The Liberal Mind: The Causes of Political Madness

[Ron Lambert]

Here is something someone brought to my attention that was on WorldNetDaily. Some posters here may find this interesting, or revelatory, or at least amusing. Some may wish it came from something like the Onion. But no, this seems on-the-level and legit. The book mentioned is available at Amazon.com, and Dr. Lyle Rossiter is listed at: http://www.forensicpsychonline.com/cvs.html/rossiter.html

______________________________________________

Top shrink concludes liberals are clinically nuts!

Makes case ideology is mental disorder

Posted: February 17, 2008

9:31 am Eastern

WorldNetDaily

WASHINGTON – Just when liberals (Fascists) thought it was safe to start identifying themselves as such, an acclaimed, veteran psychiatrist is making the case that the ideology motivating them is actually a mental disorder.

"Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals (fascists) relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded," says Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal (fascist) Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave."

While political activists on the other side of the spectrum have made similar observations, Rossiter boasts professional credentials and a life virtually free of activism and links to "the vast right-wing conspiracy."

For more than 35 years he has diagnosed and treated more than 1,500 patients as a board-certified clinical psychiatrist and examined more than 2,700 civil and criminal cases as a board-certified forensic psychiatrist. He received his medical and psychiatric training at the University of Chicago.

Rossiter says the kind of liberalism being displayed by the two major candidates for the Democratic Party presidential nomination can only be understood as a psychological disorder.

"A social scientist who understands human nature will not dismiss the vital roles of free choice, voluntary cooperation and moral integrity – as liberals (Fascists) do," he says. "A political leader who understands human nature will not ignore individual differences in talent, drive, personal appeal and work ethic, and then try to impose economic and social equality on the population – as liberals (Fascists) do. And a legislator who understands human nature will not create an environment of rules which over-regulates and over-taxes the nation's citizens, corrupts their character and reduces them to wards of the state – as liberals (Fascists) do."

Dr. Rossiter says the liberal (Fascist) agenda preys on weakness and feelings of inferiority in the population by:

-creating and reinforcing perceptions of victimization;

-satisfying infantile claims to entitlement, indulgence and compensation;

-augmenting primitive feelings of envy;

-rejecting the sovereignty of the individual, subordinating him to the will of the government.

"The roots of liberalism (Fascism)– and its associated madness – can be clearly identified by understanding how children develop from infancy to adulthood and how distorted development produces the irrational beliefs of the liberal (Fascist) mind," he says. "When the modern liberal (Fascist) mind whines about imaginary victims, rages against imaginary villains and seeks above all else to run the lives of persons competent to run their own lives, the neurosis of the liberal (Fascist) mind becomes painfully obvious."

_________________________________________________

Here is the link to the webpage for the book, The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness, by Lyle H. Rossiter, Jr., M.D.:

http://www.libertymind.com/

Here is the link to the WorldNetDaily article:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/?pageId=56494

[Bravus]

Oh yeah, I'm detecting nuttiness... {/Ratatouille}

[Neil D]

From the WorldNetDaily, a few of thier titles for Monday February 18, 2008

ELECTION 2008

WorldNetDaily Exclusive

Sleaze charge: 'I took drugs,

had homo sex with Obama'

Minnesota man takes his case to court,

YouTube, $100,000 polygraph challenge

--WND

WND POLL

Ready, claim, fire!

What do you think of the homosexual and drug allegations against Obama?

--WND

WorldNetDaily

Swooning supporters fainting for Obama

Candidate prepared with water bottle, call for EMTs – fakery or fanaticism?

--WND

Bill Clinton smacks Obama backer?

'I think he even hit me in the face with his hand'

--MSNBC

Obama meets Edwards in North Carolina

Ex-rival has yet to make endorsement in race for Democratic nomination

--Associated Press

WorldNetDaily

Obama bill: $845 billion more for global poverty

Democrat sponsors act OK'd by Senate panel that would cost 0.7% of gross national product

--WND

Hillary on guns: I once shot a duck

'I've gone hunting. I know you may not believe it, but it's true'

--Associated Press

Report: McCain seeks Bush for fundraising

But campaign aides don't want president to appear too often at John's side

--New York Times

McCain close to vice president decision

Minnesota Gov. Tom Pawlenty said to be among possibilities

--London Telegraph

WorldNetDaily Exclusive

Influence peddling claims dog McCain

Expert warns senator vulnerable to campaign manager's lobbying

--WND

WND.COMICS

McCain goes green …

Monte Wolverton: GOP candidate picks up extra steam from pundit windbags

--WND

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WorldNetDaily Exclusive

Top shrink concludes liberals clinically nuts

Makes case ideology is mental disorder

--WND

VIDEONETDAILY

Bill Clinton loses temper

Ex-president lashes out at pro-lifers

--YouTube

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ACLU panics over reprint of 140-year-old book!

