{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"A Pagan&#039;s Blog","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/apagansblog","author_name":"Gus diZerega","author_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/apagansblog\/author\/gdizerega","title":"The Crisis in Our Ruling Elite - A Pagan&#039;s Blog","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"lf83pX8pI8\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/apagansblog\/2008\/04\/the-crisis-in-our-ruling-elite.html\">The Crisis in Our Ruling Elite<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/apagansblog\/2008\/04\/the-crisis-in-our-ruling-elite.html\/embed#?secret=lf83pX8pI8\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;The Crisis in Our Ruling Elite&#8221; &#8212; A Pagan&#039;s Blog\" data-secret=\"lf83pX8pI8\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"The Bush years have increasingly worried me that our political system has entered into terminal old age, where members of a self-perpetuating ruling elite become fixated on their perks and privileges while utterly losing touch with the rest of the country. There is plenty of evidence this is the case, and historically when this happens&hellip;"}