Thomas Frank: What ever happened to the party of the people?

[passiveporcupine]

25. Are we switching parties again?

Not for social reasons, but maybe for economical reasons. Maybe this means we need more parties to represent the people.

So let's sum this up.

Dems are no longer the party of the working class, but instead the highly educated professionals.

The world opens up for them. The time that you spend top at universities, defines you as an individual. Worth is established by achievement at graduate school. Meritocracy. The conviction that those at the top deserve their rewards because they are the best. Meritocracy is not a doctrine for mitigating inequality...this is a doctrine for rationalizing inequality.

Everyone gets what they deserve by how they did in school. You got straight A's..that's awesome...you're going to be doing really well. You didn't finish high school, you should be picking up cans on the side of the road.

There is no solidarity in a Meritocracy. It is the exact opposite idea. You didn't make the grade? Well too goddamn bad.

Our "left" party has chosen, over the last 30 years, to turn it's back on the working party and it's concerns, and make themselves into the tribune of the enlightened professional class...the creative class.

All of the rest of us...suck it baby.