Perennially Indignant People

Throughout Parliament of Whores, O'Rourke complains of perennially indignant people. These are people whom O'Rourke views as deadbeats, whiners or opportunist. They are, in O'Rourke's mind, people who are unwilling to offer an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. Instead they beg, demonstrate or engage in criminal activity. O'Rourke includes most special interest groups under this category, as they typically lobby Congress for support in creating social programs, which they then use to funnel money to their constituents.

There is a pattern to the sort of people that O'Rourke is likely to classify as perennially indignant. Firstly, they must want something. Secondly, the people in question typically belong to a marginalized group: e.g. women, minorities, elderly, and handicapped. Lastly, they are righteous. They feel that they are being denied something to which they are entitled. O'Rourke seems to regard the perennially indignant in...