You mean, it's impossible to change intelligent people's minds!

• A serious question - Just me
  • You have a very valid point........ - sm
  • I'd say at least wait until his term BEGINS. nm - In all seriousness
    • Obama didn't wait for his term to legally begin, he started on Nov. 5th. - .
      • You would prefer he not have staff on day 1? Or have a plan of action? sm - In all seriousness
        • Obama on TV - Long-Time MT-NY
  • As you can see from posts below, it is impossible - to get through to the brainwashed.nm
    • You mean, it's impossible to change intelligent people's minds! - sm
      • Normally, intelligent people thinks for themselves - and dont gush over 1 man who's proven nothing.n
        • Well, the celebrities LOVE Obama. Most of them - are on drugs.-very fitting.nm
          • This has got to be the stupidst, ill-informed comment I have ever read on here!! - penny
    • Thanks for proving my point. - penny
  • A serious answer - Sheesh
    • "I won't have to worry..." - Long-Time MT-NY
    • I'm sorry, you are aware of what caused the financial crisis aren't you? - Emily Ayn
      • Memory does not serve you correctly. - The financial crisis
        • left with a bang LOL im not a troll far from it - Emily Ayn
        • Barney Frank is to blame for the economic - downfall............sm
          • It's Barney Frank's fault??!!??!! - Truthseeker
            • You don't even know his position do you? - get a clue, then post........NM
            • To a great extent, it is Frank's fault, previous poster correct. - Sorry you don't live up to your name...
    • How soon we forget about - Minnie the Moocher sm
    • And a serious question from me about Gitmo - Backwards typist
    • Point taken - Just me
    • I was wondering what you think we ought to do with - Lu
      • Many of them are innocent and should be sent home to their families. - sm
        • OMG. sad. there is brainwashing going on. - Most Gitmo prisoners are TERRORISTS!.nm
          • Oh, no...... those bleeding heart liberals - would love nothing more.........sm
  • Probably about the time that - conservatives. -JC
    • Ditto!!! nm - maggie
  • I guess I must have missed something. s/m - penny
    • Absolutely!!! nm - maggie
      • Wrong!. nm - nm
        • Agreed! - nm

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07/11/2006 @ 11:48 am

In an interview with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, former Nixon counsel John Dean explained a largely unknown 50 year academic study. The data shows that conservatives are much more likely to follow authoritarian leaders.

Dean discovered the ongoing study while researching his new book, Conservative Without Conscience.

Dean believes that the study helps to explain why the Republican party has been driven further right.

A rush transcript follows the video.

Video can be found at: http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Video_50_year_study_says_conservatives_0711.html

DEAN: Goldwater Republicanism is really R.I.P. It's been put to rest by most of the people who are now active in moving the movement further to the right than it's ever been. I think that Senator [Goldwater], before he departed, was very distressed with Conservatism. In fact, it was our conversations back in 1994 that started this book. That's really where I began. We wanted to find answers to the question, Why were Republicans acting as they were? -- Why Conservatives had taken over the party and were being followed as easily as they were in taking the party where [Goldwater] didn't want it to go.

OLBERMANN: What did you find? -- In less than the 200 pages that the book goes into.

DEAN: I ran into a massive study that has really been going on 50 years now by academics. They've never really shared this with the general public. It's a remarkable analysis of the authoritarian personality. Both those who are inclined to follow leaders and those who jump in front and want to be the leaders. It was not the opinion of social scientists. It was information they drew by questioning large numbers of people -- hundreds of thousands of people -- in anonymous testing where [the subjects] conceded their innermost feelings and reactions to things. And it came out that most of these people were pre-qualified to be conservatives and this, did indeed, fit with the authoritarian personality.

OLBERMANN: Did the studies indicate that this really has anything to do with the political point of view? Would it be easier to impose authoritarianism over the right than it would the left? Is it theoretically possible that it could have gone in either direction and it's just a question of people who like to follow other people?

DEAN: They have found, really, maybe a small, 1%, of the left who will follow authoritarianism. Probably the far left. As far as widespread testing, it's just overwhelmingly conservative orientation.

OLBERMANN: There is an extraordinary amount of academic work that you quote in the book. A lot of it is very unsettling. It deals with psychological principles that are frightening and may have faced other nations at other times. In German and Italy in the 30's, come into mind in particular. But, how does it apply now? To what degree should it scare us and to what degree is it something that might be forestalled?

