On Nov 27, 2008, at 11:41 AM, Carrol Cox wrote:
> Ever since Jena I have been toying with a hypothesis: The "Ruling
> Class"
> is much larger than the core identified by either Domhoff & Mills
> identify -- well over 2% of the population and encompassing local
> elites
> (small capitalists, substantial independent professionals . . .)
I think the rank & file of the ruling class that you point to is the constituency for Congress, with the truly big boys expressing themselves through the executive branch. It's also the base for the extreme right, whose institutional voice is the Republican party. The big boys now seem happy with the Obama Dems - they recognize that some kind of quasi-Progressive (Teddy Roosevelt, not pop front) restructuring of the American order is necessary. But those below them aren't convinced, so they're going to fight it.