Tag Archives: Bad Barrel

Tracking the Growth of American Authoritarianism

“Can There Really Be Fascist People In A Democracy?”
Libertarians are stealthily taking over America.

Since the 1971 Powell Memo, America has moved closer and closer to Fascism.

 

Fascist Politics for Protecting and Empowering a Demagogue

The distinct strategies of fascist politics include: the mythic past, propaganda, anti-intellectualism, unreality, hierarchy, and victimhood. Other strategies also included are law and order, sexual anxiety, appealing to the heartland, and dismantling public welfare and unity. Below is summary of … Continue reading

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News Media “Bad Barrels” And the Parable of the Frog in Boiling Water

Professor Phillip Zimbardo, who conducted the Stanford Prison experiment in his younger days and has since written about what he’s learned, The Lucifer Effect – Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, coined the phrase “bad barrel.” A bad barrel is … Continue reading

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America’s Two Party System – The Good, Bad, and The Really Ugly

First of all, a short summary of The Lucifer Effect. It explains how events like Mi Lai, Abu Ghraib, and The Stanford Prison Experiment turned good people evil. Part of this explanation involves “bad barrels.” A bad barrel is an … Continue reading

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The “Bad Barrel” for All U.S. Presidents – Some Try to Resist, Authoritarians Enhance It

What changed many of the promises of candidate Obama into either inaction or the adverse actions of President Obama? Here’s how I put it to the President recently. RE: The Obamas by Jodi Kantor Mr. President, While listening to an … Continue reading

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Violence Against Americans by Americans – Individual Action Is Only Part of the Story

Individual actions result from the influences of many factors. This is referred to as “systemic causation.” Some factors are genetic but many are external: parents, spouses, siblings, other relatives, friends, scout leaders, religious leaders, teachers, bosses, books, movies, radio, TV, … Continue reading

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Inside the Beltway – A Bad Barrel Produces Bad Apples

Mr. President, There was an exclusive news report on MSNBC tonight. The main point was that instead of reemphasizing what you have said in public about letting the Justice Department decide about prosecuting wrong doings of the previous administration, you … Continue reading

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Mr. President: Put Action to Your Words – Pardon Sgt. Frederick

RE: Recently Released Bush II Torture Memos Mr. President, I agree with not prosecuting the lower level CIA employees for their part in implementing bad policies produced by Bush II and company. These torture policies built a bad barrel that … Continue reading

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Karl Rove – The Authoritarian’s Architect and “Bad Barrel” Builder Par Excellence

Let’s start with this quote from John Dean’s Conservatives Without Conscience, “But Karl Rove has all the credentials of a right-wing authoritarian, and if he has a conscience, it has hardly been in evidence …. He is conspicuously submissive to … Continue reading

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Corruption in Our Capitol – The “Bad Barrel” Seduces Others

In an article titled In the Democratic Congress, Pork Still Gets Served, the Washington Post reported last Thursday that Congressman David R. Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, “told fellow lawmakers that he intends to keep requests for earmarks … Continue reading

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Corruption in Our Capitol – Bad Apples or Bad Barrel That Turns Good People Bad

In a 2004 interview on CNN, Dr. Phil Zimbardo was commenting on situations like Abu Ghraib in Iraq and My Lai in Vietnam when he said, “what you have is powerful situational forces that get the majority to do things … Continue reading

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Blindly Obedient to Authority, Non-responsive Bystander or Hero – What Will You Become in a “Bad Barrel”?

Given a set of conditions, or abnormal situation, how might each of us respond? Research indicates that most of us can be manipulated to commit acts we would not normally do. For example, in the the Milgram obedience studies, sixty-seven … Continue reading

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