George W. Bush: the reason I don't like rich kids

[bluestateguy]

I speak not of the self-made person, who is cut from another type of cloth

You know what types I am talking about here. Smug, snotty, with that good ole' boy entitlement mentality. Usually they are of rather mediocre talent, but can get by on connections or good looks (if they even go to work at all). I make a conscious effort not to befriend such people in my personal life and to minimize my contact with them if I must deal with them in any aspect of my life.

I know, there are exceptions to every rule, but they are just that, the exception, not the rule. John Kerry was not my first choice for the party's nomination, btw, and his patrician upbringing revealed a basic cluelessness in emotionally connecting with the working classes. But I voted for him because he at least seemed to intellectually understand, and most of his ideas were the right ideas. Bush just did a better job at pretending he could connect with the working classes.

[ingac70]

1. You know what really chaps my ass??

Being a total imbecile makes him look as though he "connects" with the working class.

As a blue collar working class individual, I take offense to that observation!

[Maru Kitteh]

7. That ain't it

It's the ACT that drags them in. The stage craft. The blue shirts with rolled up sleeves. The way they have him skip the anti-perspirant when they want him to look "vigorous". It's the way they taught him to lean on the podium with one elbow and look directly at the camera with his contrived fucking accent and say things like "smoke 'em outta their holes" and "yasee.. we're at war, an' the enemy hates us for r freedums".

The total lack of genuine intelligence is a separate issue entirely. Anyone who saw F911 knows he's a reasonably skilled actor.

[northzax]

2. lemme guess, Condi Rice

is the reason you don't like women, right? It's just as broad of a brush you are painting with. what's worse, a snobby rich kid, or a poor kid with a huge chip on his shoulder about it? some people can 'connect with the common man' Reagan, for instance, and Hitler. Not neccesarily a good thing.

[Maru Kitteh]

9. If you consider yourself rich, consider yourself lucky

If you are not the snotty self-entitled type you've been brought up with dignity or have a superior moral compass. You are no doubt accustomed to the company of others who believe themselves to be wealthy and have grown fond of many of them, even those with different beliefs and philosophies. Just because they are nice to you does not automatically make them a good person, just as Osama Bin laden's soft spoken manner and kindness to widows does not make him a good person either.

Do I say that all rich Republican suckups are equal to OBL? Absolutely not. Their disgrace lies in degrees as individuals and lay in the eye of the beholder.

[Chipper Chat]

3. A few of my fraternity brothers were like that.

About 5 - always partying, wore nice clothes, looked upon the peons with disdain, dated many girls,etc: They also were the ONES THAT RAN FOR CAMPUS OFFICES! This was in the 60s & time hasnt changed much.

[RagingInMiami]

14. Now they're running for presidential offices

[LittleClarkie]

4. Sadly, Bush can fake the common touch

and Kerry, who's upbringing was somewhat less priveleged, gets all stiff and such in front of the cameras. Frustrating it was. Kerry was brought up to be a proper gentleman, and that counted as stiffness. I'm not sure that maiden auntie of his did him any favors by giving his parents the money to send him off to a posh boy's school. That also seemed to further make the man wary until he gets to know you.

Meeting him one on one he's not like that, I'm told. Several in the Kerry group went to his birthday party/fundraiser in December, and he surprised them later by showing up at the pub where they were having a couple beers. They said he was very warm and funny. Apparently he'd identified them as friends right away. I suspect that he feels more than you might realize. Ya just can't always get him to show it.

Bush, on the other hand, I agree -- there's no there, there.

[sandnsea]

5. Kerry always wins the low income and union vote

In Mass, in the primaries, in the GE. Funny how we keep repeating that Bush connected with the working class when the working class didn't vote for Bush.

[MrSlayer]

6. I've found most of the rich people I've come across to be dicks.

Not all but most.

[shanti]

8. i would qualify that

by saying most of the BORN rich are dicks. paris hilton is another great example, party hearty!

however, you have to give a (rich) self-made person some credit.

[sandnsea]

11. She may be clueless

But I've watched her shows and there isn't a mean bone in that girl's body. She'd be much more likely to help somebody out than the self-made person who is just going to tell somebody to pull themselves up by their bootstraps too.

[sandnsea]

10. I've found most really really rich people to be nice

Especially those who were born to it. The assholes tend to be those who think they're rich and "earned" it, particularly through their political connections and fat government contracts.

[MrSlayer]

12. Well that's fortunate for you.

My experiences have been different.

[hfojvt]

15. looking at your icon

I am reminded of Steve Largent, and other RW football players. According to Molly Ivins, George W is very nice, one on one. I guess it is only when he starts talking about public or social policy that he turns into an a$$hole.

[sandnsea]

16. Actually, I'm talking about nice as it pertains to policy

And the ones who step up to help and support communities. Cuz voting trends show the same thing as I've observed, the wealthiest and most highly educated are more likely to vote Democratic. It's that group of new rich who are the assholes and vote Republican, kind of like Steve Largent.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

13. Hey, I'm a rich kid!

Really, I'm not that bad..