Authoritarians with a Conscience

My ego is finally coming out of it's last stages of grief, 'bout time. But hey, it is what it is. My head has been clear as a result, and allowed me to think in ways not possible during my "anger" stage. More specifically, I'm understanding the vile and hyper-aggressive lunatic fringe of the Obama supporters who's hate for Hillary Clinton has reached galactic proportions. I'm not concerned as much with where they came from, that question has never attracted my attention. What did, though, was an ire awareness that I knew these people, but I didn't at the same time.

Since it is too hot outside, and I've let the kiddos commandeer the television (I almost trashed it during my "anger" stage), I checked the bookshelf for anything I'd bought but had not read, and there found my answer. John W. Dean's Conservatives without a Conscience. I wasn't very far into re-reading it when I realized why, what I call "Obamazooids", seemed so familiar. It was not because of the mean wingnut tactics they used, which I just took as smug childishness, It was more than that. Dean asks Bob Altemeyer, who has shed a great deal of light on the right-wing authoritarian, if there was any such thing on the left. "I have tried to discover the left-wing authoritarian, whom I suspect exists, but apparently in very small numbers." Altemeyer replied. Well, Mr. Altemeyer, I think we've found them, and their numbers are growing.

While not all of the traits posed by the right-wing authoritarians that Altemeyer described could be attributed to the Obamazooids, for obvious reasons, but there is one question I knew they would answer "YES!" to. The right-wing authoritarian version...

Our country desperately needs a mighty leader who will do what needs to be done to destroy the new ways sinfulness that are ruining us.

Edited for the modern left-wing authoritarian...

Our country desperately needs a mighty leader who will do what needs to be done to destroy the neocons' agenda that is ruining us.

I'm asserting, here, that the Obamazooids would give a quick "Hell yes we do!" adding "...and his name is Barack Obama!" My quick answer would be "Hell no!" adding "...if the American people would just get off their fat asses and vote their conscience we could weed out the assholes!" Don't get me wrong, Obama is no authoritarian, but some of his followers are.

The truth is I've never had much use for "leaders", and I've never felt the urge to be one, either. In fact, the times in my life where I had to take charge and lead, it annoyed me. I just don't understand why some otherwise intelligent adults can't get through life without instructions from religious/political/economic leaders, we should be the ones giving our political heroes their instructions, not the other way around. Right-wing authoritarians are extreme hypocrites in this aspect. They claim Liberals have no individual responsibility just for having social responsibility, when they couldn't tie their own political shoes without dear leader's help (notice how they've been running around like chickens with their heads cut off with no clear leader?) The Obamazooids, on the other hand, are authoritarians with a conscience. At least they want to do the right thing.

Now, I'm not saying the Obamazooids are anything like classic communists, just that it is a distinct possibility that if this group got too big and powerful, we would have a lot of trouble on our hands. And, of course, I'm not saying they are any kind of "evil" just for being left-wing authoritarians (except, so far, in regards to attacking the Clintons). My point is we need to keep this country as close to the Liberal assertions on the Declaration of Independence as possible, but as far away from whatever authoritarian faction presents itself. They're all dangerous.