Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s attention-grabbing dress at Monday’s The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating The Costume Institute’s “In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (that is the full name as best I could discern) was clearly a publicity stunt designed to make a point. “Tax the Rich,” the dress proclaimed. How wonderful! I’m sure the fat cats in attendance could accept the tease with all the aplomb and good humor that their class, or money, has given them.
But why was AOC at this $35,000 a ticket fundraiser in the first place, regardless of who may have paid her way? The whole affair reminded me of a scene from Boris Pasternak’s “Doctor Zhivago” in which members of the Russian aristocracy during the last days of the Tsar are at a grand ball and they’re looking down on protesters in the frozen street below. America’s new aristocracy, which includes not only the rich but celebrity Congresswomen and celebrity journalists and what used to be called “limousine liberals,” also looks down on the little people in the sense that it is they who think they know what’s best for the little people and will stoop to help them, but only when they’re through celebrating themselves.
Sometimes we refer to “elites” in this regard but that’s no longer good enough. Throw in “think tank” experts, consider the “revolving door” between the State and Defense departments on the one hand, and private industry on the other, and add in the anointed leaders of this or that protected class and there you have it – a ruling class, an aristocracy. Sure, we still have the vote, but not many of the choices are any good and elections don’t seem to make a difference anyway.
NEWSOM WON AND THE REPUBLICANS LOST, BUT DID ANYONE LEARN ANYTHING?
In Gavin Newsom’s veritable victory speech after the failed California recall he claimed that he survived because the voters supported his governance during the pandemic, as well as on some other points. The several media stories about the recall results I’ve seen or read so far also championed Newsom’s handling of the pandemic, and often dismissed the whole recall as a rightwing Republican ploy (as they’d often done before the vote, as well).
I hope Newsom and his media fanboys don’t believe their own propaganda. Lots of Californians will remain frustrated by the inconsistent and harsh pandemic protocols in the state, as well as by the many thousands of homeless people living on the sidewalks and parks in the state, most notably in San Francisco and Los Angeles, or in tax-supported hotel rooms; by the scandal of paying out more $30 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims during the pandemic (that’s by the state’s own admission); by the perpetually high taxes; by the power of the teachers’ unions; and more. These are not all Republican talking points, either.
Besides, the outcome may not reflect a Newsom endorsement so much as a late turnout to stop Larry Elder, the conservative radio talk show host who’d jumped into the fray late and raced to the head of the pack of Republicans who wanted to unseat Newsom.
And I hope Republicans will take a lesson from the recall, as well. In California, at least, a critical mass of voters did not want a Trump-like governor in office, which should offer comfort to moderate Republicans such as Mitt Romney and Ben Sasse in their efforts to take back their party from “the Donald.”
CORRECTION: In a previous post I wrote that the fictional 1990s TV character Murphy Brown adopted a child while being unmarried. In fact, the character conceived and bore a child outside of marriage, which was the basis for the controversy I wrote about. I thank my wife for catching this; I may have to put out a Help Wanted sign for a copy editor!
Your wife is the greatest!