Heh, that's funny! I was just thinking if I were writing the story of the world and I'd want an interesting plot twist, I'd make Harry governor of California. Then he'd go visit England on a diplomatic visit and his grandmother would have to call him Governor, but he has no last name! Confusion and hilarity would ensue.

This is patent nonsense.

"Anyone can be President" should be recognized as false.

The ruling class has ensured that no one unapproved by the political class will ever succeed again.

Hillary's machine was set for Sanders. Biden's machine filled the gaps which allowed people to put Trump in office. The best sign, other than election-night shenanigans? A state unenrolling more Democrat voters in March than the winning margin for Biden, after somehow "certifying" the election with those same voters in November.

We, not just any one of us, were hosed by the policies of the Obama administration, and they are back. The suckage is audible.

"Anyone can be President" should be recognized as false.
___________________________________

When WAS it ever true?

As historian Richard Shenkman wrote, pretty much all U.S. presidents were born well off. Even Lincoln was better off than his neighbors, and while some like to claim Nixon was poor, in fact, his father owned a gas station.

Anyone can be President" should be recognized as false.
___________________________________

When WAS it ever true?

As historian Richard Shenkman wrote, pretty much all U.S. presidents were born well off. Even Lincoln was better off than his neighbors, and while some like to claim Nixon was poor, in fact, his father owned a gas station.

Lenona at March 15, 2021 6:27 AM

It has never been true, but not for the reasons you think.

Michael Moore.

> "Anyone can be President" should
> be recognized as false.

Trump made it.

Anyone can be president.

...while some like to claim Nixon was poor, in fact, his father owned a gas station. ~ Lenona at March 15, 2021 6:27 AM

Actually, he owned a grocery store, which, back then, could provide a pretty good income for its owners, but required round-the-clock commitment and hard work. Kinda like a farm.

Until A&P invented the supermarket, family-owned corner grocery stores were how everyone shopped. And it was a tough way to make a living. Choices in products were limited by what the grocer had on hand or could get from the wholesaler, who always took his cut.

[Piggly Wiggly invented the first self-serve grocery and Michael Cullen is credited with bringing all the elements of a supermarket under one roof, but A&P is credited with commoditizing grocery into a large store with self-service, departments, house brands, and a proprietary supply chain.]

Squeezed by wholesalers on one side and competing stores on the other, family grocery was a difficult industry in which to operate. It was pretty much a life skating on the edge of failure.

The Nixons were not poor, but "well-off" hardly describes Tricky Dick's early existence. He had little time for socializing, being expected to work in his parents' store when he was not in school. He was an excellent student and was offered a tuition grant to attend Harvard, but had to stay in California to help with the store, attending nearby Whittier College instead. He later received a full scholarship to Duke Law School and graduated 3rd in his class.

The massive chip on Nixon's shoulder came from growing up the son of a grocer. It was not a socially prominent background. His lack of social prominence left him shut out of most of the college's societies and clubs, compelling him to form his own society of outcasts.

Nixon was raised Quaker, a religion that emphasizes fairness and Nixon felt he'd been too long on the receiving end of just how unfair life could be.

Nixon's rivalry with Kennedy was driven as much by their opposing party affiliations as it was by Nixon's resentment of Kennedy's attendance at Harvard, posh upbringing, easy charm, and ready acceptance into WASPish circles, despite being Irish and Catholic, what should have been two black marks against him.

The two men started out as friendly rivals and colleagues in the House, but quickly became bitter rivals in the Senate.

On the other hand, Kennedy resented Nixon's success and public prominence in the Alger Hiss case which propelled Nixon to the Senate and gained for him a reputation as a leading anti-communist. Kennedy's politically connected father basically paved John's way into the House and later the Senate.

Harry has a last name. Windsor. Tho he may have taken Markle.

Harry has a last name. Windsor. Tho he may have taken Markle.

I R A Darth Aggie at March 15, 2021 7:54 AM

Mountbatten Windsor

As historian Richard Shenkman wrote, pretty much all U.S. presidents were born well off. Even Lincoln was better off than his neighbors, and while some like to claim Nixon was poor, in fact, his father owned a gas station.

Lenona at March 15, 2021 6:27 AM

Fairly ridiculous statement. My Grandfather owned a gas station and he was poor. The profit margin on gas has never been great and you add in very small town with more than one gas station? Scraping by.

There's already talk of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or Meghan Markle running for president. At this point, Idiocracy and "anyone can be president" are starting to seem all too real.

