Context for further thoughts

Not to belabor the obvious but it appears that major cultural changes are in the works. It started with the 9/11 terror attacks and a surge of militarism in response and has continued with the electoral successes of generally right of center candidates and parties, here and in Europe, the ideologies of which are less that of Burkean or even Thatcher-Reagan conservatism but more a combination of populist nativism with some racism and elitism. Recently there seems to be developing a reaction with left, libertarian, and ideologically not classified, arguments becoming better reasoned and more confidently asserted. This seems to be mainly the result of contention over the causes of and prospective cures for the "Great Recession" and dissatisfaction on all sides with the responses of government.

This is admittedly vague and more intuitive than analytical on my part but I wanted to make note of it now anyhow just to set a context for further thoughts.

How the Politcal Elites Govern

In the July 18 WaPo:

"It's the political season, so the Obama administration will keep its focus on politics. Governing has not been the president's friend in dealing with voters, so rhetoric will rule his days. Serious policy will have to wait for a lame-duck session."
-- Ed Rogers, White House staffer to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush; chairman of BGR Group

Such raw unabashed elitism! This is, unfortunately, how the so-called "people's representatives" rule -- through elections made as meaningless as possible and working out in the post-election time, amongst themselves and the lobbyists, what best serves their special interests as governing elites.