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Liberal EliteLiberal elite and liberal elitist are terms used by some ideological opponents of American liberalism to refer pejoratively to affluent liberals, who, their opponents claim, are elitist and disconnected from the rest of society. (cf. limousine liberal, latte liberal). The feelings stem from the populist movement of the late 19th century. The term is most often applied to residents of the U.S. Northeast, especially New England, and to those who are highly educated. An ad by the supply-side organization Club for Growth sums up many of the stereotypes: "Howard Dean should take his tax-hiking, government-expanding, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, Hollywood-loving, left-wing freak show back to Vermont, where it belongs." The term is also often applied to those who have an affinity for European cultures, especially the culture of France. French cheeses (especially brie), French wines, and foreign films are often associated with the liberal elite. (Paradoxically, so is Hollywood.) Speaking French or even "looking French," a charge leveled against John Kerry, can be a sign of elitism to those who have anti-French sentiment. Many liberals argue that since the Republican Party contains a much larger percentage of the American upper class than the Democratic Party does, and since Republican economic policies directly benefit the wealthy more than Democratic economic policies do, it is the Republican Party that should be called elitist. At the same time, Ph.D.s are much more prevalent among Democratics than in the population as a whole. However, charges of liberal elitism based on that fact are often countered with charges of anti-intellectualism. See also: Culture Wars
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