As Amy says, being a successful president requires building and judiciously spending political capital. That capital can be acquired through a long and successful political career, through a landslide election, or both. Simply winning the office does give one a grace period, but does not provide much built-in political capital - a mistaken assumption both Obama and Trump made.

> Idiocracy and "anyone can be
> president" are starting to seem
> all too real.

That one kid's accent is fantastic.

Yeah, I wouldn’t get too excited by that Chinese can do spirit. Those hospitals were all unusable within weeks. See the link below. Also, it didn’t get a lot of press here in the US, but that whole area endured massive rainstorms that were so intense the dam holding all the water back actually bent and the dam was close to collapse. About 400,000,000 ppl were really lucky that it didn’t. It would have meant destruction and loss of life on a biblical scale. That’s what’s wrong with taking hot takes from comedians too seriously.

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-news-china-s-new-and-rapidly-build-hospital-in-wuhan-falling-apart-due-to-winds-and-snow,-patients-moved-and-building-now-not-usable

That’s what’s wrong with taking hot takes from comedians too seriously. ~ Sheep Mom at March 15, 2021 5:22 PM

It's not about taking hot takes from comedians too seriously. It's about highlighting the loss of America's ability to adjust quickly and do what needs to be done. What the Chinese are doing now, we used to do regularly.

For example, America's military procurement process is anemic and broken. Rarely, if ever, have recent platforms come in on-time, on-budget, and meeting their original goals. There were posts on this blog earlier about the F-35 program.

Another program, the Zumwalt-class guided missile cruiser program, was to be 32 ships, but cost overruns and delays have driven the program from a robust 32 ships to an anemic 3. If we ever do have to fight China, we don't have the weapon systems in the numbers for which our original plans called.

Because China is a closed society, it is difficult, if not impossible, to compare our current competence with theirs. We don't know how well their equipment and systems work in comparison to ours. And, we've been in this position before - in 1941 when Japanese and German equipment far outclassed ours. It was our ability to adjust quickly and get the job done that rescued us then. Do we still have that ability?

That's a fascinating link from Sheep Mom.

I nonetheless believe that having ninnybuns like Trump, Biden and Harris as Chief Executive — with often-murderous figureheads like Cuomo & Newsom continuing to harvest voter affection in our proudest states — betokens a broader and new disregard for competence and allegiance in most every national context.

Let's not kid ourselves about China's difficulties… Environmentally, geographically, politically, socially & demographically... We can still be really grateful to have our problems but not theirs.

I wouldn't want to live there, but we should give up the reflexive jokes about things in China being entirely worthless. There are a lot of projects, and a lot international schemes, where they execute really, really well.

Also India. Listen to a few minutes of Srinivasan (an American from Long Island) talking about some of the things they're doing for themselves.

(He covers some trends in the US earlier in that interview.)

I'm really glad Sheep posted that link. It was good to read the Thai take on the story first, as they were indulgently snotty. I've spent a half-hour Googling/Bing-ing/DDG-ing the latest web pages about Leishenshan Hospital. The biggest pattern is that the place was a temporary solution, no matter what they said at the time. (And the vibe is that it was probably a horrible place to die, not that a death from Covid makes you especially sensitive to decor.)

Well, not really, the biggest pattern is that now as always, nothing is published about life in China without getting processed and approved by the CCP.

Man I love the United States.

So y'all are tracking the cessation of AstraZeneca vaccinations in Europe, right? Because blood clots.

Politicians are shamelessly, murderously stoo-pit. They don't know anything about science or statistics or epidemiology, and they can't imagine why they'd need to… Their only calculations are for their own careers, and they've got that math under control.

(Also, redblouse *is* hotter....)

Pretty much everyone I know here has Pfizer.

Mountbatton-Windsor is his son's name, not his. It's for untitled descendants.

"Trump made it. Anyone can be president."

Nope. That's been fixed.

"I nonetheless believe that having ninnybuns like Trump, Biden and Harris as Chief Executive..."

I'm sure Biden has one of those phones for seniors, but I'm still wondering, other than reminding you of the swirlies you got from the rich kids at school, what Trump has done to hurt you.

Mountbatton-Windsor is his son's name, not his. It's for untitled descendants.

NicoleK at March 15, 2021 11:13 PM

Royalty has a dynastic name. House of Mountbatten is the anglicized version of Prince Phillips family name which was Battenberg.