Amazing volume conclusively documents America's Christian foundation

--American Vision Press

WND.COMMENTARY

Are we reaping what we've sown?

Exclusive: Chuck Norris unveils plan to stop brutal butchering of youth on campuses

--WND

PREMEDITATED MERGER

WorldNetDaily Exclusive

'Hola! Mexico!' says the Fed in Dallas

U.S. Federal Reserve adds top banker to new globalization panel

--WND

SPECIAL OFFER

New! Ultimate 'North American Union' video exposé!

Jerome Corsi reveals stunning 'bureaucratic coup d'etat' now in progress

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Nancy Reagan hospitalized after falling

Doctors determine former first lady did not break hip as feared

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Discover what the martial artists and the military don't want you to find out

--CloseCombatTraining.com

MEDIA MATTERS

WorldNetdaily

'Dear Abby' a shock jock for promiscuity?

'Logical result of advice is fewer marriages, more sexual experimentation'

--WND

THE FINAL FRONTIER

China concerned by U.S. satellite shootdown

Beijing considering what 'preventative measures' to take

--Associated Press

FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU

WorldNetDaily

Muslim terrorists destroy YMCA, Christian books

'We don't need any of these missionary institutions'

--WND

Pan-Arab newspaper labels Aaron Klein 'radical'

Jerusalem chief among 'specimens of insolence and ignorance'

--Dar Al Hayat

FROM JOSEPH FARAH'S G2 BULLETIN

WorldNetDaily Exclusive

Tracking a killer

Mossad locates, eliminates Hezbollah terrorist

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[Dr. Shane]

I thought it was humorous the other day when Alan Combs asked Ann Coulter what the source of her information was regarding something she was saying (I don't remember the issue right now) and she responded. "It's all over the internet."

[Ron Lambert]

Regardless of your possible attempt at mockery of WorldNetDaily (which is a blog that carries all kinds of articles), Neil, the fact remains that this is a real book available at Amazon.com--I checked; and Dr. Lyle Rossiter is an actual, respected forensic psychologist, listed at:

http://www.forensicpsychonline.com/cvs.html/rossiter.html

[Ron Lambert]

I did not insert the word "fascist" in the text. I just copied and pasted a quote someone else provided of the article. I checked, and see now that the WorldNetDaily article did not have the word "fascist" inserted. I thought it was a little strange. It is apparent now that the person who did insert the word "fascist" was trying to distinguish between classical liberalism (which he believes in), and the much different kind of modern liberalism Dr. Rossiter is critiquing. Sorry for the confusion. It would have tipped me off if the inserted word had been enclosed in proper brackets instead of parentheses.

The word "fascist" is often applied loosely to anyone who is controlling, in the sense of being a control freak. They routinely trample upon the individual freedom of choice of others.

Of course, in historical terms, German and Italian fascism involved an unhealthy alliance between government and industry--which was characterized by very controlling rules and regulations that favored whatever government and its approved industries wanted to be favored. So the trains ran on time, even if they had to run over people to do it.

As I mentioned before, the book is actually available at Amazon.com, and Dr. Rossiter is an actual forensic psychologist listed at:

http://www.forensicpsychonline.com/cvs.html/rossiter.html

[Bravus]

OK, say we delete the word 'fascist' wherever it appears in the original post. That actually brings it into the region of something that might be worth debating.

...and the issue there is a fundamental misunderstanding of liberalism, based on the foundational ideas of conservatism. conservatism is individualist, so this person has understood liberalism as individualist 'I want government to protect me'. but liberalism is socialist - the whole point is 'I want government to play a part in protecting others, those less fortunate than me'.

Given that the roots of the analysis are flawed, can the fruit be any good?

