OT: More politics

Just to spice things up a bit: From WorldNetDaily:

Liberals clinically mad, concludes top psychiatrist Eminent doctor makes case leftist ideology is a mental disorder Posted: November 12, 2008

6:33 pm Eastern

WASHINGTON =96 Just when liberals thought it was safe to start identifying themselves as such, an acclaimed, veteran psychiatrist is making the case that the ideology motivating them is actually a mental disorder. "Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded," says Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave." While political activists on the other side of the spectrum have made similar observations, Rossiter boasts professional credentials and a life virtually free of activism and links to "the vast right-wing conspiracy." For more than 35 years he has diagnosed and treated more than 1,500 patients as a board-certified clinical psychiatrist and examined more than 2,700 civil and criminal cases as a board-certified forensic psychiatrist. He received his medical and psychiatric training at the University of Chicago . Rossiter says the kind of liberalism being displayed by both Barack Obama and his Democratic primary opponent Hillary Clinton can only be understood as a psychological disorder. "A social scientist who understands human nature will not dismiss the vital roles of free choice, voluntary cooperation and moral integrity =96 as liberals do," he says. "A political leader who understands human nature will not ignore individual differences in talent, drive, personal appeal and work ethic, and then try to impose economic and social equality on the population =96 as liberals do. And a legislator who understands human nature will not create an environment of rules which over-regulates and over-taxes the nation's citizens, corrupts their character and reduces them to wards of the state =96 as liberals do." Dr. Rossiter says the liberal agenda preys on weakness and feelings of inferiority in the population by: creating and reinforcing perceptions of victimization; satisfying infantile claims to entitlement, indulgence and compensation; augmenting primitive feelings of envy; rejecting the sovereignty of the individual, subordinating him to the will of the government. "The roots of liberalism =96 and its associated madness =96 can be clearly identified by understanding how children develop from infancy to adulthood and how distorted development produces the irrational beliefs of the liberal mind," he says. "When the modern liberal mind whines about imaginary victims, rages against imaginary villains and seeks above all else to run the lives of persons competent to run their own lives, the neurosis of the liberal mind becomes painfully obvious."

Linda

Reply to
lewmew
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And I am sure one could find someone just as "qualified" to suggest that people on the right side of things are equally disturbed. Consider their desire to want to hoard all of their money (a toilet training thing??), and not give any to the government, their paranoid fears of government conspiracies, their hostility at the suggestion that someone somewhere is getting a break that they aren't getting (the "welfare Cadillac" syndrome???), their need to dole out retribution to others who have "inferior morals" (single mums....). Easy enough to do, if you want to exaggerate the beliefs on either side.

When really, pretty much everyone is (more or less) somewhere along the spectrum of okay and trying to get along in the world. I think we should at least give credit to people who have thought out their beliefs and values, and who believe that they can make a difference in the world--which is most people who get involved in politics. Some of them become corrupt, and that should not be countenanced. But men and women should be able to become politically active and promote their beliefs, at least within the well established mainstream parties, without someone labelling them as crazy. It is hard enough to get good people to act without this sort of thing.

Dawne

Reply to
Dawne Peterson

I won't disagree with you Dawne, but it made me smile and I had to post it in part as a retort to the anti-conservative post Karen C posted a few weeks ago. Note I did say to "stir things up a bit", knowing a lot of you will disagree with it. Heck, we conservatives are regularly accused of being "heartless" and "inhumane." It's nice to see the other side called that once in a while!

Linda

Reply to
lewmew

"lewmew" wrote

Oh heck, even a bomb-throwing anarchist like me knows that quite of few of you right-wingers have hearts, and only a very few of you eat small children. (RDH)

Dawne

Reply to
Dawne Peterson

We Right Wingers also love our little four-legged friends; we cry at sentimental movies and patriotic things (like seeing a Navy ship come home, BobbyV).

In my house small children are only eaten if they have behaved very badly! They have to be well-marinated to soften them up a little, then seasoned to taste. LOL

Gillian

Reply to
Gillian Murray

Even a way to the lefter like me thinks that on occasion little children should be eaten, but only with lots of ketchup.

Lucille

Reply to
Lucille

All I can say is that I find any politician, of any stripe, a joke but it has been noticeable that my Republican friends find jokes about Democrats hilarious, but jokes about Republicans totally tasteless.

Does this mean Republicans have no sense of humour ? How could they EVER have been serious about GWB and the big mess he has made.

