Pick One -- The Dough or the Smarts

http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/09/weve-got-the-hi.html

It hardly came as a surprise to me that the prez campaign has often times been reduced to name calling games, but for someone that considers herself "an elitist", I'm frankly sick and tired of people just defining the term as they see fit, and more importantly, only using it in a derogatory way.

Now I know these two characteristics are inevitably very closely related, but "the elites" generally refer to people that are 1) of the upper class family (wealth-wise) upbringing and continue to remain within that class; and 2) of high-skilled professions, and most likely having come from one of the "elite" schools (I refrain from defining "elite" in this context lest it become a circular definition). In particular, the latter definition often implicitly means that the individual is intelligent and revered in the work that they do.

Unfortunately with the continued decline in social mobility in this once land-of-opportunity, having the money buys you yet more money, a brand-name education, and the connection to get a good job. Even if you're dumb as a rock, you can just be propped up to "oversee" companies that rake in millions, and then your job title can include "philanthropist" too.

I'm petitioning for two separate words that will describe "class-based" elites vs "intelligence-based" elites. Clearly McCain is the former and Obama is the latter.

At the end of the day, it isn't about which of the candidates is in my social / economic group so that they can "relate" to me and my problems. Sharing feelings and relating sound to me the job of a psychologist. What I need is someone who will go out of their way to be informed about me and my problems, and even other citizens' problems. Then having the smarts to do something to make things better for the country.