by Joe Kandra, Pat Daniel, Kathie Malley-Morrison
Tag: Republicans
Cartoon: Vote NOW!
by Joe Kandra, Kathie Malley-Morrison, Pat Daniel
RESIST, YES—BUT RESIST WHOM?
In the terrifying Alice-in-Wonderland days of a new President with little understanding of the Constitution and no respect for principles of social justice, the slogan RESIST has gone viral, as well it should. The big questions are: RESIST WHOM? RESIST HOW?
Although the focus has been on Donald Trump, who so far has seemed to attract adoration and loathing in large quantities, but has many pundits have increasingly pointed out, Trump is a symptom and an outcome of problems that have been besieging the American political system for generations.
The millions of Americans who are horrified by Donald Trump as President need to address the factors that led to his (mis)election and that could enable him to put his noxious plans into effect.
Some very good advice on this issue comes from an article entitled “How to stop an autocracy” by Ezra Klein on Vox .
Klein’s thesis is that “The danger isn’t that Trump will build an autocracy; It’s that Congressional Republicans will let him.” And the threat is not autocracy but “partyocracy.”
Klein offers some excellent insight into the wisdom and intentions of the creators of the Founding Fathers, and an extensive analysis of david Frum’s Atlantic article “How to build an autocracy”
In his discussion of the role of the U.S. Constitutional separation of powers in curbing excesses by the Executive Branch, Klein tips his hat to authorities in the Judicial system who are challenging the legality of Trump’s anti-immigration efforts; however, he puts particular emphasis on the corrective balance that could be exercised the legislative branch–i.e., Congress.
One of Klein’s main concerns, which he believes the Founding Fathers failed to anticipate, is the pernicious effect on checks and balances that can accrue in a rigidly two-party system in which the goal of each party is essentially to pursue its own agenda and try to subvert the other party.
Looking for ways to resist the Trump agenda? I recommend that you read Klein’s full article and send your comments about it to this post on engaging peace.
Your father taught you WHAT? Part 1.
By Kathie Malley-Morrison
In its inaugural issues, Engaging Peace introduced the work of cognitive political psychologist, George Lakoff—particularly his work on political conservatism and liberalism. Our presentation of his theory included posts on Why We Fight, Countering the Ubiquitous Argument, A New Way of Thinking, and Values and Rhetoric. Today we begin sharing highlights from Lakoff’s psychological analysis of today’s conservative Republicans, such as the supporters of Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Bottom line, according to Lakoff, is that conservatives generally grow up in a strict father family system. In his view, “In the strict father family, father knows best. He knows right from wrong and has the ultimate authority to make sure his children and his spouse do what he says, which is taken to be what is right.”
Lakoff goes on to say, “The basic idea is that authority is justified by morality (the strict father version), and that, in a well-ordered world, there should be (and traditionally has been) a moral hierarchy in which those who have traditionally dominated should dominate. The hierarchy is: God above Man, Man above Nature, The Disciplined (Strong) above the Undisciplined (Weak), The Rich above the Poor, Employers above Employees, Adults above Children, Western culture above other cultures, America above other countries. The hierarchy extends to: Men above women, Whites above Nonwhites, Christians above nonChristians, Straights above Gays.”
In regards to renditions of those values in this election year, Lakoff says, “We see these tendencies in most of the Republican presidential candidates, as well as in Trump, and on the whole, conservative policies flow from the strict father worldview and this hierarchy.”
Lakoff also notes that, “Family-based moral worldviews run deep. Since people want to see themselves as doing right not wrong, moral worldviews tend to be part of self-definition — who you most deeply are. And thus your moral worldview defines for you what the world should be like. When it isn’t that way, one can become frustrated and angry.”
What do you think of Lakoff’s views? Do you know any conservative Republicans, personally? If so, do you know anything about their families, their personal histories? To what extent do they seem to support a strict father morality, a father (authority) knows best morality, a WASP-centered morality? Are they frustrated and angry? Are they going to vote this year?