[jjm2111]

Very interesting article, but she forgets the fact that the vast majority of successful people did NOT inherit their wealth.

I do have to agree w/ Molly Ivans that most people who are born into vast wealth have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what it's like to be poor (or even middle class). They have no clue. None. And I would surmise that in this regard she might be right about the president.

But whatever my objections w/ President Bush's policies and whatever advantages he might have been born with, I do have to say he handled the post-9/11 days admirably and he seems to actually have a soul, unlike the former occupant of the White House.

[goodnesswins]

I do NOT want a leader who know "what it's like to be poor".....I want someone who knows how to help people be NON-POOR (and that ain't by emulating or knowing the "poor." Most Poor people are poor, USUALLY because they have POOR HABITS.

[brownie]

I do have to agree w/ Molly Ivans that most people who are born into vast wealth have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what it's like to be poor (or even middle class). They have no clue. None. And I would surmise that in this regard she might be right about the president.

I'm not sure I agree with this. There are many things I have never personally experienced, but still have knowledge of. Just because a heart surgeon never had a heart attack does not mean the surgeon does not have a pretty solid understanding of what it's like to have a heart attack.

Moreover, what would be the solution? Only poor people, or people who were born poor can be President?

The main problem with Ivens, and with most liberals, is that they take it for granted that their philosophy is correct, and therefore never support any of their factual contentions, i.e., that this policy is hurting people, or that policy is hurting the environment.

I have never seen a column wherein Molly actually makes an intellegent point. All she ever does is make personal attacks. But, in her mind, she is making highly intelligent arguments. That is what is truly sad. The fact that we have an entire portion of america (liberals) who are unable to actually think through issues and come up with reasons to support and be against something. People like Ivens are bad for democracy because instead of having rational debates of the merits of a policy, they argue that their opponents are stupid and evil. Therefore, policy is not arrived at after it has been developed through rigorous debate and modification.