Those Cheeky Elites

I will rarely venture to comment on the US election, mostly because I'm completely unqualified. But since there's a strong chance that I'll get to vote before my American friends and this topic applies to both sides of the border, here it goes.

The electoral politics of elitist-bashing has reared its ugly head once again, but this time with a twist: it's the Republican Party under attack. John McCain's personal wealth is such that he owns a number of houses, some for personal use, others for investment purposes. There are seven or eight or maybe ten homes, but the best part is that McCain can't remember. Given the current housing crisis in the US, the Obama campaign has understandably jumped on this gaffe and has been hammering on about just how out of touch and elitist McCain is from "regular" Americans. Obama, by contrast, only owns one house - he is therefore a man of the people. Nick Lembo finds this kind of politicking despicable; Paul Krugman thinks it's silly, but also necessary.

I don't want to talk about houses, but the elitist debate more generally. Ezra Klein points out that the election has now moved into a space where each side is trying to frame the other elitist:

Obama... is elite. As in "A group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual, social, or economic status." Obama isn't an economic elite, but he is a social and intellectual elite. And it's that creeping sense that he's different, that he's better and knows it, that McCain is trying to exploit.

The Obama campaign, similarly, has realized that McCain is an elite, and that voters won't believe that a guy who has so many houses that he can't keep track of them will care if they lose the small condo they call home. This election, in other words, is becoming a contest to decide which type of elite voters hate -- [0]r fear, or mistrust -- more: A social elite or an economic elite?

Let me make this very clear: I want the elite running my country. I want the most elite of the elitist community. I want the one the elite look at and say: "Wow, I thought I was elite, but that person is... wow." I'm not talking about elite in the sense of being born into the right families, but rather in the meritocratic sense. If the candidate for the highest political office in the land was top of the class at one of the best universities, or was successful enough that he can afford multiple properties, or whatever - then that's a good thing. I want a leader who is both the smartest person in the room and wealthy enough so that concerns about financial security never cross his/her mind - not even once. If I see a campaign slogan that reads: "Vote X: I'm just as smart and qualified as you!" then I'm packing my things.

Backing me up on this point is one of America's premier political commentators: Jon Stewart. This is a little old, but his rant (about 7:20 in) is dead on. Enjoy.