Spin control and elitism.

This has been bothering me a lot lately. We all know the republicans have a few high dollar language experts who do nothing but craft the spin for public consumption. Estate tax to Death tax, Clean Coal, Al Qaeda... and "other" extremists, to name just a few examples.The one that is bothering me currently is "elitism" or "elitist".

Elite-1 : a: the choice part or segment
b: a segment or group regarded as socially superior
c: highly trained soldiers
d: a minority group or stratum that exerts influence, authority, or
decisive power

In sports, elite athletes are the ones who stand above the rest. Who inspire all others and challenge people to achieve.

In war, elite troops are the best of your best. They are the ideal that all other troops strive towards.

In academics, elites are the smartest and brightest in their fields. They earn the highest honors and make the big discoveries.

In education, elite schools are the ones everyone applies to first, knowing that the odds are not great of getting in because the competition is fierce. The schools everyone wants to go to

.And so on and so on....

So somebody tell me how "elite" is a bad thing if you are a politician? Don't we want the president to be one of our elite? This is the person we are trusting with the management of our country fer cryin out loud.... how can them being an "elite" possibly be a bad thing?But it is, apparently, a bad word now!

Obama has been slammed on CNN, MSNBC, and FAUX for his "elitist" remarks (when he said people were bitter and cling to religion and guns).

I know that the ignorant redneck motherfuckers of the world can be worked up to a frothing apoplectic lather if they think educated people are talking bad about them, and I know this is the reason our tabloid media engages in this type of bullshit. But its self defeating for the country, our society, and for our civilization as a whole.

We NEED elites, to inspire and challenge us. We need people who are "better" than average.

Shit...

I WANT the person who speaks 6 languages, who understands global economics, who can solve differential equations in their head, who understands the religious, national, and racial dynamics of the middle east, who can memorize the briefing files on global leaders, who can accurately name the members of NATO, their capitol cities, and their location on a map, who can read and understand Wittgenstein, Sun Tzu, Kant, Locke, John Rawls, Pierce, Nietzsche, Spinoza, Hume, Descartes, Democritus, and John Stuart Mill ,(and that french guy), who can hold an intelligent discussion on epistemology, who understands diplomacy, who thinks exploring the solar system is the coolest idea ever.... to be the gdam president.

But nooo.... we have the town 'tard instead. Definitely can't call that fucker an elite.

So what the hell has happened? How have we come to this point in our culture where being an elite is now synonymous with some aloof, smug, snobbish aristocracy?