"Dexter" is a fictional drama on Showtime about a serial killer. Joe Lieberman is a senator from Connecticut. They have a lot in common.
Progressive radio talk show host Thom Hartmann recently defined Lieberman’s actions as sociopathic. A sociopath is defined as someone who is unconcerned about the adverse consequences for others of one’s actions. Sociopaths have no sense of responsibility, inability to form meaningful relationships, an inability to control impulses and a lack of moral sense and a lack of guilt. They do not consider other people’s wishes, welfare or rights. They can be manipulative and may lie to gain personal pleasure or profit.
"Dexter" in it’s fourth season, is about Dexter Morgan, a serial killer with a conscience. He knows he’s doing wrong but also knows that he can’t help it. He accepts his demons and tries to channel them for good. He lives by a moral code drummed into him by his foster-father. He only kills other people who kill. Dexter Morgan believes that he is doing good, and is trying to compensate for his social deficiencies, but of course he is a sociopath. He fools himself, but at least he’s aware he’s fooling himself.
Lieberman is in his 18th season as a United States Senator. It is quite obvious that he is planning to kill meaningful healthcare for two reasons. Greed and payback. Greed from the money that he and his wife Hadassah take from the insurance and drug companies. (Hadassah Lieberman is a former lobbyist for APCO, which specializes in drug companies and healthcare providers. She now is a Senior Counselor for Hill & Knowlton, which has close relationships with the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.) The fact that his actions will directly cause the death of thousands of uninsured Americans is beside the point. He cares more about his bank account. His opposition is totally about his selfish monetary gains and how the vote will affect him. Dexter Morgan tries to point his moral compass in the right direction. Unfortunately his past prevents him from doing so. Dexter Lieberman’s moral compass always points to himself. He has no conscience. It’s all about Joe.
It’s also come to light in recent days that the reason Lieberman is constantly reneging on his past statements and pushing the goal line back further is that he is still angry at the progressives who legally beat him in the 2006 Connecticut senatorial primary. This is payback time and if he has to kill public healthcare to settle his personal scores, that’s someone else’s problem. Remember a sociopath is someone who doesn’t consider other people’s wishes, welfare or rights. They are manipulative and lie to gain personal pleasure and profit.
Dexter Lieberman lost the Connecticut primary fair and square. The rejection by the voters of the state must have been a cold hard slap to the face. Instead of analyzing his deficiencies, he went on a vindictive rampage. Taxpaying, law-abiding citizens are saps in Joe’s world. Show me the money and help me destroy my enemies. Even if his "enemies" are trying to do something for the public good, screw them. Americans who will die of lack of health care? Collateral damage. More important to Lieberman is that he screwed the progressives who had the temerity to challenge him for his senate seat.
This past Sunday, the Showtime series "Dexter" finished its fourth season with a jaw dropping finale and well-deserved critical acclaim. Dexter is starting to learn that there are real consequences for your actions, no matter how much you sugar coat them.
As for Dexter Lieberman, there is no hope for him. He is a soulless shell of a human. Unlike Dexter Morgan, Lieberman doesn’t know that he’s doing wrong. Nor does he care. He drapes his crimes in patriotism, the flag and self-righteousness. He lives for personal fame and monetary gain. Retribution is more important to him than the public good. His enablers on the right and in the MSM are helping him slaughter the innocent.
Dexter Lieberman is the true sociopath. Unlike Dexter Morgan, Dexter Lieberman’s victims are not fictional characters on a TV show. They’re real people with real families who walk among us. Sometimes TV’s Dexter Morgan has trouble sleeping, wrestling with the demons in his head. And like the true sociopath that he is, I assume Dexter Lieberman sleeps very well at night.