ordinary people?
Republican from Texas, John Cornyn, had the following to say about Elena Kagan:
There is no doubt that Ms. Kagan possesses a first-rate intellect, but she is a surprising choice from a president who has emphasized the importance of understanding "how the world works and how ordinary people live." Ms. Kagan has spent her entire professional career in Harvard Square, Hyde Park, and the DC Beltway. These are not places where one learns "how ordinary people live."
What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Are there not ordinary people in Boston, Chicago and DC? I'd like to know how I'm supposed to live, obviously not being an ordinary person for living inside the Beltway.
More importantly, isn't the entire point of our system of government that the people who participate in it are ordinary people? It's a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Who else should run it?
Obviously, comments like this from the right have been made for a long time. They pretty much make a habit of calling an elitist anyone whose political positions they disagree with.
Here's another classic, from a recent online chat with Judson Phillips, founder of Tea Party Nation:
First, the question:
Maryland: I am sorry but your answer of "I think the political class is afraid of the Tea Party movement. After all, we get people out as volunteers and get them to the polls. For them, it cannot be the same as usual in D.C. A lot of them are going to be unemployed after the first of the year and that does scare them" is really offensive. This us vs. them mentality is really repulsive to me. I am a hard-working middle class American and I don't agree with anything you are saying, and I have a right not agree with you. But you splitting the citizenry into classes of "elites/political class/Washington insiders/liberals" vs "real Americans" is just plain wrong! and that's the problem with your movement.
Liberals are just as American as you are and you and your movement has no right to question people's patriotism or Americanness just because they disagree with you.
A reasonable question (really more of a comment).
And now the response, which I'll let speak for itself about the nature of the Tea Party:
Judson Phillips: Yes we do. You folks in the left do far worse. Patriotism is not something that cannot be measured. It can be. And you folks on the left, as a general rule are not patriotic. You do not love this country. You are embarrassed by us.
I hate to tell you this, but those of us in fly over country are the real Americans.
Apparently he's never heard the saying, "Descent the highest form of patriotic."
There is no doubt that Ms. Kagan possesses a first-rate intellect, but she is a surprising choice from a president who has emphasized the importance of understanding "how the world works and how ordinary people live." Ms. Kagan has spent her entire professional career in Harvard Square, Hyde Park, and the DC Beltway. These are not places where one learns "how ordinary people live."
What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Are there not ordinary people in Boston, Chicago and DC? I'd like to know how I'm supposed to live, obviously not being an ordinary person for living inside the Beltway.
More importantly, isn't the entire point of our system of government that the people who participate in it are ordinary people? It's a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Who else should run it?
Obviously, comments like this from the right have been made for a long time. They pretty much make a habit of calling an elitist anyone whose political positions they disagree with.
Here's another classic, from a recent online chat with Judson Phillips, founder of Tea Party Nation:
First, the question:
Maryland: I am sorry but your answer of "I think the political class is afraid of the Tea Party movement. After all, we get people out as volunteers and get them to the polls. For them, it cannot be the same as usual in D.C. A lot of them are going to be unemployed after the first of the year and that does scare them" is really offensive. This us vs. them mentality is really repulsive to me. I am a hard-working middle class American and I don't agree with anything you are saying, and I have a right not agree with you. But you splitting the citizenry into classes of "elites/political class/Washington insiders/liberals" vs "real Americans" is just plain wrong! and that's the problem with your movement.
Liberals are just as American as you are and you and your movement has no right to question people's patriotism or Americanness just because they disagree with you.
A reasonable question (really more of a comment).
And now the response, which I'll let speak for itself about the nature of the Tea Party:
Judson Phillips: Yes we do. You folks in the left do far worse. Patriotism is not something that cannot be measured. It can be. And you folks on the left, as a general rule are not patriotic. You do not love this country. You are embarrassed by us.
I hate to tell you this, but those of us in fly over country are the real Americans.
Apparently he's never heard the saying, "Descent the highest form of patriotic."