The July-August issue of the American Spectator carries a long piece by Angelo Codevilla about what Professor Codevilla calls the "ruling class" and the "country class" and the differences between the two. It's a lengthy, somewhat Manichean piece full of sweeping generalizations, and I don't agree with all of it, particularly the foreign-policy parts, but it's worth a look for those interested in what we have called here the "arrogance of the elites." It's particularly strong on the weakness of the Republicans: "The Republican Party did not disparage the ruling class, because most of its officials are or would like to be part of it." And there are some good lines: "Since when and by what right does intelligence trump human equality? Moreover, if the politicians are so smart, why have they made life worse?"
His suggestion: "Reducing the taxes that most Americans resent requires eliminating the network of subsidies to millions of other Americans that these taxes finance, and eliminating the jobs of government employees who administer them."
He also wants more citizen involvement in government: "The grandparents of today's Americans (132 million in 1940) had opportunities to serve on 117,000 school boards. To exercise responsibilities comparable to their grandparents', today's 310 million Americans would have radically to decentralize the mere 15,000 districts into which public school children are now concentrated."
Thanks to reader-participant-watchdog-community member-content co-creator E. for sending the link.