Sociopaths and Social Dominators

Dear Senator McConnell:

I said some things about you the other day that even I thought were harsh. Since I am angry with you, I considered the possibility that sociopath and social dominator might fall into the category of name-calling if my emotions were speaking louder than my knowledge. I spent the day with checklists and eased my mind. After checking off everything on this list, I feel comfortable with my opinion that both fit without emotion as the driving force.

 Manipulative and conning e.g. I will obstruct and hold the U.S. hostage until I get my way


 Contemptuous of those who seek to understand them e.g. Announcing dishonestly that you have not heard from constituents who don't agree with you


 Irresponsibility/unreliability e.g. I refuse to do my job because my only goal is to see President Obama fail


 Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams e.g. I deserve a tax break that I don't need even if it means other people in this country will be hungry, homeless, without health care


 Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. e.g. The majority of people in my country are hurting but I don't care as long as I get what I want.


 Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed e.g. My party drove this country into the ditch but I will blackmail President Obama into continuing the same failed policies so I can blame him


 Lack of realistic life plan/parasitic lifestyle

 They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible.

 They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used.

 Grandiose Sense of Self

 Feels entitled to certain things as "their right"

 Pathological lying

 Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis.

 Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities.

 Lack of remorse, shame or guilt

 Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities

 The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.

 Shallow Emotions

 Callousness/Lack of empathy

 Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.

 Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.

?  Does not perceive that anything is wrong with them (Not sure about this one. I believe you don’t think anything you do politically is wrong, but I don’t know that you fail to recognize wrongs like missing the hamper with your socks.)

 Authoritarian

 Only rarely in difficulty with the law, but seeks out situations where their tyrannical behavior will be tolerated, condoned, or admired

 Conventional appearance

 Exercises despotic control over every aspect of the victim's life

 Has an emotional need to justify their crimes and therefore needs their victim's affirmation (respect, gratitude and love)

 Ultimate goal is the creation of a willing victim

 Extreme narcissism and grandiose

 They scapegoat; they are incapable of either having the insight or willingness to accept responsibility for anything they do. Whatever the problem, it is always someone else's fault

 Lies with impunity because followers will not check, or believe the truth when presented to them

 Desire for power is so strong that no amount of power will satisfy them

 Will go to any extreme to gain power and will justify any means to get what they want

 Intimidating, ruthless, vengeful, and without conscience

 Scorn noble acts like charity, helping others, intelligence

 Believe there is no real right or wrong so whatever they can get away with is right for them

For years, I have tried to decide who is more at fault, the Mitch McConnells and George Bushes, or the thoughtless people who elect you. I resent all of you the same, since one couldn’t destroy this country without the other. Your authoritarian followers are intellectually weaker but, since laziness and lack of character are the reason, I don’t think that excuses them for shirking personal responsibility. Social dominators like you, who know exactly what you are doing, are the real danger when you carry your thirst for power to outrageous extremes – as in holding unemployment hostage until you get the tax breaks you don’t deserve but will insist on anyway at the expense of the country. (At least you proved, finally, without doubt, that you care nothing about this country or the people in it. I guess that’s the silver lining, but somehow being right doesn’t feel like much of a concession.)

This is all I have time for today but I will return soon with specific examples for each. Meanwhile, I call on my fellow Americans (especially Kentuckians) to help with this project – by sending links to articles that demonstrate examples, or adding to the list since there were a couple of criteria that I wasn’t sure you met.

Sadly,

Sandy