as recently as last week a Palin supporter, says the Alaskan Governor "was mediocre". Dreher says he felt "embarrassed" listening to Palin "regurgitating talking points mechanically, not thinking. [She’s] just babbling. She makes George W. Bush sound like Cicero."

****

And the National Review says PALIN SHOULD BOW OUT!

Can you imagine?

Wow, when you've lost the National Review crowd, you've lost everyone. They've been the last hold outs. Apparently they're reaching their limits there.

"Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

[...]

Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first."

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE=

Wow, that's just insane. National Review loved her. Remember the base that Palin energized so much? They've been saying yesterday that Palin should just replace McCain tonight because she'd blow Obama away. lol!

If Palin has lost the National Review crowd then who exactly does she still have. I'm stunned here.

This is about labels and propaganda technology. Identifying propaganda and separating yourself out from over-identification with emotional appeals is a very good skill to have during election season

Both campagns are using labelling and propaganda technology to try to win voters, and get powerful and wealthy contributors and backers for their campaign. The GOP has the larger and more successful propaganda machine, and they have the backing of one of the largest media empires - Rupert Murdoch's FOX news - in the world to broadcast propaganda messages and relay talking points distributed by GOP leadership. The Democratic machine has to counter using alternative sources of media, mainly the internet, and independent news channels, putting them at a disadvantage.

One of the most successful propganda memes to be picked up by the media and a large segment of the public is that the media is "liberally biased", when in fact, an analysis of the largest media corporations and the wealthiest media executives, shows a solid majority of them support conservative viewpoints and candidates. The accusation of being "liberally biased" is in fact a propaganada technique designed to dissuade the public from evaluating or accepting non-conservative views.

Labels, and propaganda is about perceptions, not actual facts or objects. "Perception management" has thus become the main activity of the organizers of political campaigns. "Controlling the debate" and "staying on message" have become more important than education of the voter about the candidates and their policy views. Regardless of who the candidate actually is or what they intend to do if elected, the public will vote for or against your candidate based largely on their perception of your candidate. If you can get the public to have negative emotional labels attached to your opponent, and positive emotionally-laden labels associated with your candidate, you increase your chances of winning. If your propaganda machine is bigger than theirs, and you can control some key media outlets, you increase your chances of winning. If you can get top religious leaders to endorse your candidate you increase your chances. All this has little or nothing to do with who the candidate actually is, or what they will actually do if elected.

The GOP has also attracted support of Big Oil and Big Coal, as well as the auto industry, because they these industry leaders believe the GOP will do legal favors for them, help protect them against regulation and prosecution by employees or consumers, or use the federal government (=taxpayer money) to bail them out or subsidize if they are not profitable.

Labelling is a technique that tries to impart either a desirable or negative "flavor" to an otherwise neutral object. Using words loaded up with emotional semantics to describe your opponent or their views is a favorite.

Read up on propaganda technologies and how to see through them:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda

Here's some relevant highlights from that article:

Common man - The "'plain folks'" or "common man" approach attempts to convince the audience that the propagandist's positions reflect the common sense of the people. It is designed to win the confidence of the audience by communicating in the common manner and style of the target audience. Propagandists use ordinary language and mannerisms (and clothe their message in face-to-face and audiovisual communications) in attempting to identify their point of view with that of the average person.

Doublespeak (sometimes double talk) is language constructed to disguise or distort its actual meaning, often resulting in a communication bypass. Doublespeak may take the form of bald euphemisms (e.g., "downsizing" for layoffs) or deliberate ambiguity. Doublespeak is a disparaging label for any euphemistic term perceived to be uttered in bad faith.

A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are often found in dictatorships but can be found in some democracies.

A factoid is a spurious — unverified, incorrect, or fabricated — statement formed and asserted as a fact, but with no veracity. The word appears in the Oxford English Dictionary as "something which becomes accepted as fact, although it may not be true".
"Factoid" was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe. Mailer described a factoid as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper" and created the word by combining the word fact and the ending -oid to mean "like a fact". The Washington Times described Mailer's new word as referring to "something that looks like a fact, could be a fact, but in fact is not a fact".
Factoids may give rise to, or arise from, common misconceptions and urban legends.

Appeal to prejudice - Using loaded or emotive terms to attach value or moral goodness to believing the proposition. For example, the phrase: "Any hard-working taxpayer would have to agree that those who do not work, and who do not support the community do not deserve the community's support through social assistance."