Windsor was picked to erase the unpopular Germanic origins of Prince Albert. (Saxe Coberg and Gothe) Elizabeth II is the last monarch of that family.

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a35584974/prince-harry-last-name-explained/

> Nope. That's been fixed.

Back to a full life of wallowing in butthurt, huh?

> reminding you of the swirlies

Your soul is built on an infant's envy, and presumes everyone else is as well.

> I'm still wondering

Because you can't read.

Well, look what just popped up on the ol' Twitter feed?

"Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to place moral chains upon their own appetites..." - Edmund Burke

Infrastructure.

Stats for Euroweenies.

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a35584974/prince-harry-last-name-explained/

NicoleK at March 16, 2021 7:16 AM

Wow. Cosmo. I bow to your historically superior citation on British history.

Caustic, if Nixon's family lived below the official poverty line of his time, Shenkman would have said so. Not to mention that not many people, percentage-wise, in Nixon's generation, got to go to college at all. He did.

Shenkman's 1988 book Legends, Lies, & Cherished Myths had a chapter, From Rags to Riches, pp 50-59. He gave short descriptions of all their backgrounds. Quote:

"By the reckoning of historian Edward Pessen, sixteen Presidents came from the upper class, another sixteen from the upper middle class, three from the middle class, and three form the lower-middle class. Just one (Andrew Johnson) was out-and-out poor..."

So, while I should have said "most" not "pretty much all," the number is still clearly "most."

By the reckoning of historian Edward Pessen, sixteen Presidents came from the upper class, another sixteen from the upper middle class, three from the middle class, and three form the lower-middle class. Just one (Andrew Johnson) was out-and-out poor..."

So, while I should have said "most" not "pretty much all," the number is still clearly "most."

Lenona at March 16, 2021 10:50 AM

Why the fascination with the revisionist economic bean counting? By all historical standards, all of us on this board, are better off materially (and in every other measurable way) than the rulers the world up until the mid twentieth century.

Personally I have now survived more years in better health and with a better diet, personal comfort and entertainment options than every single one of my ancestors.

You really want to call someone who never enjoyed central heating and ac, surgical anesthesia, modern dentistry and a 12 hour flight to Tokyo privileged? I don’t think you know what the word means.

Hey if the gossip rags can't figure it out...

Not to mention that not many people, percentage-wise, in Nixon's generation, got to go to college at all. He did. ~ Lenona at March 16, 2021 10:50 AM

Nixon received a tuition grant to attend Harvard, but could not go. His inability to attend Harvard is put down to one of two reasons, depending upon who tells the story. Nixon maintained it was because his family needed him to work in the family grocery store. Other sources say his grant covered only tuition and his family could not afford his living expenses 3,000 miles away. Either way, he instead went to the nearby Quaker college, Whittier. His tuition expenses at Whittier were defrayed by a $250 bequest from his grandfather, Frank Milhous.

Nixon may not have been "poor," as defined by whatever measure of poverty existed then, but he was far from rich, or even well off.

After a quick review of Shenkman's book, it appears like it got enough right to be generally credible, but skewed several topics to make it conform to the author's own viewpoints. You'd have to know something about history to be able to rebut the author's more shaky conjectures.

In the aggregate, I'd agree with you that most of our presidents have been born comparatively well off in life; most of our prominent politicians as a matter of fact.

Let's face it, politics is not exactly a meritocracy, so the preponderance of those for whom life has not exactly been a struggle is not surprising. Politics provides a cushy sinecure for those with connections and those with ambition not supported by competence.

Isab, you can't miss something you've never heard of - or that hasn't been invented. Just because hardly anyone wants to live, long-term, far away from modern hospitals (or in a past century) doesn't change the fact that "haves" and "have-nots" have always existed. Even when the only possessions available were cattle - or slaves.

People in the past who belonged to the "haves" knew it - and usually had the sense not to complain within earshot of the poor just because they might be bored.

More on Lincoln: "Lincoln's father belonged to the richest 15 percent of taxpayers in his community."

(So chances are he was happy about that, not miserable about what he didn't have.)

And, from Bertrand Russell:

"The aristocratic rebel, since he has enough to eat, must have other causes of discontent."

(Even today.)

“Isab, you can't miss something you've never heard of - or that hasn't been invented. Just because hardly anyone wants to live, long-term, far away from modern hospitals (or in a past century) doesn't change the fact that "haves" and "have-nots" have always existed. Even when the only possessions available were cattle - or slaves.”

