The Ultra-Elite Versus The Poor

[marmar]

from HuffPost:



Douglas MacKinnon
Former press secretary to Sen. Bob Dole

The Ultra-Elite Versus The Poor

Posted: December 15, 2009 06:38 PM



Next to the all but impenetrable shadows of power, wealth, celebrity, influence, and professional sports talent, virtually all of us are "insignificant," "inadequate," and "unknown." In another word, normal.

Let's do the math on this ultra elite segment of society. If we add up all the Members of Congress, the President and his staff, all the Hollywood actors and "reality stars," network and newspaper executives, professional athletes, and the billionaires and multi-millionaires housed in our nation, we are talking about a few hundred thousand people at best.

Out of a population of approximately 330,000,000, a minute one percent are perched atop the Ivory Towers of power, wealth, influence, and celebrity. Out of that lofty and all but unattainable one percent, the reality is that only about one-tenth or less make our radar screen at any given time.

Unfortunately, an inescapable fact that touches and impacts the 99.9% of the rest of us is that for the most part, this one-tenth of one-percent sends our young people off to war, makes the laws that govern us, decides which taxes we pay, which banks are safe, when our roads will be improved, and which movies, television shows, news stories and books we watch and read. A few thousand people decide the content, future, and often fate, for 330,000,000 Americans.

Fine. In many ways, we deserve this one-tenth of one-percent. At a certain point, you do get the government you deserve, the "celebrities" you deserve, and the fate... if you have a voice... you deserve. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-mackinnon/the-ultra-elite-versus-th_b_393407.html

[FiveGoodMen]

1. 330,000,000

A decade ago the figure was always about 270,000,000.

A couple years later it was 300,000,000.

Now it's 330,000,000?!

The Duggars have been busier than I thought!

[StarfarerBill]

2. The Gilded Age, Redux.

[arcadian]

3. 1789

Coming soon to a theater near you.