[fccool]

I think that today there's no fundamental differences between the "liberalism" and "conservativism" as expressed by their recent actions. The whole idea of a two party state is ridiculous IMO. The thing that I would hand to liberals that at least they do what they believe. They tell you that they believe in governmental handouts, large governments, socialized medicine... basically it's socialism in disguise.

Republicans supposed to believe in individual rights, limited government, minimal taxation, and stronger national defense by securing borders... and I think the current administration is more liberal than conservative. Liberals went way left and conservatives followed.

IMO whenever I hear any political hackery such as "oh these people are just bunch of liberals" ... I turn off TV, Radio, or just excuse myself and walk away, because I know that this type of ideology you can't reason with. Just as you can't reason with O'Reily screaming "Shut up" on national television. It

s a joke. I don't think any Christian should attach themselves to such ideologies. There's no love in hackery.

[Bravus]

Two things:

1. Please don't confuse 'liberal' with Democrat and 'conservative' with Republican - it ain't that simple.

2. Are you seriously saying America has moved to the LEFT? Really?

[Bravus]

Although I do agree that, as a small-spending conservative, Dubya is a massive disappointment.

[fccool]

2. Are you seriously saying America has moved to the LEFT? Really?

Maybe no the American farmland, which is somewhat outside the influences of the city, but overall. YES. I think all you have to do is to look at the general trends in both society and government to see that it is true.

As for Republican being conservative and Democrats liberal, that's not my oversimplification. That's a general understanding of the people who push those ideas to begin with. It's from the horses mouth. Today, America as a whole is by FAR not conservative, as conservative generation is dying off and has been hijacked while they were preoccupied which of their favorite teams will win this season. If the education system is liberal, then you can not expect the new generation that goes through it to be any different.

[Jeannieb43]

Being a Republican doesn't necessarily qualify one as being Conservative. Just ask McCain. And Rush Limbaugh. They're poles apart, yet both are Republicans.

[Ron Lambert]

What truly confuses the picture is that the term "liberal" used to mean something good, akin to "generous" and "tolerant" and "respectful of the rights and dignity of the individual." What passes for liberal thinking today has a skewed view of the world where the U.S. is always wrong, and the U.S. military is evil, and people cannot be trusted to spend the money they have earned or run their own lives, and they need a "nanny state" to provide for them and control them "for their own good."

But most of the time, Republicans tend to favor the former way of thinking, and Democrats the latter.

[fccool]

Unfortunately, the first two that you pointed out is a general consensus of the world outside of the US . You don't have to go too far to find it to be true... just read the foreign news.

When a couple of people of "bad taste" criticize me, I seldom listen. But when my own parents and friends back them up, I reconsider and try to see if they have a point. When most of the world views Iraq occupation as unnecessary, including more than half of Americans themselves, I'd listen... but this is not the case with today's administration.

That's why I don't take any position but observe and evaluate in the middle. I think we forgotten the value of the "golden mean". I don't think that either position is inherently Christian. Our kingdom is not of this world, so I can't accept the only two available and unclear alternatives as my views. A choice between a lesser of two evils is still evil no matter how you twist it. I don't say that either choice is "evil", but how people apply it and interpret it matters much. There's a difference between having a strong military for defending borders, and pre-emptive actions against "would have happened" followed by an occupation.

The fact that US has more military expenditures than the rest of the world combines speaks volumes about purpose of such actions. Historically, only Empires did that. I don't jump to conclusions, but you decide for yourself whether it is "good" or "bad".

[Ron Lambert]

fccool, America is the world's only Superpower. Of course we have more military expenditures.

Other nations like to characterize Americans as "cowboys" in an attempt to bring us down to their level. They resent us for taking a higher moral tone, for our willingness to declare some things evil, and our willingness to take a stand against them. Remember, Europe practised appeasement with Hitler, and allowed him to grow into such a powerful monster that it took a major world war to put him down. And it was mostly American money, and American blood, and American military equipment, that was required to defeat Hitler and save Europe.

Despite our victory, we did not take any territory. We freely gave of our own financial means to rebuild Europe. Most Europeans are grateful, and think well of America. But there are some, those who tend more toward the licentious "progressive liberal" way of thinking, who believe in the philosophy of doing whatever feels good, who hate those who stand for high moral standards, because they show up everyone else. So they willingly believe anything unflattering about America, no matter how obvious the lies and distortions, to try to bring us down, and make us out to be hypocrites who are even worse than they are.

