The Rise of the Leftist Aristocracy

In his new essay at Pajamas, Victor Davis Hanson explores the latest manifestation of David Brooks’ Bourgeois Bohemians synthesis. VDH writes:

What is going on with the rise of a leftist aristocracy? Al Gore become a multimillionaire railing about reducing our lifestyle in accord with the pseudoscience of his climate-change gurus? John Edwards built a mansion to better voice his sermons on “two nations”? From his estates, John Kerry limoed and jetted in Kennedy-fashion to warn us about a cruel jobless vision of George Bush’s America?

A zillionaire Gates family, that has ensured there will be no federal inheritance taxes on their $50 billion, lectures on the benefits of higher inheritance taxes; a speculating Soros expounds on capitalism’s sins; a billionaire, tax-savvy Buffet laments the too-low federal income tax; a multimillionaire, low-ratings Katie Courac bristles at Palinism as her network lays off hoi polloi. And on and on.

Yet rarely is voiced the common denominator. High Liberalism is now a psychological manifestation, by which the very rich, immune to both the realities of tough living and the hurt of high taxes, finds solace, self-worth, penance even, by sympathy for big government entitlement for the less fortunate whom they connive hourly to avoid. Prep schools are jammed with the children of those who damn charter schools and vouchers; environmentalism’s most articulate advocates of small is better live in ways undreamed by the masses they wish to rein in. The greatest advocates of public expenditure, whether a Rangel, Geithner, or Daschle, are quite busy ensuring that they themselves will not have to pay for it all.

A few days ago, Kate McMillan of the Small Dead Animals blog places Katie Couric’s recent fashion spread and accompanying video in Harper’s Bazaar into context:

Now is the time at SDA when we juxtapose!

Drudge Report – CBSNEWS anchorwoman and 60 MINUTES contributor Katie Couric faces a dramatic pay cut at the network, insiders tell the DRUDGE REPORT. CBS boss Les Moonves is determined to save money and trim expenses — from top to bottom — at the former crown jewel of broadcasting.

Mediaite – Fox News had its best January in the history of the network, and was the only cable news network to grow year-to-year.

And just today, as Jim Hoft writes, complete with video, “ABC Reporter Attacks National Tea Party Convention Leaders During Press Conference.”

All of which is further proof that, as with Hollywood, ideology trumps profits in the bobo business world.