Posted on 11/07/2008 9:54:42 AM PST by Lorianne
Barack Obama rode to his resounding victory on the enthusiasm of two constituencies, the young and African Americans, whose support has driven his candidacy since the spring. Yet arguably the biggest winners of the Nov. 4 vote are located at the highest levels of the nation's ascendant post-industrial business community.
Obama's triumph reflects a decisive shift in the economic center of gravity away from military contractors, manufacturers, agribusiness, pharmaceuticals, suburban real estate developers, energy companies, old-line remnants on Wall Street and other traditional backers of the GOP. In their place, we can see the rise of a different set of players, predominately drawn from the so-called "creative class" of Silicon Valley, Hollywood and the younger, go-go set in the financial world.
These latter business interests provided much of the consistent and massive financial advantage that the Illinois senator has accrued since early spring. The term "creative class" was popularized by former George Mason professor Richard Florida, who used it to describe those with both brainy business acumen and a very liberal cultural agenda borrowed from the bohemians of the '60s.
Florida, whose views have affected urban policymakers over the last several years, has attributed these characteristics to upward of 30% of the workforce, basing his figures largely on education. On close examination, suggests Brookings Institution demographer Bill Frey, the "cultural creatives" at the core of Florida's formulation represent likely no more than 5% of the population. After all, most college-educated workers live in suburbs, have children and even attend conservative churches.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Creative class...Purchased overpriced urban condos at sub prime, the same condos were given tax abatement packages at the local level, massive subsidies given for the same condos usually through state grants, use of government paid eminant domain to take private property for these condos and lets not forget all the same subsidy sources for the boutiques and latte shops that go with them. The housing bubble bursts and now more subsidies required through tax payer bailout. So much creativity on everyone elses money! I could go on but.....
Nothing like a ‘starving artist’ to boost an economy!
I think this came from a fellow freeper, http://www.keepamericaatwork.com/...good site to counterbalance this creative class crap!
Is there an “You may be an elite if...” thing anywhere? (Similar to the “you may be a redneck if...”)
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