Big Lie - The repeated articulation of a complex of events that justify subsequent action. The descriptions of these events have elements of truth, and the "big lie" generalizations merge and eventually supplant the public's accurate perception of the underlying events.

And many more. Go over there and get up to speed on identifying and cutting through manipulative technologies.

Hello Gotham and Everyone,

skinny you write, "we peasants, who just might not think Curious George would make a good president, are sort of ignorant...".....

well, if you didn't think this Curious George(Bush) would make a good Prez....then you guys must be ignorant, you voted for him TWICE!!

Gotham you ask, "I'm not sure how we got to the point in America where it's a stigma to have been educated in an institution of higher learning"

hmmmm, I think it was started during Bush's first campaign.....along with being liberal and liberalism they used it to attack the Clinton Administration and the following Democratic Candidates.

And as far as Barak Obama goes, they have to attack his strong point....his education.....

I mean look at our financial system....it's wrecked, and, most likely, the majority of folks responsible are highly educated elites....there are not too many high school graduates running these large banking firms and investment firms.

My niece has just started college, not an ivy league school, the tuition, about 20,000 a semister.....this is highway robbery, this is absurd. Really, what this child will learn in a semister, will, probably, amount to 2000 bucks, and, I am being generous, of actual worth in dollar cost, the rest is BS and outright robbery. And, since, I am, feeling very generous I will up the dollar cost to 5000 bucks....see, I am no cheapie....I would be willing to pay over and above the actual cost of something so someone could make a profit....but we live in a world where making a profit is not enough...we graduate from school and we expect to make a KILLING...in all we do.....and that is what seems to be happening in America today....there are those who are making a killing and those who are killed....:(((((((((

Once upon a time going to an ivy league college was unusual many people had the grades but few had the money. Say, in the last 20 to 25 years many have had the grades and the money so it speaks more to one's resume than one's actual intellectual gifts.

My daughter had a friend who was accepted to Princeton and very few people even knew. She never let on unless it was relevant to the conversation or if someone asked. She is a Doctor, now. I bet there are many who never even guess she went to Princeton. There are many ivy leaguers like her, too, just, using their great educations to do what they are good at, what, they love.....they never, really, never, use it condescendingly, it is just not who they are.

People, for the most part can tell when something is being used to manipulate such as the republicans do with Barak Obama's education, his ethinic history, or whatever....this is not to say that Barak Obama a human being comes off sounding very condenscending, sometimes....and the general public does not know him....they know nothing about his political work, experience or lack of it, for that matter...so, they really do not know if he is a person who is condenscending or not.

Our political climate in the US today is one of divisiveness in large part due to the republian party and their quest for power and control and every aspect of the democratic party is and has been under attack....

Last nite watching and listening to what was going on in Washington DC over this 700 billion bailout....all I could think of was that if, we, the American people, had, any kind, of real sense of that was being done to us by this Administration and Congress we would be enraged.

Here, we are on the brink of financial collapse and Bush and Paulson ask for a 700 billion blank check to use as they please, of tax payers money,...and, not to subjected to any laws as to how it will be used..... and they need it yesterday.

Congress....is so confused it takes them days to say wait a minute.....

The Democrats....come up with a plan...don't know if it is good, bad, or indifferent because really no one knows what the F is going on anyway.

John McCain....interrupts the whole campaign process to dilly dally his old sass around Washington DC

The Republicans....say....no way....no bailout...

The Democrats say why did John come back to town...he said nothing at the meeting...apparently he was left mute while he was sitting across from Barak Obama.

what I am getting at is this....our Nation's financial system has been brought to the brink of destruction.....and our Government Leaders are F--King with us BIG TIME.....

How adult and mature was it of Bush and Paulson to come with asking for a 700 billion bailout with nothing as much as a note as to how it would be used....who was going to benefit, who would not...they came with nothing and made Congress plead for the necessary information.....while they keep the American people up in the air, hanging on their hook, while the use drama and tricks to outwit each other.....and the Amerian people are left to wonder if their bank will be open for business in a day or a week.....

really, they all should be fired....kicked out of Washington for bringing us to this place and then toying with us......

I would fire them today....and boy they would be so easy to replace because none of them are anything much to brag about......ruth

really, if we had an ounce of sense of self as a Nation......we would fire their sassed as of 3pm today.....

tell John to take his Palin and go drill a whole somewhere, very far away....where they both can see Russia....

give Barak 1 year to make some big changes or he is out he door.

ruth

"Elitist" is Republican talking points' buzz word and is used by college grad Republicans, too.