DEAN: To me, it was something of an epiphany to run into this information. First, I'd never read about it before. I sort of worked my way into it until I found it. It's not generally known out there, what's going on. I think, from the best we can tell, these people -- the followers -- a few of them will change their ways when the realize that they are doing -- not even aware of what they are doing. The leaders, those inclined to dominate, they're not going to change for a second. They're going to be what they are. So, by and large, the reason I write about this is, I think we need to understand it. We need to realize that when you take a certain step of vote a certain way, heading in a certain direction, where this can end up. So, it's sort of a cautionary note. It's a warning as to where this can go. Other countries have gone there.

OLBERMANN: And the idea of leaders and followers going down this path or perhaps taking a country down this path requires -- this whole edifice requires and enemy. Communism, al Qaeda, Democrats, me... whoever for the two-minutes hate. I overuse the Orwellian analogies to nauseating proportions. But it really was, in reading what you wrote about, especially what the academics talked about. There was that two-minutes hate. There has to be an opponent, an enemy, to coalesce around or the whole thing falls apart. Is that the gist of it?

DEAN: It is one of the things, believe it or not, that still holds conservatism together. There is many factions in conservatism and their dislike or hatred of those they betray as liberal, who will basically be anybody who disagrees with them, is one of the cohesive factors. There are a few others but that's certainly one of the basics. There's no question that, particularly the followers, they're very aggressive in their effort to pursue and help their authority figure out or authority beliefs out. They will do what ever needs to be done in many regards. They will blindly follow. They stay loyal too long and this is the frightening part of it.

OLBERMANN: Let me read something from the book. Let me read this one quote then I have a question about it. Many people believe that neoconservatives and many Republicans appreciate that they are more likely to maintain influence and control of the presidency if the nation remains under ever-increasing threats of terrorism, so they have no hesitation in pursuing policies that can provoke the potential terrorists throughout the world. That's ominous, not just in the sense that authoritarians involved in conservatism and now Republicanism would politicize counter-terror here which we've already argued that point on many occasions. Are you actually saying that they would set up -- encourage terrorism from other countries to set them up as a boogey man to have, again, that group to hate here -- more importantly, afraid of?

DEAN: What I'm saying is that there has been fear mongering, the likes of which we have not seen in a long time in this country. It happened early in the cold war. We got accustomed to it. We learned to live with it. We learned to understand what it was about and get it in proportion. We haven't done that yet with terrorism. And this administration is really capitalizing on it and using it for its' political advantage. No question, the academic testing show -- the empirical evidence shows -- when people are frightened, they tend to go to these authority figures. They tend to become more conservative. So, it's paid off for them politically to do this.

OLBERMANN: This all seems to require, not merely, venality or immorality but a kind of amorality where morals don't enter into it at all. We're right. So anything we do to preserve our process, our power -- even if it by itself is wrong -- it's right in the greater sense. It's that wonderful rationalization that everybody uses in small doses throughout their lives. But, is this idea, this sort of psychological sort of review of the whole thing, does it apply to Dick Cheney? Does it apply to George Bush? Does it apply to Bill Frist? Who are the names on these authoritarian figures?

DEAN: You just named three that I discuss at some length in the book. I focused in the book, not on the Bush Administration and Cheney and The President because they had really been there done that, but what I wanted to understand is what they have done is made it legitimate to have authoritarianism. It was already operating on Capitol Hill after the '94 control by the Republicans in Congress. It recreated the mood. It restructured Congress itself in a very authoritarian style, in the House in particular. The Senate hasn't gone there yet but it's going there because more House members are moving over. This atmosphere is what Bush and Cheney walked into. They are authoritarian personalities. Cheney much more so than Bush. They have made it legitimate and they have taken way past where anybody's ever taken it in the United States.

OLBERMANN: Our society's best defense against that is what? Do we have to hope, as you suggested, the people that follow, wise up and break away from this sort of lockstep salute to, of course, they're right, of course there are WMDs, of course there are terrorists, of course there is al Qaeda, of course everything is the way the president says it. Or do we rely on the hope that these are fanatics and fanatics always screw up because they would rather believe in their own cause than double-check their own math.

