The not so shadowy Slocum family of Newport

       The only well known author I read who dares to write openly

    about our " ruling class "... our " plutocracy " is Gore Vidal.

        If THEY had their way in all things democratic, they would

    not hesitate to make themselves a sacrosanct minority- actually

    protected by political correctness.

           To speak of THEM with a lack of respect, with contempt,

    would bring certain retribution. A liberal editorial writer

    referring to somebody as a " plutocrat " would lose his job

    just as quickly as an illiberal one who used the N-word in

    commenting on race relations -which must never be perceived

    as less than harmonious.

         A phone call from a plutocrat's lawyer would be as dreaded

    as a nasty call from Al Sharpton.

           In a recent letter I said that the Democratic Party -

    despite its image as the champion of the working class and the

    oppressed -rarely  says or does anything to arouse the wrath of

    the shadowy plutocracy. It dreads being accused of provoking class

    war - which is whenever the have-nots get a little rebellious.

            A ruling class scandal made the front page of the Providence

    Journal on August 21 - involving a member of the famous Slocum

    family of Newport. The guy brings shame to  Bellevue Ave. by his

    stock market swindling -if in fact guilty.

           Perhaps this Slocum really has a bright future as chairman

    of the SEC. Some future Roosevelt might think: " It takes a crook

    to catch a crook " .  Recall FDR gave the job to one scoundrel

    named Joseph P. Kennedy.

               To be sure, there is no Chinese Wall between the

    shadowy plutocracy and our more prominent Rhode Island politicians.

           I read that the wife of Atty. Gen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Sandra,

    is a cousin of Eileen Slocum, the Newport grand-dame. Headline,

    Sept.7,2001 : " HERE COMES THE DUCHESS OF YORK-SARAH FERGUSON-

    TO ATTEND NEWPORT SOCIETY WEDDING TOMORROW ".

             Of course, any grand-daughter of Eileen rates royal

    recognition !

        ..... " A sword owned by Eileen Slocum's grand-father, Gen.

    George L. Gillespie, secretary of war under former President

    William McKinley, will be used to cut the cake ".

              The wealth of our Yankee plutocracy can be traced-

    if not to the institution of black slavery and the cruel

    exploitation of free labor during the Industrial Revolution-

    then to numerous and nefarious IMPERIALIST adventures.

           Any future war - say with Iraq- will cost many working

    class lives but make life even more voluptuously abundant and

    glittering for New Port high society.

             " Does that sound pretty good ? " Sheldon asks old

    Eileen Slocum.  " No, that sounds really good ", the old wealthy

    parasite thinks.