I figured I'd skip a formal invitation for you to participate in this thread.
I don't consider myself an "expert." Ironically, it's folks like you who have defined down what constitutes an "expert." Your reason for demanding that Americans defer to experts is fairly obvious, along with the expert author of the book you touted who, shockingly, believes that we just don't listen to experts enough.
Once again, I listen to authentic experts all the time. What I question is the expertise of many self-styled "experts." We've had a number of high-profile "emperor has no clothes" moments over these past several years with these folks. I'm in education. I have to listen to these folks all the time.