Elitism

[Brian Sweat]

Yesterday, we were talking about Democratic elitism and how we supposedly look down on people that we think are not very smart or cultured. It got me thing and I was reminded that on several occasions I have heard prominent Republican writers say something to the effect that it was a good thing that only half the people voted because most of the people who don't vote are uninformed and would probably vote for Democrats if they did vote. Remember that it Republicans oppose Motor-Voter legislation and just about any other measure that would make it less of a pain to vote.

I have also heard Barbara Olsen lament on the great tragedy of women's suffrage. I believe Manthrax has expressed a similar opinion.

The idea that Democrats are elitist snobs is farcical. Democrats are populists compared to the Republican leadership. Republicans have shown a disdain for working people, voters and the poor. The real problem is that we are allowing them to shape the debate.

[FreeperSlayer]

1. Ah, Barrbara O.

RIP, beeotch

[stopthegop]

2. may be true...

but DU is the only place I've ever run across the term 'sheeple' to describe the majority of US citizens...

[StopTheMorans]

3. this is a misconception that was addressed in yesterday's thread

"sheeple" refers to the part of the US populace who blindly accept at face value claims made by the mainstream press, Shrubco, and their minions, and does not refer as a blanket to all members of the US who are not democrats (as far as I can garner).

[sangha]

4. You must not get out much

"Sheeple" is a familiar term to all Freepers. TMOT

[stopthegop]

5. I get out..

just not to FR
thanks

[Brian Sweat]

6. Do you have any evidence to clearly show that anyone

on DU has used the term 'Sheeple' to refer to the majority of US citizens? Can you point to one post, that backs up this assertion?

Keep in mind that a post that "could" be interpretted to mean this is not sufficient evidence. Just because you perceive someone's comments to mean one thing, that doesn't mean that is what was in their mind when they made the comment. I am fairly certain that most of us here on DU assume that "sheeple" refers to people who blindly follow the heard.

[TahitiNut]

18. Mark 6:34

Mark 6:34
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheeple without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

[izzie]

7. I wish I could recall where I read this but I can not...

That the lower income people usually do not vote and that they are usaully Dem in their thinking. Interesting I also read a report on education and how people vote and as the education time got longer you tend to vote GOP until you got to grad school and Phd and they went back to voting Dem. It was so interesting but it has been years since I read it. My minor in college was social things so it may have gone that far back.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. proof GOTV is key to Dems.

Save your money on expensive TV ads and just higher van drivers.

Seriously!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. and proof the No. 1 GOP strategy is to disenfranchise Dems

and we for sure know that is their MO.

[DemLikr]

8. Thanks Brian!

[Loonman]

9. But I can't help but thinking

I don't think I'm smarter than neo-cons.......I KNOW I am!

[jiacinto]

10. Motor-vote bill

Actually most studies done have shown that it has ironically benefitted Republicans since most people who have taken advantage of it have gone with the GOP.

As for "Elitism" it's different. What you have on the left is the type of elitism that looks down on people who own SUVs and who go to church. Or those who believe in mainstream values.

I think "elitism" exists in both parties, but the Democrats' version of it is what gets into the news.

[Brian Sweat]

14. I don't believe that most Democrats look down

on people who go to church. Most Democrats would consider themselves to be Christians. I find it hard to believe that Christains look down on people who go to church.

I am an atheist and I don't even look down on people who go to church. I look down on Christain fundamentalists who spout religious dogma like it was scientific fact. I think you are confusing these two issues and I think you are doing it on purpose.


As far as SUVS, I doubt most people here look down on people who drive SUVs, just be cause they drive SUVs. Some people have good reason to drive an SUV. They may need to pull a boat or trailer on the weekend and need a vehicle that will do this and haul the family. They may like to go places a 4 door sadan will not take them. They may own a business and need to transport lots of material. These are all good reasons to own an SUV, but there are a lot of people out there that will never use their SUVs for anything that requires an SUV. They own SUVs because it is the trendy thing to do. I look down on these people. I think that they are sheeple and I do not appoligize for that. If it makes me an elitist, then so be it.

[sybylla]

11. You know you're not elitist

If you really are smarter than everyone else. :evilgrin:

[progressivejazz]

12. Funny, isn't it..

...how the word "elitism" isn't applied to those who favor the economically elite?

They are called "Republicans". Those who point out that they are elitists are accused of "class warfare".

[QC]

13. A few points....

The original thread did not claim that all liberals were elitists.

The fact that some/many/most conservatives are elitists does not necessarily mean that no liberals are.

Elitism seems to be more a matter of people's class (or class pretensions) than their political ideology, and that is particularly key when we consider two things.

One is the big money nature of modern politics, which makes it nearly impossible for someone who is not well-connected to have a shot at getting elected. Consider how George W. Bush started his White House fundraising--by sending begging letters to the people on Poppy & Bar's Christmas card list. Not many regular folks can do that.

Two, prior to the 60s, the driving force behind the American Left was blue-collar labor, but since then, for lots of reasons, the Left in America has been primarily bourgeois, which means that many leftists have typically bourgeois attitudes and prejudices, one of which is class prejudice.

[Cocoa]

17. there's some elitism among Dems

roughly half of our population is Dems, so there's going to be a lot of everything. A lot of dems are total pricks, there's probably some dem serial killers, rapists, etc.

But as a whole, the dems are exactly the opposite of elitism. We represent the little guy.

[BiggJawn]

19. I agree, Brian!

No matter HOW "elitist" we may appear, never forget that to the reTHUGlican leadership, we're ALL just grist for The Mill, whether we be college-educated Liberals or Cargo-Cult ditto-monkeys living in a doublewide waiting for "The Ship" to come in...

Cannon Fodder.

[PATRICK]

20. the greatest of all

are the servants of all. The elitism of the world turned upside down. I think we have an elite bunch of democrats who have dedicated their whole lives to the real job of public service and democratic ideals. You can hardly say that about many of the typical GOPers although sadly the corruptions in the system affect everyone.

The only way to stay the elite is to get down and wash feet. Smart, good, dedicated people can be anywhere. It's how we use our potential, how the branch is twisted.

The fearful GOP is working overtime to restrict power to their personal moral weakness, fearing thought choice, democracy, truth.