I've been reading a lot of blowhard rants claiming that Obama supporters are part of some weird personality cult. I'm here to give you a breakdown on what a cult is and just how little Obamarama resembles one. Sure, some get carried away, but you are about to learn that the defining characteristic of a cult isn't the zeal of its followers, but the malevolence of its leaders.
More on the flipside.
All quotes are either straight excerpts from the issues section of Obama's site, or his own words, mostly from his Google Q&A session, which is also on his site.
Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.
1.Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
George W. Bush is one of the few "authoritarian" presidencies in our history, and (let's be real) he's mild by global historical standards. Do you really think Obama would run a less accountable administration?
2.No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
Obama will bring democracy and policy directly to the people by requiring his Cabinet officials to have periodic national broadband townhall meetings to discuss issues before their agencies.
Can't you just smell the intolerance?
3.No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
Americans have the right to know how their tax dollars are spent, but that information has been hidden from public view for too long.
4.Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
And I will send once more a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores that says, 'You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our moment is now.'
-- Because that says "fear," all right. Just your garden-variety vast left-wing conspiracy at work.
5.There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
Do I even have to bother? Of course there are any number of legit reasons to leave any campaign, and I don't imagine anyone in the Obama Campaign would support would deny this.
6.Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
Show me a Battered Obamans meeting. I dare you. Most of the "abuse" such as it is, is directed at people who don't agree in the first place, not "former members." And these abusers are independent fools, not an organized mob (as is common with cults). They exist in every significant group, including Hillaryland.
7.There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
His own hometown papers have cleared him of any "abuse," like his ties to Rezko.
8.Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability bring about real change to Washington ... I'm asking you to believe in yours.
Enough said.
9.The group/leader is always right.
If that were true, Obama wouldn't be actively asking for ideas – and including them.
I know how to choose talent and get smart people around me who are capable and independent and bring together a variety of different points of view.
10.The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
We are going to have a big table, and everyone is going to be invited.
I'm a big believer in reason and facts and evidence and science and feedback.
He must be crazy, people. "Science," indeed! Next thing you know, he'll be claiming the Earth is older than television!
By the way, anyone got a spare tinfoil hat? One is never enough these days.