DEAN: The lead researcher in this field told me, he said, I look at the numbers of the United States and I see about 23% of the population who are pure right-wing authoritarian followers. They're not going to change. They're going to march over the cliff. The best thing to deal with them -- and they're growing, and they have a tremendous influence on Republican politics -- The best defense is understanding them, to realize what they are doing, how they're doing it and how they operate. Then it can be kept in perspective and they can be seen for what they are.

Obama is change you can believe in until you have to take it to the bank.

Our jobs have been offshored until now because of greed.  Under Obama and his taxation of small businesses, they will be offshored not because of greed but because of survival.  

You could make a difference for our country by not voting for Obama, but instead, if you vote for him, you are selling out to deception.  You are embracing a socialist, a communist, a Marxist, a liar, a cheat, and someone who legally cannot run as President of the U.S., much less the Illinois senate.  But, you make your choice.  You believe the consumate liar and his lies who sat for 20 years under the teachings of a black racist preacher filled with hatred for the U.S., whose association with Bill Ayers is recent and documented down to the fact that Ayers himself wrote Obama's best-selling book (best-selling in the eyes of far left liberals that is), who is a documented member of the socialist party, whose friends and close allies are extremists who not only bomb innocent people and are unrepenetent but who intend to eliminate (kill) 25 million Americans who they cannot "re-educate" in communist ideaology (gosh dog it, those dreadful capitalists), who refuses to hand over a certified copy of his birth certificate and educational records (my goodness, don't you have to provide your birth certificate to any number of entities who want to know if you are legal, i.e., social security, DMVs, etc., and your educational records would show if you had received aid as a foreigner and in 1963 would have shown you were a negro instead of an African-American which Obama's falsified record shows, please speck up on history), and who thinks Joe the Plumber is so stupid not to realize that if he wants to achieve the American dream, he is going to achieve it only if he lets Obama take what he makes to give to those WHO WILL NOT WORK.  I'd like to see you, liberals, give a share of your 7.5 cpl to those who don't work as hard as you, but then with Obama, that's what you will have to do.  Don't be fooled by his rhetoric that only those making over $250,00 will be taxed.  We will all be taxed, and there will be no incentive to work for any of us because we will all have to give up a piece of our pie so those who do not work can have a piece of our pie.

Here is the dividing line, folks.  We are at a crossroads in our history.  The Lord Jesus puts it this way, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction; and there are many who go in by it."

Choose which gate you enter, the wide or the narrow.  It not only determines your eternal destination, but it determines the destination of this country.  If anyone here calls themself a Christian and can vote for Osambo, I daresay you are a liar and cheat just as he.  One cannot be a Christian and vote for a party and a political candidate who is in total rebellion to God's Word.  That is a fact, and if you think any differently, then you, too, like the Obamanation, call God a liar.  May He have mercy upon your soul.  As He makes the rain fall on the just and the unjust because He is no respector of persons, we will all suffer as this country is destroyed and our Constitution that guarantees our freedoms is trampled just as Bill Ayers is pictured standing upon our flag in total disrespect, and we will thank you liberals that we are all in bondage, reduced to third world status, just as the Israelites were in Egypt.  Only Obama ain't no Moses but a Muslim and has no favor with God, and there will be no one to lead us to the Promised Land coming from the Democratic party. 

With this election, there's a lot on most people's minds right now and most are scared beyond words that can be expressed.  As I sit here I seriously imagine what our country would be like with Obama as a president, after all polls are in his favor, right? so most assume he has already won. On a more uplifting note though the polls are now changing in McCains favor and that is hopeful for people like me and others who care so deeply to preserve this great country.  As I sit and think what our country would be like if he gets in just really hits a nerve and is so frightening I'm glad a lot of my loved ones have passed on so they will not have to face what lies ahead if he gets in.  Of course the liberals will come back with "give me a break" or "please", and they will not see this post the same as a lot of us do.  And most will not even read this whole post, but will cut it down anyway without knowing the full content of it.  But why don't you sit and imagine what the country would be like with McCain and you will understand what we feel with Obama (or maybe you won't).  However, our fears are based on facts.  The most important issues for me is is the safety of our country, our economy, and upholding our constitution and preserving the freedoms our founding father's risked their lives for.  I'll attach a link at the end of this that describes what happened to them.  But know this...they risked their lives and they were scared beyond words.  If you ever watched the HBO series John Adams the actors portrayed those men very well, and the looks on their faces and what they must have felt when they were creating the Declaration is the same way I feel as I sit and think about an Obama presidency.  It scares me beyond all imaginings.  I think back to our founding father's and what they must have gone through to sign The Declaration.  Here is a quote I found from an article which I will put the link below.  The link is not a verification of anything, I just found it just a very interesting article and I wanted to pass it on.  The article states (I'm copying and pasting so please forgive if the spacing or alignment is off):

