Anti-Anti-Intellectualism

Here's a letter I almost sent to an editor somewhere... 

Obama should denounce those accusing him of being an intellectual elitist, deluded by higher education and wealth. By not doing so, he legitimizes the growing cult of the common, the notion that since the country is made up of ordinary people, it should be led by the average Joe. While the hypocrisy of any such sentiment on behalf of a political leader in this country should be glaring, the cult of the common is growing. The attention given to the likes of Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and even Joe the Plumber as figures of national political dialogue evinces the growing interest in putting "common sense" back into government. But with the rise of this anti-intellectual movement, America risks forgetting that governing is no job for the ordinary. Our founding fathers were the most learned men of their time and certainly comprised the colonial elite. Aristotle found rule of super-virtuous as the only form of government more desirable than democracy, and we should strive to mix the two in our system. Intellectual elites should and do run our country. The American people should not be fooled into thinking it could work otherwise.