Psychology of Abuse in American Politics

I have known women who have been in abusive relationships. A common thread between these women and their place in the relationship has been a twisted sense that they are serving a purpose in the relationship by providing an outlet for the partner's anger and frustrations. They develop a sense that they are needed, and the abuse, while objectively perverse, dangerous, and demeaning actually gives them a sense of self-worth. The abuser, on the other hand, is motivated by a need for control. The abuser lacks self-confidence and maturity, and approaches the relationship in the style of a playground bully, dominating physically, but also putting up the front of mental and emotional control by refusing to evidence any weakness. The abuser rules by fear, and responds to any questioning by either hitting or sending an emotional message of "I'll leave you" or "You don't love me" or "You're worthless."

I've decided that this is the kind of relationship that the American people have developed with the Bush Administration. Any psychologist worth their salt will tell you that the abuser is manipulative and crafty. They choose their words and actions carefully in order to maintain the control that they so desperately need. The Bush administration evidences this in their total incapacity to take responsibility for their actions. But the American people fear to stand up to them and make them accountable because it's so easy for the people to feel traitorous or unpatriotic. That's the beauty of "you're anti-American" - you can't argue it with people who have the control of defining what "anti-American" is. To question their definition is to bolster their case, and so we're stuck in this cycle of abuse. Furthermore, when outsiders question the global actions of the United States, we're quick to respond with details on how much aid we give to poor countries, or how our economy provides stability to the rest of the world. What I mean is, that as a society, we are quick to come to the defense of our nation because, in truth, we really do love America - despite the abuse heaped upon us by Bush and Co.

Of course the Bush administration is far more sinister than your average domestic abuser. The domestic abuser is a human, and often the abuse is a response to their own inner pain, sadness, loneliness. OK, sometimes they're just plain mean. But the Bush administration suffers none of the internal demons that plague us mere mortals, and that's what makes them so psychopathically dangerous to all peoples, both foreign and domestic.

So what we need is a good psychologist. Someone to help us realize that we are in an abusive relationship, someone who can give us the tools to break that emotional lock. The only problem is, we have come to a point where there isn't anyone with the power to set the bully down and give them a good talking to. And this bully is not a person, and doesn't listen. Sticks his fingers in his ears and says "If you question me, I'll hit you again." And again. And again. And until we are bigger than the bully, we will have to keep taking it.