When did "elite" become a bad word?

Americans are a funny bunch. We like to claim that we are the best, richest and most powerful country in the world. We say that our form of government is the best and that our way of life is second to none.

That is the textbook definition of the word "elite." Don't believe me? Here you go:

From the American Heritage Dictionary:

elite (ĭ-lēt', ā-lēt')
n. pl. elite or elites

1. a. A group or class of persons or a member of such a group or class, enjoying superior intellectual, social, or economic status.

b. The best or most skilled members of a group.

A US Army Ranger is an elite soldier. Special Forces units are considered elite.

So, we Americans seem to like the term "elite" . . . as long as it doesn't apply to our President. For our President, we seem to want the "average Joe," or the guy we can "have a beer with."

Am I the only one here who seems to have a problem with this? Our president is the Commander In Chief of our armed forces, speaks for our interests around the world, meets and negotiates with foreign leaders, leads our country in times of war and conflict, directs economic and social policies, influences world affairs, and is the embodiment of America as seen by nations around the world.

For this we want "Joe President?" We want an "average" guy? What happened to the best of the best? Why does the "best" apply to our soldiers, athletes and businesspeople but not our President?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "elitism" as: "The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources."

So, when Barack Obama says something that speaks to his education and experience, people will say that he's being "elitist." And your problem with this is. . .what exactly? Do we NOT want our President to be the MOST educated, have the BEST judgment, have the SMARTEST ideas, be the MOST brilliant and creative, and have the SHARPEST mind? And isn't this person, this "elite" the BEST choice to lead the nation?

Does Donald Trump pick the most modest, the most humble, the most self deprecating person to be his "Apprentice?" HELL NO, he doesn't! He picks the sharpest, strongest, smartest, most driven, most resourceful person of the group.

Oh, so your problem is that he actually DEMONSTRATES how smart he is? You're all afraid that his head will get too big? That by educating himself he is somehow "out of touch" with the needs of "real" Americans? So the schools, colleges and universities in America, some of which are considered the best in the world, somehow brainwash their students to forget their humble beginnings, forget where they came from and take on a new "elitist" persona, right? All that book learnin' done gone and made him one of them thar ee-lee-tists.

I blame all of this on this recent fad of what I call "new averageism." It started in the schools when we celebrated EVERYONE for being "special." Everyone gets a gold star! We don't keep score in our games anymore - we do it for fun! There are no "losers" and "winners" because EVERYONE is special in their own way! No goals to reach, no people to look up to, no competition.

Whoever came up with this dreck needs to be shot through the head. Shot through the head by one of our elite military sharp shooters.

I want the best of the best - the elite - to be the president. "Next Door Joe" can fix my car.