conflict of the orders

"the upshot of the conflict of the orders was not popular revolution but the creation of a new governing class, composing rich plebeians and patricians. the first qualification for most political offices was wealth on a substantial scale. no one could stand for election without passing a financial test that excluded most citizens." mary beard. "spqr: a history of ancient rome"__________________________it is true that the framers of the constitution did not impose any financial qualification for office seekers...it's also true that washington was the first president not only because of his service in the revolutionary war ( or war for independence for you all who cannot tolerate the idea of a revolution....and that actually may be more accurate since one elite supplanted another...but i love a good goad ) but because he was one of the richest of the new elite...and when madison goes off on a rant in federalist X about protecting the "minor party" from an "interested and overbearing majority" he isn't talking about defending those with a small political voice...he's talking about defending an elite...it's a republic on purpose...more tractable to manipulation...the word democracy is rooted in the word demos...which means the "common people"...for madison, hamilton and jay "the people" were a mob...common rabble...so where does that leave us viz the current foul zoo parade of elitists and elitist wannabes? well...we have one incredibly self-absorbed and pretty much baselessly arrogant billionaire up to his nativist, jingoist ass in the campaign and another threatening to join in because even he sees that this bozo is just that and he could easily cash in on the general disgust of the republican old guard by luring them away from the party..hillary may not have billions but she did stop river traffic on the hudson for her daughter's wedding reception...i'd call that the power of the elite...they would have laughed me into some star chamber somewhere if i tried that...labeled "terrorist" and tossed into some oubliette somewhere and conveniently forgotten...old jeb has $100 million and can't seem to buy a vote and bernie can out fundraise old hildegard but unless she shoots herself squarely in the foot ( again ) he'll lose because her status can be cashed in...money and power are fungible commodities...same difference...so the election pretty much comes down to who has the most capital...who's richest..toss in the fact that in this particular state my vote in both the primary and the general election isn't going to much matter because the results aren't proportional, but "winner take all" and you have set the stage for my ( and your, like it or not ) exclusion from any meaningful participation in the government that allegedly draws its authority from the mob...it is a foul and miserable political season even by whoretown standards...my disgust is seemingly infinite...fuck these people....2:15 p.m. addendum___the new york times endorsed hillary clinton for the democratic nomination today...they also ran ads for upscale hotels, a $68,000 table and condominiums at 53 west 53rd avenue so pricey there wan no cost printed in the ad..."if you have to ask you cannot afford it" the elitist paper of record endorses an elitist because she'd be good for them...the rest of us can go pound sand...fuck these people...twice.