Burt Prelutsky, in his TownHall.com article for Monday, July 20, 2009, "Indicting The Usual Suspects," poses the following rhetorical question:

"The question that preys on my mind is when it was that we began our descent."

 What follows was to be my comment but, as often happens, my commentary exceeded the maximum number of characters allowed. After previously losing in cyberspace “elegantly crafted potentially Nobel Prize winning” commentary from a number of previously frustrated attempts I created this Blog to circumvent that requirement ( don’t laugh…I have no friends and you’ll hurt my feelings).  

 Here’s my wordy “comment” to Burt’s “dilemma.”

 Great question! Not that anyone asked but here are my thoughts.

 The seeds were probably planted much earlier but, in my humble opinion,the catalyst that fueled what I'll call “the rise of the modern, intellectual elite” was the Vietnam War.

 These folks, convinced of their intellectual superiority and adamantly opposed to an unjust war began the movement that has infiltrated and essentially taken over our colleges and universities over the intervening decades.

 The product of these Statist institution’s concerted and effective efforts at indoctrination are now securely entrenched in every major purveyor of political and social thought in America and I suspect throughout much of the industrialized world; most notably, in addition to our institutions of higher learning, the major media entities with the exception of "talk radio," the organized environmental groups, PETA, Federal, State and Local Governing bodies, the elementary and high school public education system and many other so called "special interest groups."

 They’re working on silencing the opposition on talk radio.

 These folks, and I reluctantly have to give them credit, have figured out how to “use the system" to surreptitiously gain control over what was once lauded as “the Government of the people, by the people and for the people.” You can now insert “intellectual elite” for “people.”

 That story, in and of itself, is worthy of a historical treatise which probably already exists but, admittedly, none that I've read cover to cover. This commentary represents my common sense view which will no doubt be ripped if anyone’s paying attention. Have at it!

Modern election campaigns revolve around campaign "promises" that have much more to do with obfuscation via propaganda and little to do with actual intentions. Perhaps it has always been thus but more prevalent I believe in the 2008 election than any in my regrettably old memory bank or at least since I’ve been paying attention.

The most noticeable and regrettable result is that we now have a Government that loudly, proudly and often proclaims it represents the “American People" but in reality more nearly represents itself and its progressive agenda. Perhaps they believe that they do in fact represent the best interests of the American people who are essentially “ignorant of their plight” and, if these self imposed, “benevolent benefactors” financially benefit handsomely from their efforts, what could be more justified than virtue rewarded.

How do they justify their perceived omnificence? They demure but at its root is a sacrosanct but publicly undeclared belief that their quest is so noble that the end justifies any means.

How do they perpetuate this farce? They believe and have arguably proven, that the proletariat are too ignorant to comprehend their “intellectually superior,” convoluted arguments so they must, out of necessity, stoop to destroy all dissenting voices by expertly executed character assassination, raised to an art form, while at the same time, proclaiming supreme indignation at the alleged identical tactics practiced by their cleverly created nemesis, the “attack dogs” of “the extreme Right Wing Conspiracy.”

Those “attack dogs” are nipping at the heels of these “superior intellectuals” futilely attempting to engage in a respectful, civil, meaningful and public debate. No way! No debate necessary or, as one of their more infamous members, Al Gore, would say, “The debate is over.”

The ends justify the means.

What's the end? Absolute control over the proletariat by an intellectual, college educated, superior class who, in their collective view, are exceedingly more capable of creating the Statist nirvana they envision; a "better world" commanding the respect of all nations by it’s sheer conceptual brilliance and universal beneficence that equalizes all under their intellectual thumb as they observe the proletariat from their posh, lofty perch, struggle to conform. Universal respect and love will ensue as they purge their nation of birth from all of what they perceive as our economic, social and environmental sins and atone for our arrogant, imperialistic, barbarous, international excesses largely caused by that evil trio, Capitalism, self interest and the profit motive. And let's not forget George W. Bush, that "dumb hick from Texas," the epitome of Conservative evil. The rich, that is those other rich, shall pay the price for their “greed” and self serving neglect of the planet and everything and everyone on it. The purveyors of this nonsense, the ones who remain or become rich, will just be reaping their "just rewards" and more power to them......literally.

Finally, they can do what they've dreamt about for decades, hopefully before the American electorate wakes up from their enraptured stupor.

 Somebody please ring the national alarm bell. I fervently hope it’s not too late.