G. William Domhoff is a psychologist and sociologist by profession and is the author of numerous books on the theory of power and class structure. In his book Who Rules America Now? Domhoff provides an in-depth analysis of the structure of wealth and power in America. It asserts the existence of an institutional upper class in America that is able to dictate/direct politics, economics, and government by virtue of its wealth and power. I argue that Domhoff, through his analysis of the wealth and power structure of the American upper class, can be considered a secular cultural theorist. This is based on his identification of the cultural processes of the upper class – those shared patterns of learned behavior and interactions that enable them to “sustain and optimize opportunities and forms of sociality” (Stryker 2011), for survival. In this article I will argue for the existence of an institutional upper class in America identified by its infrastructure, wealth, and power. (Domhoff 2005) This class is a minority in terms of population, specifically the 5% of this social class that owns the majority of the wealth in this nation. They have “the ability to establish the terms under which other groups and classes must operate” (Domhoff 2005). To demonstrate the existence of an American institutional upper class it is necessary to first define it. Most people think of social class as a distinction between income, occupation, and education. They view the upper class as having the most wealth and influence in society, but certainly not power or control. Domhoff defines social class as a group of “intermarried, interacting families who see each other as equals, share a common lifestyle, and have a common point of view about the world” (Domhoff 2005), not as… paper ......grassroots campaign and is a great speaker, etc. it's superficial. Understanding the power structure in America as I do from the perspective of Domhoff, an upper class exerting its influence on the political-economic landscape of this country for its own self-interest and self-perpetuation, the resounding questions I have are: What role did they play in securing Obama's presidency, and how will this benefit their infrastructure now or in the future? Works Cited Domhoff, G. William. Who rules America now? Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 2005. Domhoff, G. William. Who Rules America: Power in America. 2011. http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/ (accessed 12 September 2011). Stryker, Rachael. September 2, 2011. “Culture: Definitions and Examples. Page 1. Anthropological Theory. Department of Anthropology and Sociology. Oakland, CA: Mills College.