So, on July 4^th, 1776, our Continental Congress dared to declare that we 13 colonies, the United States of America, must be and are free and independent of King George.  They knew that this was a treasonous act.  They knew that signing the Declaration of Independence meant a death sentence for every one of them if they were caught. 

          Where did these 56 men get the courage to sign the Declaration of Independence? "

If Obama is elected (and we do not know yet if he will be), but if he is our lives will change dramatically (and not for the better).  First and most importantly to me and others is that you will have the first president ever who was able to change the constitution to allow a person born on foreign soil to "rule" our country.  But that should not surpirse a lot because Obama does not believe in the constitution.  His words are "The constitution reflected the fundamental flaw of this country that continues to this day".  Then if by some chance we have all 3 branches of the government democrat, no doubt in many's mind is that he will change the constitution.  Everything our founding fathers did to make this a free country for all will be gone.  The truth about Obama is out for many to see, but many who have been mesmerized by his good looks and calming voice they have a hard time differentiating what is real from what Obama tells you what you want to hear. 

So between him not being American born and refusing to provide proof, him refusing to release his medical records, his relationship ship with Ayers, Weather Underground, Wright (which I'm sure a lot of people don't know that Obama said in an interview that he went twice a month for 20 years, which meant that he sat through hate-filled sermons twice a month for 20 years and never got up and walked out), his redistribution of weath, his ties to radical muslims, receiving money for his campaign from the enemies who want us wiped off the planet, ACORN, voter fraud, buying votes, etc., etc., those are just a few of the many worries I think about when I imagine what it will be like if Obama gets in.

While I know most of the posters on this board are set in their minds on who they will vote for (or have already voted for), maybe there are a few that are just not quite sure.  So while this post will not pursuade anyone for or against Obama it is just to express my fears (though no words can express the feelings). 

Anyway...here are a couple good links I found below.

http://asburyerie.org/files/sermon%20written/Our%20Country,%20'Tis%20of%20Thee%20-%20July%206,%202008.doc

http://swordattheready.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/obama-says-constitution-is-a-charter-of-negative-liberties/

http://keelynet.com/4th99.htm

http://www.americasright.com/2008/10/update-update.html

That's right, Bush is still alive and well.  Check this out.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#28024676

Yeah, I know it's MSNBC, but how many other people are doing a lame duck watch?

They may not have been polished but they could think on their own and put an entire sentence together all on their own. Truman, I believe, said **The buck stops here.*** Being a war time president, he took full responsibility for what was going on on his watch for which he was much admired, here and abroad. Johnson gave us civil rights. I did not much like Johnson personally but I admired what he did. He said **I have just given the south to the Republicans** when he signed civil rights into law, but, he had the courage of his convictions and did the right thing, control or no control, votes or no votes. I cannot say the same about the current administration. To them the buck stops anywhere but with them and they would do ANYTHING  to keep their party in control, sacrifice a few seats here and there in order to do the right thing, not in this lifetime, not if it means losing control.

Interesting you should mention 2 Democrats as unpolished but (I assume) decent presidents.

It IS important that our president can express himself well. We as a nation look more and more weakened because our leader does not read and  cannot produce a complete sentence to save his soul; and he was elected to be OUR president and the leader of the free world. What does that say about all of us. The more situations deteriorate the more inarticulate he becomes.  America has always been the mediator in the Middle East but this time, the Italians and the French OMG showed up first.  Norway and Greece were the first on the scene to move Americans out of Lebanon. When asked if they were surprised that the first to show up were not Americans, the Americans in Lebanon said ***NO, I mean, look at Katrina. We thought we would be here a long long time.***  I know that many on the right don't care what the world thinks of us but I do and I think it is always best to have allies. This administration just burns bridges. Scary Scary Stuff.