Truth Clinic: America’s disastrous fixation with a rogue

By James Breedlove
NDG Special Contributor

American politics has spawned a new superstar who champions herself as a rogue.

But what is a rogue? One definition is: an unscrupulous or dishonest person, especially somebody who is also likable, acting independently and using unorthodox methods that are unpredictable and are likely to cause trouble. Another is: A dangerous, solitary, vicious or uncontrolled animal that lives apart from the rest of its herd or group.

Sarah Palin, rising from the ashes of the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign, is the latest political phenom attempting to resurrect a divided, disgruntled, and disenchanted Republican Party.

Her recently released 413- page memoir, “Going Rogue: An American Life,” is already a best seller. While hyped as Palin’s ticket to the 2012 republican presidential nomination the book seems to be directed at retribution to the media, senior campaign staff, and critics who wronged her during the campaign. The book leaves no doubt that Sarah Palin can hold a grudge.

But how did this virtual unknown become endowed with messianic stature so quickly.

Some insight is provided by author Colin Wilson in his book, “Rogue Messiah’s”, in which he chronicles the psychological break down of the likes of Adolf Hitler, Shoko Asahara, David Koresh, Jim Jones, Sabbatai Zevi, Rudolf Steiner and a host of other Messiahs. The common thread for all the Messiahs was their need for power, the drive to get power, and the use of that power for revenge against real or perceived enemies.

The Palin Rogue phenomenon was given life because John McCain chose her as a running mate in the 2008 presidential campaign. She was chosen out of desperation with little thought of the danger ramifications. Some Republican moderates warned of her potential destructive influence. They insisted she was a polarizing figure whose extremism could fractionate the party.

But in spite of the warnings she was selected to be the VP candidate and the country became infected with the Palinitis virus that is potentially more dangerous than swine flu (H1N1).

Rogue messiahs find a receptive void because of the bizarre wish fulfillment of their admirers (disciples). The disciples are looking for someone in whom they can whole heartedly believe and onto whom they can transfer their longings for the utopian tomorrow they wish for.

Even though a rogue messiah’s convictions about him or herself often run counter to reality there is an overriding compulsion to defend one’s self esteem.

Rogue messiahs never under any circumstance admit that they are wrong. When confronted with evidence of being wrong they lash out and the urge to get even at all costs becomes a driving force.

Palin tells us over and over again how she was wronged during the campaign. She did not make a single mistake during the campaign. She insists that her problems came about because the McCain senior advisors held her in check.

After the economy collapsed in the fall of 2008 and the McCain campaign seemed to flounder Palin went “rogue”. Instead of following McCain campaign rules on attacking Obama she inflamed her whistle stop audiences with fiery race baiting rhetoric that invited extreme racist outcries and threats from supporters to African Americans.

Victimization plays well with the conservative base and Sarah Palin has deftly played the role of victim to advance her cause. Because of her notoriety she commands attention from a media intent on capturing ratings. Celebrity victimization raises money, sells books and has talk show hosts clamoring for interviews.

Palin’s roguishness created an obvious crack in the McCain campaign unity and essentially resulted in two different but overlapping campaigns going on simultaneously.

The Republican radical right is focused on eliminating any vestiges of moderation in the GOP or any Republican who will work with the opposition party. The conservative talking heads are clamoring for the party to purge itself and make the party pure. And that can’t be good for the Republican Party or the country.

Sarah Palin’s influence is now paramount in a party hoping to rebound in 2010 on the strength of a newly energized conservative radical base. As a result she has become the vehicle through which the ultra right-wing feels it can express its opposition to both secular society and the Obama administration.

America is in a domestic and global crisis. Yet the movement gaining traction under the Palin rogue concept has virtually polarized Congress. Conservatives have refused any bipartisanship on deficit reduction, healthcare, or environmental legislation.

John McCain, you know what grief and dissention the country is in for if Palinitis continues to infect the nation.

As one of the most respected Senators, with inside knowledge of the problem, you need to step forward and sound the alarm for America to aggressively defend itself against the disaster of embracing this rogue messiah that you inadvertently unleashed.

James W. Breedlove
Comments or opinions may be sent to the writer at: wwwtruthclinic.com