Why I Think Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck Overshadow Mitch McConnell

Dear Senator McConnell:

I won’t (can’t) deny the obsession now. I woke this morning with you on my mind. But, I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. If persistence pays off, people will thank me later.

I’ve wondered how you feel about holding what should be the highest position in your party, yet all you get is bad press while your party idolizes people like Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and the Turdblossom. I actually felt sad for you – until my aha! waking thoughts this morning. Now, I suspect you might be party to the bigger scheme, and I feel sorrier for your prey.

Recently, I read Bob Altemeyer’s The Authoritarians. It was a moving, validating experience because, finally, someone with credentials, years of background experience, and actual scientific studies confirmed what I had been saying for years. Of course—you probably know this about me by now—that wasn’t the end of it for me. I dove into a bigger study of authoritarianism and even started writing my own book in response.

What hit me this morning was the secondary definition of authoritarian – political power in an authority NOT responsible to the people. Wow. For a little bitty word, NOT holds a lot of power for someone in your position.

Here’s how I see the bigger picture. I trust you will let me know if I’m off track.
If you allow FOX Entertainment-disguised-as-news, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and the Turdblossom – overbearing personalities who are NOT responsible - to manipulate a base that bows obediently to authority for you, you’re off the hook. They can lie, incite violence, solder the division between church and state . . . and you and your party can feign innocence when it all blows up.!

Isn’t that exactly what you were setting up when you excused the violent nature of McCain/Palin groupies as “energetic” instead of calling it like it was? And now, you have an entire Tea Party of gun-toting bigots following in their footsteps that your party is trying to pretend aren’t related to you?

Brilliant! But also scary.

Feeling enlightened,

Sandy