Reply to
lucretia borgia

For those of you who are not in the fortunate position of being grandparents. Remember grandchildren are God's gift to parents who did not kill their children when they thoroughly deserved it. Jim.

Reply to
F.James Cripwell

I think the confusion is that many people believe the current administration are true conservatives; they are NOT. They have been burning money in their fireplace becauuse they are too lazy to cut the wood. Victoria

Reply to
Jangchub

Well, John Stuart Mill, who I think has to be accounted a fairly illustrious philosopher and political economist, said that "Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative."

Best wishes, Ericka

Reply to
Ericka

I tell my students that the biggest political mistake a person can make is to assume that someone who subscribes to a different political philosophy does so because they are stupid. Starting from different premises or even arriving at different conclusions does not make the other person stupid.

It was also Mill who said something to the effect that because we cannot KNOW what is the correct answer to a political question it would be wrong to force any individual to do something "for their own good." The only thing we can legitimately require an individual to do is to refrain from hurting others.

Elizabeth

Reply to
epc123

I'll laugh at Republican jokes, they just have to be funny.

C
Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

Oh, I think there's plenty of room to debate his positions--just pointing out that he's "qualified" in the sense of being someone who thought about these sorts of things for a living and had taken a position that those on the right have some issues.

Best wishes, Ericka

Reply to
Ericka

Actually, I love small children - I just can't eat a whole one.

MargW

Reply to
MargW

"lucretia borgia" wrote

Well, I am probably biased, but today I heard a radio interview with Alan Blakeney, (former NDP premier of Saskatchewan, for those outside of the province), whose memoirs are titled "An Honourable Calling". He claims to have known many decent, hard-working and honourable politicians of every party, although I think he may be a case of Elizabeth's claim that you see what you look for, as he himself was all of those things.

He was a Nova Scotian by birth, and from an old line Conservative family, who wrung their hands for many long years about how poor Alan had gone astray.

Dawne

Reply to
Dawne Peterson

I remember him - though I confess I had not realized he came from here.

I find it strange that they project themselves as the opposite to most us, the only two I can think of who were blatantly honest would be Robert Stanfield and Erik Nielsen.

Are there any we can point to currently we believe to be honest, hard working and not there for themselves and a gold plated pension down the road ?

Look at them yesterday, while finances are crumbling Flaherty is gabbling on about Brison's airline ticket and the latter is having it tabled, probably the only time he actually travelled economy. Hey guys, get your thumbs out !

A pox on the lot of them !

Reply to
lucretia borgia

I've only known a few (local) politicians that I haven't had the urge to wash my hands after meeting them ( and that is both sides of the fence folks). Two, I know socially (hockey and scouts), I've met the NH governor (a Dem) and liked him, like some of what he's doing, but far from all. Didn't much care for the last Republican governor upon meeting him, but would vote for him again (he was a no new taxes kind of guy and had a better bead on the school funding issues (IMHO) than the rest have and some highway issues were handled better under him).

C
Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

I have a lot of respect for my local reps. I also think quite highly of one of my senators, although he is a highly controversial figure (can't stand the other one) and the congressman from my district. One of the people for whom I have the most respect (and I'm sure some people will disagree with me, but that's ok) was the senator from the state where I grew up and is about to become vice president. I've known him to be hard working, fair, and to have served the people of the state of Delaware and his country well. Among past presidents, I have a lot of respect for George H. W. Bush, even though I didn't agree with a lot of his policies. I also think that Jimmy Carter is a fine, honest, hard working person, even if he was a disaster as a president.

Elizabeth

Reply to
epc123

I don't know too much about Biden, although didn't he once run for Pres and get in some trouble with plagiarism ? Jimmy Carter I always liked and have admired in his retirement. At the time he was Potus I liked that when Billy was up to his tricks and the press asked him about it, he shrugged his shoulders and said "What can I say, he's my brother" -

George H. W. Bush I believe has to answer for the war in Iraq. What was he thinking when he ended Desert Storm; he had two great advisors telling him to proceed to Baghdad and have done with SH.

Surely though you have the same problem as me, you have to hunt and peck to find a few lol

Reply to
lucretia borgia

You didn't ask if I knew of any who hadn't made any mistakes. You asked if I knew of any who were hardworking, honest, and not in it for the golden retirement.

I do disagree about Desert Storm, by the way. I think that Bush '41 made the right decision at the time.

Elizabeth

Reply to
epc123

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