Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

You probably think Michelle Bachmann is a dangerous lunatic

And you're right, but our situation just got a whole lot worse. This Rick Perry character is evil, stupid, ignorant, bigoted, and hateful, among other adjectives I might apply to him. There has never been a more dangerous politician who was taken seriously as a presidential candidate in my lifetime, and that includes Barry Goldwater who wanted to nuke Vietnam.

What is most disturbing is not his insane beliefs and moral depravity, but the nature of his appeal. He managed to get himself elected governor of Texas and he's now among the most popular of the Republican candidates precisely because of his bullying, his violent, eliminationist rhetoric and his contemptuous dismissal and vicious disparagement of everyone whose beliefs he finds inconvenient. His charisma is that of a gangster, a psychopath who cuts down all the world's difficulties and complexities with brute, unreflective, conscienceless force.

It turns out there are a whole lot of people out there who like that. He's the kind of leader they're looking for. It can happen here.

5 comments:

Daniel said...

There has never been a more dangerous politician who was taken seriously as a presidential candidate in my lifetime...

Consider George Wallace '68 & '72?

Perry will end up a footnote in the campaign history. Tea partiers appreciate a good set of gams and Michelle has it all over the gov.

Cervantes said...

Wallace was a regional third party candidate. He wasn't considered a serious factor in the general election.

Anonymous said...

See, for ex.,

the Rick Perry Primer from Texans for Public Justice,

http://info.tpj.org/reports/pdf/perryprimer.fin.pdf

though that ain't flash news and who am I, from way away, etc.

Perry, and others, are not legit pols, (?? whatever that might be), they are full fledged profiteering sadists, deep into all kinds of corruption, out for number one, no barriers there, anything goes, study up to appeal to the most extreme, see where the cards fall, make hay while it can be done, etc.

Ana

Daniel said...

Just read this and recalled your post and my comment... duh.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/26/opinion/brooks-president-rick-perry.html?_r=1&hp


OK, I am not a good judge of what appeals to Republicans. A good set of legs seemed a more rational choice.

and it all seemed so promising in Nov. 2008...

deerfieldparksouth said...

The thing you're writing is a big blunder.