Reality frequently doesn't have anything to do with talking points for the Republican "faithful", yes?

Preity,

You know what's funny? When I was watching that interview, I kept thinking that if Katie Couric was looking at me like she was looking at Palin with that skeptical, "let me slant my eyebrows to show you what a bufoon I think you are" look I would have stumbled over my words too!!!
Do you want a good interviewer or a good leader?

granny, damn!

"skinny you write, "we peasants, who just might not think Curious George would make a good president, are sort of ignorant...".....

well, if you didn't think this Curious George(Bush) would make a good Prez....then you guys must be ignorant, you voted for him TWICE!!"

home run! whoahahahahahahahahahahahaahhahaah.....

at the Love Ranch last nite...

two guys were talking...

Gary: "I was in love with Sarah Palin after the convention...but now I'm afraid of her, she's an embarassment." ya think?

Tony: "So,who u gonna vote for?"

Gary: "I gotto go for the black dude, at least he makes sense and that cane dude is so old, good chance sarah will be prez." no kiddin'.

"My message to you: Stay strong." ~Gotham

Amen!

For months now, maybe even years, the resident neocons of IB could or would not name anything their president has done, or could do, for them to abandon him.

Could it be that Bush is committing the ultimate sin in the bailout debacle?

After all he is supported by many of those evil, liberal senators and that may be the thing that pushes him over the edge as far as those neocon amigos are concerned.

Skinny, do I have to take a puff of that Cuban Cigar yet?

Dear Mr. Chopra,

Keep a stiff upper lip.

For what it's worth:

I like Gotham's irreverence. In Gotham's case it feels light. I get that Gotham is respectful and loves people, and has a healthy dose of respect for his father and his accomplishments. He also understands how being a Chopra has changed his life versus having a non-celeb father.

Gotham is part of a generation of Indians raised on both sides of the planet who have a unique view of Western and Eastern culture because they are inside both of them. They have to respect their elders, and at the same time they are breaking out of old traditions and trying things which are totally new inside the Indian lifestyle.

I get the humor in his irreverence and I like it. He's not all serious and heavy, but he clearly shows he can think deeply about important issues.

He can be a brat and a rebel sometimes. I like it, actually.

haha... its funny to read this coz I just started my Masters at Cornell...I got into the best canadian univs, but everyone around me was like "how can u miss a chance to goto an Ivy league"...hmmmmm.. well it is among the top ten aerospace engg schools so I decided to come here... but honestly, does it matter what 'people think' in the end? so you are an elitist... so what?! are you happy in life though?!

oh and about our friend dubya...c'moonnn I mean, you really think it was his grades and not his dad that he went to yale?!

This post makes me laugh. Have you ever been to a Big Lot store? They have a sign that says we will not accept American Express cards here. A lot of small towns, villages, etc. feel the same way about Ivy League and other fancy college graduates! So they hire college graduates from small colleges. For the same reason Big Lots won't accept American Express....costs! It costs too much to accept an American Express card...

Does that mean that Visa or Mastercard is not as good as American Express? No, it does not. It just means that Big Lots caters to a different customer than Bloomingdale's.

My point is that how many smalltown school systems hire graduates from Yale or Harvard? So I would like to know where do all those Harvard graduates go?

Oh, sure, I just bet that they all head for the inner city. I just bet.

Mmmmm....well, I never really understood what was meant by an intellectually elite person. Are they they ones who think they have superior intelligence because they read writers who have a 'sky' at the end of their names??? :-)

I love intellectuals, particularly the pseudo ones who claim to be more intelligent than your average human being. They're hilarious-anf throuoghly entertaining..they tend to spout off and quote at every avaiable opportunity..but then again the world is full of diverse personalities-which is what makes it interesting. Personally I agree with the quote above intellectualism and academic achievement does not equate with common sense mostly.

In this day and age if you can spell GREAT in the correct way G-R-E-A-T rather than GR8, that makes you an intellectual!!!

Dear Kamini,

Gr8 2 c u again! :)

Now what does that make me? ;)

Regards
dara

Hi Dara,

Yep..been off the scene for a bit, brushing up on my russian literature..competition is fierce these days in the world of intellectualism.

What does that make you?. Still the lovely person that you are..not just GR8 but sm1gr8r!
:-)

x

Hear me blush!

Kamini, be happy in your world - intellectualism begone - 'out, out d@@@ spot'; make better use of the perfumes of Arabia :)