The trouble with our self-styled "elites"

Megan McArdle writes about economics and policy, and seems to have a pretty good handle on things. Here are some of her more recent observations:

So-called experts in public policy talk a good game, but in the end are no experts at all. They build castles of words, and call it knowledge.

[This happens mainly because] in a world where your primary output is words, it is easy to imagine a smoothly operating process based [solely] on really smart rule-making.

In essence, elites are always missing one vital piece of information: what it is like to be someone who is not in the elite.

It is easy for [the elites] to recommend free trade, carbon taxes, and so forth; most of them live in cities where they don't have to drive much, and/or have incomes that make the price of gas a trivial concern.

I'd like to think this type of analysis is gaining traction all around the country. Unfortunately I think the only people who agree with the author are conservatives.