People used to pray for miracles. The kind of miracles of modern science and engineering that I have experienced at regular intervals in my charmed life.

The fact that you think that relatively minor degrees of wealth disparity deserve sone sort of government solution is the problem Lenona.

I would encourage you to spend a month living without modern conveniences or medical care to truly appreciate that poverty really is not relative. It is an absolute that few modern Americans can even begin to relate to.

More on AstraZeneca in Europe...

…Offered mostly because AstraZeneca is fun to type, and not out of concern for Europeans.

𝔸𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒ℤ𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕔𝕒

𝓐𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓩𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓬𝓪

𝑨𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒁𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒂

It's important to laugh while people die pointlessly, or you'll go insane with rage.

People in the past who belonged to the "haves" knew it - and usually had the sense not to complain within earshot of the poor just because they might be bored. ~ Lenona at March 16, 2021 1:11 PM

Well, the fact that, beginning sometime around 1917, the poor developed a semi-regular habit of rising up and murdering the rich might have had something to do with it.

The fact that you think that relatively minor degrees of wealth disparity deserve sone sort of government solution is the problem Lenona.
__________________________________

Kindly point out where I said that. For the record, Richard Shenkman didn't say that either, to my knowledge.

He was merely pointing out that if you don't come from the upper two tiers of the five economic classes (which, I'm guessing, form less than 20% of society), historically, the odds are heavily against the chance of your becoming president. Thus, to say "anyone can become president" is at least somewhat misleading.

Much in the same way that it's one thing to tell a five-year-old "you can be anything when you grow up," but, one could argue, it's Pollyannaish - or just plain bad - to say that to a high school freshman. E.g., many teens dream of making their living as pop musicians, but just as many hate to do any serious practicing, so no, they won't, with that attitude.

Well, the fact that, beginning sometime around 1917, the poor developed a semi-regular habit of rising up and murdering the rich might have had something to do with it.

Conan the Grammarian at March 16, 2021 4:26 PM

I’m afraid my dear, that it started long before that. Envy is one of the seven deadly sins.

Lenona, you express your displeasure with government not making everything “perfectly fair” in almost every post.

“ More on Lincoln: "Lincoln's father belonged to the richest 15 percent of taxpayers in his community."

You do know there was no such thing as an income tax then right?

And no tax on net worth?

So how exactly do you think you might calculate tax payments? Sales? real estate? Poll taxes? and then decide it was a proxy for wealth?

Probably one of the flaws in the data that Conan was alluding to.

Abraham Lincoln was in abject poverty for pretty much his entire childhood. Wikipedia seems to have a totally different view of Thomas Lincoln than Lenona’s pet socialist historian.

She couldn't hack it a Princess, so she thinks she can handle POTUS? There is some first class delusional thinking.

Hadn't thought of it that way, and it's certain that it's not how she'd describe it either…

We've all known princess-minded women, usually young and (almost by definition) naive, who let opportunities for growth and success pass them by.

But props to RC for noting that being a princess can mean failure in a new and very literal way.

(Unless marrying Orange One didn't make her a princess by the rules of royalty. I refuse to look it up. She failed.)

(Well, maybe Diana did too.)

...being a princess can mean failure in a new and very literal way. ~ Crid at March 17, 2021 5:26 PM

Well, fairy tales only prepare young women to capture princes, not for the reality that comes afterward.

I think Harry and Megan may be very close to finding out what “Get woke, go broke “ really means.

Crid, I'm sure she isn't a princess, since Kate isn't one - she's a duchess. Presumably because Prince William will not be the Prince of Wales until his father dies.

Conan, that brings to mind a Sunday comic from 2002, in which a mother is reading aloud to her two daughters, 13 and 9 - but mainly to the older, self-spoiled one.

Mother: "Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess...
She sat in her chamber, braiding her hair and staring into the mirror...
Waiting for some handsome prince to carry her off to his castle on the hill."

Older daughter, beaming happily: "Sigh..."

Mother: "Unfortunately, she was delusional.
The royal income was minuscule, the castle didn't even have INDOOR PLUMBING, and the prince had LIED when he said he liked to go dancing!
So the moral of our story is..."

Older daughter, snarling: "I KNOW, I KNOW. GO TO COLLEGE."

Whoops - how could I be that absent-minded? Unless Charles dies before his mum, of course.

That is, I should have said "when Charles becomes King Charles."