What Is He Capable Of?-The Presidential Psychology at the End of Days

[rodeodance]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011008A.shtml

What Is He Capable Of?
The Presidential Psychology at the End of Days
By John P Briggs, M.D. and JP Briggs II, Ph.D.
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Thursday 10 January 2008

The true rule in determining to embrace, or reject anything, is not whether it has any evil in it, but whether it have more of evil, than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good. Almost every thing, especially of governmental policy, is an inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded. - Abraham Lincoln, June 20, 1848

In defiance of his circumstances as an unpopular, lame duck president with a minority party in Congress, George W. Bush pursues a sharply autocratic tone. He has intimidated both parties in Congress and violated the Constitution. Through dissimulation and delay, he has forced the nations of the world to conclude they must wait until his term ends to negotiate any serious treaty on the imminent perils of climate change.

A sort of thousand-mile stare has descended on the country. Frank Rich writes, "we are a people in clinical depression" as a result of Bush's leadership. Perhaps, a more apt diagnosis would be "dissociation." Like a child or spousal victim of a psychological abuser, Bush's "victims" try to mentally compartmentalize him; they attempt to get on with their lives - even as he keeps on being abusive. You can hear the dissociation when Congressional leaders talk about their inability to make Washington work as it should.

Some, including Daniel Ellsberg, who challenged the autocratic aspirations of Richard Nixon by releasing the Pentagon Papers, suggest Bush has already created a "presidential coup." Ellsberg has said, "If there's another 9/11 under this regime, it means that they switch on full extent all the apparatus of a police state that has been patiently constructed."

We would like to answer several questions here. Is the president psychologically capable of such treasonous behavior? Why and how does his psychology make it so difficult for Democrats and others to stand up against his negativity and destructiveness (what he thinks of as his optimism)? How might they neutralize his psychology, which seems geared to inflict harm?

Behind the Torture, All That Stuff He Can't Admit ...........

[ixion]

1. capable, willing and able

in fact, he gets off on it, IMO.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Support all impeachment bills! n/t

[Hydra]

3. Bushco has already accomplished the unthinkable

Most Dems are arguing that getting him out right now is of no value, so they have basically told Bush that it's ok that he and cronies stole 2 elections, and we'll put up with it for another year.

Does anyone else see how insane that is?

Given that fact, why would Bushco stop there?

[Triana]

4. I've used the abuser/victim comparison numerous times in referencing the bu$h regime...

...it fits. Also with the GOP - they're the abusers/robber barons - convincing a blinkered voting populace (increasingly blinkered, thanks to the lamestream corprat-owned media) to continually vote against their own best interests.

[OneBlueSky]

5. whatever he is capable of, he will attempt . . . and right now . . .

the only thing standing in the way of an attack on Iran is the U.S. military leadership . . . we can only hope that Bush isn't successful in replacing all of them with others who share his totally warped world-view . . .

[Hestia]

6. Exactly One Blue Sky - my DH & I have discussed this in depth,

remember that little 'nukes accidently finding themselves aboard a B-52' this summer? That was the military standing up; remember the Admiral who said we will not bomb Iran on his watch; the Admiral pretty much saying the same thing during this whole Strait of Hormuz (sp?) episode (isn't it the same Admiral?). The really military IS standing up (in the background, where they are needed) to keep some horrible incident from happening. Because of the incident last summer, I feel lot safer at night - they've proved that they don't want anything to happen either.