The Coming Storm/The Leaders

Judging from current polling data, in November 2010 Democrats will lose control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate as well. It seems that there will be a big Republican victory, thus seriously challenging President Barrack Obama's ability to put forth his administration's agenda during the rest of his first term in office. Tea Baggers/Fox News/Republican leadership have been effective in depicting the President as an anti American/socialist who's trying to take their country away from them.

Two of the Republicans main arguments have been the federal government should be limited in size and spending must be undertaken responsibly. These are not unreasonable requests and should civilly be debated among our elected officials to come to a reasonable compromise.

Yet, Republican leaders/Fox News/Tea Baggers have not stopped there. They have held up the Federal Government as if it's the enemy. Fear mongering techniques have been used to combat all of President Obama's initiatives from health care to wall street reform.

In fact, President Obama has been the target for much of the hysteria. Whether it be the President's place of a birth or his religion, the card of Mr. Obama being "different" from "Real Americans" has been played by Republican leaders/Tea Baggers/Fox News to the tilt.

Leaders such as Newt Gingrich, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, etc have shown little regard or respect for President Obama. These leaders continue to defend certain falsehoods about the President even while knowing them to be untrue.

One wonders how individuals who consider themselves stalwarts of "Family/Christian" values can make up such fabrications. Isn't lying breaking one of the basic tenets of Christianity? I mean, I didn't major in theology or go to seminary school but didn't Christ call us to love our enemies?

In a previous post, I discussed the followers of this Authoritarian right wing movement. Now, I will write about their leaders. Just as in that initial post, most of what I write is based off the book Conservatives without Conscience, written by John W. Dean who quotes much of the work done by psychologist and researcher Bob Altemeyer of the University of Manitoba. Bob Altemeyer researched and coined "right wing authoritarian" term. Although, Mr Altemeyer did not have scale or criteria for the men and women who lead RWA's. That's where researchers Felicia Pratto of the University of Connecticut and Jim Sidanius of the University of California, Los Angeles, who developed social dominance theory, and social dominance orientation scale come in. An individual who scores high a social dominance orientation scale, would be described as having personality that is sadistic and inhumane towards others.

Research results show social dominators believe equality is a pipe dream for suckers. Individuals who score high on the social dominance orientation scale tend to agree with the following statements, "Do you enjoy having the power to hurt people when they anger or disappoint you?" "If you have power in a situation you should use it however you have to, to get your way," and "I will do my best to destroy anyone who deliberately blocks my plans and goals." Needless to say, these social dominators seem to have no moral compass. Here are some additional statements dominators tend to agree with, "There really is no such thing as right and wrong; it all boils down to what you can get away with," and "basically, people are objects to be quietly and coolly manipulated for your own benefit." They disagree with statements like "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and never do anything unfair to someone else," and "since so many members of minority groups end up in our jails, we should take strong steps to make sure prejudice plays no role in their treatment by the legal system."

I'm sure that none of you will be surprised that authoritarian dominators are attracted to "status-inequality-enforcing occupations," like prosecuting attorney or a job in law enforcement, and that they are "over represented in positions of political power."

Quite frankly, these leaders seem to be narcissistic and just flat out inhumane. It might appear that I'm making a partisan attack against the right but these dominators describe themselves as "intimidating, unsympathetic, untrusting, untrustworthy, vengeful, manipulative, and amoral." These individuals know exactly what they're doing and don't care whom they hurt in the process.

What's more disturbing are the individuals who test high on both the Dominator (leader) scale and the RWA (follower) scale. These individuals are referred to by Mr. Altemeyer as "Double Highs." It may seem strange for an individual to score high on both scales, since it obviously would be a contradiction. Yet, Double Highs don't answer questions on the RWA scale as followers, they are making the assumption people are following them. To put it plainly, dominators answer questions as if people are doing they're bidding. Dominators always picture themselves in a world where they have control.

Double Highs tend to be Christian Fundamentalists but don't go to church for the love of Christ. They go to church for selfish motives. Mr. Altemeyer's research shows that Double highs agree with statements like, "The best reason for belonging to a church is to project a good image and have contact with some of the important people in your community." Double Highs attend church more than most folks and think of themselves as holier than thou but they have no problem lying, cheating or bullying. As the aforementioned statement suggests, Double Highs are amoral and thus church has know effect on their behavior. It does not bother their conscience because they don't have one to begin with.

Double Highs show their narrow mindedness by agreeing with the following statements "If it were possible, I'd rather have a job where I worked with people with the same religious views I have rather than with people with different views"; "all people may be entitled to their own religious beliefs, but I don't want to associate with people whose views are quite different from my own"; and "non-Christian religions have a lot of weird beliefs and pagan ways that Christians should avoid having any contact with."

While social dominators generally don't subscribe to a grand scheme or philosophy, Double Highs do. Mr. Altemeyer ran a simulation game called "Global Change" with fifty-five university students, whom all tested high for RWA and seven of whom tested high for Social Dominance (Double High) as well. During these two — session simulations, the Double Highs took control and disastrous results ensued. They made themselves wealthy unethically, participated in nuclear blackmail, destroyed the ozone layer and allowed billions of people to die of starvation.

Now I know it was just a game, but would you want these individuals leading your schools, military or better yet, your country? Double Highs are dangerous not only due to their selfish and narcissistic personalities but also because they lead people (RWA's) who are submissive, gullible and do not think for themselves. Mr. Altemeyer compares "Double Highs" to Hitler and to those who are "most likely to mobilize and lead extremist right wing movements in the United States."

Not to beat up on the right or anything but I'll be damned if this does not sound like their leaders. Sarah Palin continues to promote falsehoods like this, knowing full well it's incorrect. Yet, we are told by Palin's followers that she is the embodiment of christian virtue.

Or take an individual such as Newt Gingrich, who publicly promotes "Family/Christian" values but even close associates concede the man is amoral.

There are going to be some difficult days ahead but we as intelligent Americans must press forward demanding truth over fiction. We have a choice not to succumb to the nonsense and consistently present the facts the way they are. If we choose to remain silent now, then I fear our country will start to head down a bumpy and dangerous road.