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I have been thinking a lot about how it is that Barack Obama ran for president by harnessing public anger at a government/corporate elite, ridiculing the incompetence of said elite and promising change -- only to win and surround himself with card-carrying members of the government/corporate elite and basically tell us that they will carry out his policy of destroying themselves because they respect his authority.
One theory I've developed that might explain Obama's rather ridiculous position, and also perhaps explain the federal government's inability to satisfy the wishes of 75% of the population and truly reform the health care system, is this: whether you're liberal or conservative, corporate CEO or community organizer, Heritage Foundation or ACORN, the leaders of this country are essentially an insular group of college buddies, from 10-15 out of this nation's thousands of universities.
I attended a large, generic state school, but I can tell you that my experiences there, and the relationships I formed there, made me the person I am more than anything else in my life besides being raised by the parents I had.
I had friends in college with whom I completely disagreed on politics, religion, music, literature and the very meaning of life, but who fought five drunken rednecks in a bar with me; went on 36-hour road trips with me because I wanted to hear Allen Ginsberg read; and sat up all night drinking whiskey with me when the girl I loved took up with a bass player. I did, and probably would still, trust them with my life.
So is it possible that Barack Obama believes the system is broken, but that the individuals who run the system are just a bunch of really awesome guys, like that time when Tim Geithner's girlfriend got drunk and gave Rahm Emanuel a blowjob, and Timmy was pissed but later he came around with a case of Amstel Lights and said that bitches come and go, but bros have to stick together?
I guess my question is this: if you went to one of these elite schools, what were the relations between the people who went to Wall Street and corporate suites, and the people who became ACLU lawyers and environmental activists and feminist scholars? Did they all hang out together, like at my giant state school? Or did they truly dislike and oppose each other, knowing that their beliefs would translate into real power upon graduation?
I am really, truly curious to hear your take on this.
One theory I've developed that might explain Obama's rather ridiculous position, and also perhaps explain the federal government's inability to satisfy the wishes of 75% of the population and truly reform the health care system, is this: whether you're liberal or conservative, corporate CEO or community organizer, Heritage Foundation or ACORN, the leaders of this country are essentially an insular group of college buddies, from 10-15 out of this nation's thousands of universities.
I attended a large, generic state school, but I can tell you that my experiences there, and the relationships I formed there, made me the person I am more than anything else in my life besides being raised by the parents I had.
I had friends in college with whom I completely disagreed on politics, religion, music, literature and the very meaning of life, but who fought five drunken rednecks in a bar with me; went on 36-hour road trips with me because I wanted to hear Allen Ginsberg read; and sat up all night drinking whiskey with me when the girl I loved took up with a bass player. I did, and probably would still, trust them with my life.
So is it possible that Barack Obama believes the system is broken, but that the individuals who run the system are just a bunch of really awesome guys, like that time when Tim Geithner's girlfriend got drunk and gave Rahm Emanuel a blowjob, and Timmy was pissed but later he came around with a case of Amstel Lights and said that bitches come and go, but bros have to stick together?
I guess my question is this: if you went to one of these elite schools, what were the relations between the people who went to Wall Street and corporate suites, and the people who became ACLU lawyers and environmental activists and feminist scholars? Did they all hang out together, like at my giant state school? Or did they truly dislike and oppose each other, knowing that their beliefs would translate into real power upon graduation?
I am really, truly curious to hear your take on this.