[Bravus]

I agree with your points in general, Ron, and despite being very liberal, I am not reflexively anti-American and acknowledge the many, many good things about America. I have a large number of American friends from all parts of the country and all parts of the political spectrum.

But when you say this:

Quote:

Other nations like to characterize Americans as "cowboys" in an attempt to bring us down to their level. They resent us for taking a higher moral tone, for our willingness to declare some things evil, and our willingness to take a stand against them.

...and when that is set beside Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and a bunch of Republican presidential candidates who all say 'We don't torture', but then compete about how will treat terror suspects the roughest (by which they mean torture)... then the rest of the world sees hypocrisy. If you take a higher moral tone in the rhetoric, you *must* do it in the actions... and that's simply not always happening.

[Woody]

War is a nasty business. No war is without moral problems. But most of the world is not willing to take the risk of criticism. They would allow Saddam to invade his neighbor without consequence. We stood up against this and now we have to pay the price. But I think it is worth the criticism we may get.

[Bravus]

Non-responsive, Your Honour. Abu Ghraib was in Iraq, true, but Guantanamo isn't and most of the discussion of torture and water-boarding don't pertain to Iraq or Saddam.

[Dr. Shane]

First off - to be clear - I do not believe that America is on some high moral ground. Not at all. I believe America has become increasingly secular and there are many other nations that have stronger morality nationally than America does. That said, allow me to comment.

Abu Ghraib shouldn't even be part of the conversation. It was a violation of military policy. Those involved were put on trial and punished.

The issue at Guantanamo is water-boarding. I am not saying violations have not occurred there but those that have are exactly that - violations - not American policy. Water-boarding is a form of torture which I do not support. Yet, McCain doesn't support it either, nor Obama, nor Clinton. So I think Guantanamo will be closed regardless who the next President is.

As far as morality is concerned. The elephant in the room is Hollywood and the entertainment industry including porn. That is what has removed America from its high moral ground. Not the war in Iraq.

[fccool]

fccool, America is the world's only Superpower. Of course we have more military expenditures.

As we know that we learn from our own mistakes, and I'm just curious. Are there any things that USA done that you would consider to be mistakes?

Forgive me for not sharing your views of US, or any country in this world for that matter, being a moral beacon of the world you describe it to be. There lots of good things, but ignoring the bad ones will not lead any of us to the truth. Our kingdom is not of this world, although we are living in it.

As far as morality is concerned. The elephant in the room is Hollywood and the entertainment industry including porn. That is what has removed America from its high moral ground. Not the war in Iraq.

The problem with blaming Hollywood and porn is that they claim that they are merely producers and out to meet the growing demand of their customers. If "moral" previous generations blackballed the films that they viewed as immoral and did not partake in porn, the industry would have to find other ways to survive. The reason that these thrive is because they are in high demand today. So they do have their point there. Hollywood claim that they merely portray the realities of everyday life. While we have to object and say that everyday life is not "CSI",and everyday sex life is not what pornography industry portrays it to be either. People use it as an escape into fantasies. Nevertheless, to a certain degree they are right though.

[Bravus]

It is very clear that with Abu Ghraib there was a very intentional policy that, if it did not go right to the top, went close. It was *not* just a few out of line individuals. You read lots of reports from lots of places, Shane, you have to know that.

But yeah, I'm delighted that of the three plausible presidential candidates all are against torture. It's a fantastic step forward for America.

[Dr. Shane]

I have chalked that up to conspiracy theories. Similar abuse takes place in state prisons all the time and I have never known a case where a governor's office was involved in it. Prisoner abuse is a problem no matter what prison one goes into any where in the world.

[fccool]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irLosdf5Yp4

You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also..

[Planey]

Similar abuse takes place in state prisons all the time and I have never known a case where a governor's office was involved in it.

I think that in many cases the governor may be like Lord Nelson (of British Admiralty fame) who would, at times, choose to put his telescope up to his blind eye.

Graeme

[Dr. Shane]

That may be the case in some states and perhaps with the Pentagon as well. See no evil, hear no evil. But being willfully ignorant is not the same as actively instigating it.