Yes. We Americans are proudly ignorant and we worship wealth and consumerism. We ridicule intelligent, well-educated people, and we, sadly, equate wealth and fame with competence. Way back when, in 1992, when Ross Perot was an independent Presidental contender, I had more than one person tell me that "Frank Perdue" was running for president. I'm not going to say I gave up then, because I continue to work hard politically, but I'm also aware of who and what I'm dealing with. I think our profound ignorance may get the better of us this time.