This post seems to have struck a nerve. And not to be elitist, of course, but he means "affects" not "effects". And the sentence,

"It is hardly as if it was [sic] a novel insight of mine that the Democrats have had a problem seeming like elitists"

requires a subjunctive. I think what Jonah means is that it's ok to be part of a nepotistic, moneyed elite but not ok if you work your way up from food stamps to editor of the Harvard Law Review. Now that kind of effort is what today's conservatives really feel contempt for.



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