You don't want to change the world like you say, You're in it for yourself, no one else

I came across this article the other day (http://gothamist.com/2008/11/14/mccain_scores_landslide_in_hasidic.php) about how McCain won the Chassishe vote in Williamsburg by a landslide.

I'm pretty sure that most of the Chassidim in W-Burg weren't doing exhaustive research so that they can make an informed decision (I know that I'm stereotyping, but I'm probably right for the most part). Their Rabbi probably told them to vote McCain, so they did. I know this was the case in many yeshivishe circles.

This leads me to my question: What is "daas torah" and who has it?

People in the yeshivishe world will follow anything that their rav tells them because he has "daas torah". That somehow he is qualified to make decisions for his congregation (that are unrelated to torah study) based on the fact that he is a big talmid chacham. Isn't it insanely arrogant for any person to claim that they know everything about everything?

Is "daas torah" a euphemism for some sort of watered-down ruach hakodesh? If so, how could Obama win if all these Rabbis said that we should vote for McCain?

I feel that so many Rabbis use this as a tool to further their own agendas. Like Rabbis who say "That bomb/accident/other tragedy happened because of tznius/lashon hara/etc.". How can someone state conclusively that the reason for some tragedy that happened is because of some specific sin. Did God come and tell you that? Or is it a convenient way to prey on people's emotions to further an agenda that you've been pushing (albeit an altruistic agenda in most cases).

It's just that people have to realize that Rabbis are human too. Some are bad, most are good.

All I want is the truth.
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"I'll take the truth at any cost"
Paramore - "We Are Broken"