Monday, September 17, 2012

Splitting Hairs or How The Right Came To Love Elitism

Five years ago, when the Democrats were going through their winnowing process to see who would be their nominee for President of the United States, one of the contenders was the lecherous sleezeball, John Edwards.

Edwards was a textbook example of everything people don't want in a candidate. He was an adulterer, a weasel, and a pompous ass. He was also his worst enemy. Still reeling from the PR implosion of being found out to be cheating on his wife, he had another issue come up with his $300 to $500 haircuts.

The right had a field day with this, and rightfully so. Heck, some radio squawking heads, like Sykes, who really should have nothing to say about adultery or heightened self-consciousness about his hair, still brings up the "Two Americas" theme Edwards tried to run on.

Edwards became the living symbol of elitism and he was labeled as out of touch with the American people.

But that was then and this is now.

Or it's simply a matter of IOOKIARDI*.

Either way, here's how Mitt and Ann Romney are showing they're just everyday people who just happen to be multimillionaires and get more in tax breaks for their horse's costume than most families earn in a year (emphasis mine):
Mitt Romney's campaign is holding a contest that will award two winners a day aboard "Hair Force One" with Mitt. That's Ann's playful name for the jet, a nod to her husband's impeccably kept 'do. "Personally, I don't quite know what to call it," Mitt wrote in an e-mail to supporters. Just the "plane" will suffice. Anyhow, here's how Romney described what the winners can expect: "I don't know exactly what our itinerary will be, but if you're one of the winners — I can tell you it will be exciting." Shots from mini-liquor bottles and flip-cup? Wheelbarrow races down the aisle?! Although the entry page asks for a minimum $15 contribution, people can enter the contest without actually making a donation. Worth a shot for a student on a budget who wants to check out a few swing states.
Get it? Hair Force One? Woo hoo, those guys ARE just like us. Don't we all have personal jets and nothing to do but to worry our hair is just so?

Just like we all drink $350 bottles of wine, making Romney's running (from reality) mate, Paul Ryan, one of the good old home boys too.

Funny thing is, I don't hear the right wingers make the same aspersions of elitism as they did then. In fact, most of the ones I come in contact with now are embracing the thought to the point of truly believing they are the superior specimens of humankind and the lesser people - women, the poor, minorities and the LGBT community - really don't deserve to be on the same level as these masters of the universe.

And then they can't figure out why the 99% are so angry.

*IOOKIARDI = It's Only OK If A Republican Does It.

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