Regarding the 9.9%... have you read any Thomas Frank? He’s written a number of books, with many criticisms of the rhetoric and impact of culture wars in American politics. I’ll be recommending him in an upcoming piece.

Anyway, one of my big takeaways from reading Frank, is how he demonstrates the way both parties have become beholden to what he calls the “professional class” and the “well graduated.” He points out how Obama and Clinton totally bought in to the meritocracy, even though it leaves so many people behind and unrepresented in places of power.

"(The professional class/well graduated) listen mainly to one another. The professions are autonomous; they are not required to heed voices from below their circle of expertise." — Thomas Frank in Listen Liberal