There are many reasons why Rick Perry is likely to win the presidency in 2012, but the main reason, of course, is the complete collapse in principle and ethical leadership in the Democratic party in particular, and the political Left in general.
What's surprising to me is that given the high level of collective intellect among the political Left, the most important concept when it comes to political power remains unrecognized, undetected; a blind spot.
And you know the danger that "blind spots" represent. When you get "hit" is going to seem to have come out of nowhere. But the danger was there all along, almost in plain sight, if only one would turn the head a couple of degrees to check that blind spot.
So because of an underdeveloped sense of empathy exhibited by the average establishment Liberal, which can be explained by the fact that the majority of them live comfortable middle- or upper-middle class lives, and other influences like the seemingly omniscient propagandist effect of the corporate-owned media, any semblance of the type of political movement needed for the times remains totally absent.
This explains the current condition of the political Left, which exists in a type of bubble or echo chamber, whereas the most popular activity is engaging in observing, criticizing, and condemning statements and actions of the crazy, loony Right. The assumption, of course, is that by pointing out the absurdities of the Right, and their unconscionable actions, is somehow enough to convince others about the wrongness of these things. Nothing could be further from the truth.
This activity springs from the faulty assumption widely shared by the Left, that our perception of reality based on logic, reason, science, empirical evidence, and willingness to compromise, is an attitude widely shared by society at large. This attitude, at the end, will be one of the main reasons the country continued its march toward a neo-fascist future under the total control of corporations and religious fundamentalists.
The great satirist, comedian, and social commentator Bill Maher has touched on this subject, pointing out that "a majority of Americans cannot name a single branch of government or explain what the Bill of Rights is; 24 percent cannot name the country America fought in the revolutionary war; nearly half of Americans don't know that states have two senators; 18 percent believe that the sun revolves around the earth." And only 39 percent believe in evolution...
Have you ever seen those pictures of hundreds (sometime thousands) of people smiling, celebrating, posing to be photographed, at the site of a lynching? In historical terms those things happened "yesterday." Only a few decades ago.
There is a strong legacy of puritanism in the American culture. There is a strong legacy of atrocities, of the enslavement and extermination of millions of people, of the appropriation of other people's land and property, of cruelty, of unimaginable greed.
Yes, this could be said about many other countries, and it takes generations for a country to cleanse itself from those abominations, but again, as a country we are very young, and many of those atrocities happened only a few decades ago.
And therefore that cultural legacy has not gone away completely.
Today, in 2011, there are millions and millions of people in the United States that harbor a deep-seeded hate for what they consider to be minorities, immigrants, and for people who advocate for concepts of social justice and equality for all.
These people hold a twisted sense of piety that revolves around the concept that God will bless His followers with richness and good fortune, and will punish the sinner with poverty, disease, and despair.
They see the concept of equality and justice, and compassion, as advocated by Liberals and Progressives, as interference with God's will.
In that sense, there is a certain proclivity towards sadism. There is a certain satisfaction is seeing the suffering of those who they consider unworthy, lazy, sinful. In their eyes, and again, richness and prosperity are the results of piety, and poverty and suffering, the result of debauchery.
So in their twisted minds they tend to see the very wealthy almost as demi-gods. Hence their adoration of the rich. They aspire to one day be like the super rich, and even thought they know it's very difficult, they like it like that because it should not be easy to get to that level of demi-god, of abundant blessings.
That's the sadistic part. They themselves believe they have it in them to get there and they will do it purportedly with their own effort, sturdiness, and work and grit. An therefore, everybody else should try to do it the same way. That's the puritanical influence in the collective psyche.
And it's not that these people can't be influenced or nudged to open up their minds. The problem is that the political language these people understand is one that focuses on conviction, on strength, an not on weakness and compromise.
The problem with the political Left is that there seem to be a lack of passion, of conviction, and a willingness to be confrontational, to really stand up for what we believe.
So we are ceding that front to the Right, and we will pay for it.
And of course, the irony is that there is a perfectly sound way of translating the language of careful contemplation of issues, of intellect, of equality and justice under the law for all, of respect for science and empirical evidence, and reasoned analysis, to the language of simple concepts, of strong conviction, or belief.
Conviction and belief are extremely important in the political arena... To make my point, if one consider the "religious" angle, one could translate the core principles of Liberalism and Progressivism into theological terms... God gave us a brain and intellect for a reason. Knowledge, intellect, science, justice and equality, are manifested truths He made available for us only if we are willing to use our intellect.
So if He wants us to be enlightened and find the truth about how to better live in harmony with the environment, and with each other in societies organized around the concept of secularism (yes, God knows that secular societies are wiser), education, intellect, and justice and equality under the law, then those things are sacred.
And if they are, the opposite of those things, like ignorance, extreme greed, government corruption and cronyism, manipulation, exploitation, and subjugation of the populace, are then evil... Which is where we are today in the United states.
So therefore, it comes down to a battle between good and evil. At that level, you have to believe deep down inside, to the core of your being, that it is so. That you are a soldier for the cause of good; that it is your solemn duty to protect the secular, reason-based society.
You believe this with zealotry, with unshakable conviction. With the same passion as adherent of the truly dark side do as they rock back and forth, with a wild-eye expression raising both hands to what they believe is the heavens, while holding the Bible in one hand and a gun in the other. Your passion, your conviction, your belief has to match theirs. Even more so, because you are right and they are wrong. And you know it to your core.
But alas, this language is completely foreign to the Liberal establishment. And because of it, Perry will win, bringing along with him his Right-wing "Army of God." Get ready for it.
Unless the Left finds "Religion" (figuratively speaking, of course).
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The legacy of puritanism in full display...
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