I briefly involved myself in local politics and, living in the neighborhood of a nationally ranked university, met some people who were in an economic class above mine. Am still privy to some of their conversations.

I will keep it brief: I have known fry cooks and people with doctorates, and the main difference between the two is what their daddy did for a living. The world-weary pragmatism of a Democratic insider is a class signifier. It is no more a sign of sophistication and intelligence than Bertie Wooster’s “what-ho!” tics.