The Dems had a speaker named Barney Smith — he was one of the ordinary Joes, the sad sacks, lined up to speak at the convention. He said he wanted a president who would put “Barney Smith before Smith Barney.” A cute line. But what does that line tell us? For the thousandth time: Any individual or company having to do with money or finance has to be a hate object.
It was Bill Clinton who freed the Democratic party from this mindset — somewhat. But now the mindset seems back, firmly in place. And that’s a deep shame. Smith Barney is not an enemy of the people. Other things are.
And, by the way, a good president would be good for both Barney Smith and Smith Barney. And, frankly, Smith Barney is good for Barney Smith, too, though modern miseducators will not let him know it.