Stein: Democrats Are Elitists and Fat Cats
Politics has become more rough-and-tumble in recent months, and our contributor Ben Stein doesn't appreciate some of what he's been hearing:
I know James Carville and I like him. He and I have been on many talk shows together and he's always friendly, funny, and knowledgeable. He's also compelling, because he seems to reflect in his comments the thoughts of the inner circles of the Democratic Party's ruling elite.
That's why I was a bit surprised when I read that Mr. Carville had recently blasted the men and women at the anti-Obama "Tea Parties" as so - quote - "classless" that they shocked him.
Wait a minute! I thought the Democrats were the party of the little guys and those who aren't classy or well-born.
Now, the political enemies are the ones without social class ?
So, now the Democrats are admitting they're the party of the rich?
They have been getting the lion's share of very large political gifts for years now. The truth is that the Democrats are the fat cats.
I am impressed that Mr. Carville admitted it. I like him more than ever now.
I was also interested to see that Mr. Carville, a mere lad of 64 (same as I am), has made fun of the age of the Tea Party attendees. He mockingly noted that their average age was - quote - "what, like 72.4 years?"
So, now the Democrats don't think the opinions of senior citizens are worth anything more than ridicule? That's a change, too. Not a good one.
I have seen other Democratic commentators making mock of the fact that the people at the Tea Parties were overwhelmingly white.
So, are we back to saying people's political views only count if you have skin of a certain color or are of a certain race? I don't like the sound of that.
There is also some scorn because many of the Tea Partiers are from small towns. Don't like that too much, either.
Look, some of what is coming out of the Tea Parties baffles me and I don't care for it. But a lot of it does make sense.
What's really amazed me is how the elitist anger of the liberal Democrats is boiling over as some ordinary citizens show they don't like being pushed around.
The liberal Democrats might want to rethink this. Contempt for the ordinary citizen is just not American. And it does not win elections.