A few years back, Britney Spears said the same -- that we should just trust the preznit "in every decision." May Tucker, Jonah, and co. enjoy her success and career arc.

What is the solution to this problem, when the country seems to be populated with these authoritarian followers?

Seig Heil

We can thank our lucky stars that Cheney is too old and weakened to ride a horse. Otherwise, he would be the caudillo that these poor fellows crave.

THANK YOU for using one of my favorite scenes from the [highly-political] new episodes of Family Guy. Stewie's response should be ours whenever anyone says shit like this:

"It's like she's fucking five!"

I must admit I never pictured Glenn sitting on Sunday nights, chuckling at Family Guy. It's fine, I just figured he would be more of a South Park type of guy.

All of which, of course, is why Authoritarianism appeals so strongly to the fundies of all religions.

Daddy, god, Leader - it's all the same to the sheep who can't bear to think for themselves or make their own decisions.

And this is also why it's so dangerous and destructive for Democrats to attempt to appeal to the fundies.

It dilutes the Democratic message of real-world, rational, fact-based policy and action; discourages free-thinking progressive christians; disgusts secular progressives; makes the Democrats look like stupid panderers, and most importantly:

gains not one single vote for Democrats.

The fundies - and all RWA sheep - will never, Never, NEVER vote for a Democrat.

What makes it even worse is that a true progressive Democrat doesn't NEED a single RWA vote.

Especially if he stands up and proclaims Progressive Values at the top of his lungs.

Then spits in Jonah Goldberg's face.

"As always, the need of that strain of individual represented by Tucker Carlson and Johan Goldberg to search endlessly for strong, powerful, masculine figures so that they can feel those attributes and and pose as one who excudes them."

Great post, Glenn (as much as I would otherwise be loath to draw lessons from Family Guy), but my inner college professor asks you to proofread this sentence:

Jonah = Johan

and = and and

exudes = excudes

Somewhere, George Orwell is laughing his ass off.

People of the authoritarian bent are looking for daddies, not leaders. That was the appeal of Ronald Reagan: The congenial but tough-minded dad. Goldberg says it explicitly in the excerpt above: "I can just see him yelling, hey you kids, get off my lawn. I love it." Cheney is the cantankerous neighborhood dad who doesn't brook any misbehavior from the local kids.

Yet these people (the Goldbergs, Hasselbecks and the like) are seen in the public mind, paradoxically, as representing the tough and individualistic strain of the American psyche. In reality, they are merely soft and frightened little children looking for someone the hold their hands and reassure them as they face the scary world.

As an avid watcher of Family Guy, I applaud you. While I never thought I'd see Family Guy in a Glenn Greenwald column, I'm so very thankful that I have. My two favorite things: Glenn Greenwald kicking Right Wing Ass, and Family Guy, rolled into one.

on the state of mind of this country. The lack of critical thinking combined with the thirst for authoritarian rule by an extremist minority does not bode well for the continuation of a liberal republic. Imagine if Bush was intelligent besides corrupt.

James Wolcott (Vanity Fair) makes a keen observation about the mindset of modern day "mau mau right" regarding cruelty to animals, in Wolcott's words, "The behavior of K'Lo's beloved Oven Mitt does raise the issue of why so many Republican politicians have a defective chip in their brains if not an outright cruel streak when it comes to animals. It's a most disturbing pattern."

Hostility to animals, the environment, Iraqis, "liberal" Americans, a most disturbing pattern indeed.

Ha ha ha ha, hee hee hee hee, snort.

Wonderful line.

Ha ha ha ha.......

I just have a hard time believing that this same viewpoint will be said if a Democrat was president. These same people criticized every single thing that Clinton did no matter security related or otherwise. This all just applies to Republicans.

I just read my first "column" by Jonah/Johan, and I have to say I'm not certain he's a serious writer -- I think it may be some kind of gag. The piece is about the First Amendment, and its analysis is so shallow (and so transparently so) that it seems more like a hoax by a 3d year law student.

I suppose everyone else knows who this person is -- is there any chance he's some kind of a gag artist who just likes to make fun of the Wingnut Right?

If not, boy, he's really, truly self-parodying.

Maybe Seth McFarland can make a Jonah/Johan show just by cutting and pasting his "columns" together!

It must be remembered that this fawning is, to a great extent, a function of the politics of the office-holder. Presumably, such fawning would not be taking place if it was a tough, cigar-chomping Democrat we were speaking of.

Why? Because of who-is-putting-who-down. Currently, it is the "liberals" (just using this term as placeholder or proxy) who are being put into place by an accountability-scoffing conservative. As such, those giggle-fawns can bask in, and live vicariously through, the smack-downs initiated by their idol.

But turn the tables and manly men may not hold the same attraction: imagine a Democrat VP staring down Wolf Blitzer and saying - "Free health care for all and damn the torpedoes" Would these same giggle-fawns be tripping all over themselves to bask in the Democrat's manliness? I suspect not - what is now a giggling tribute to manhood would then be outraged incredulity at someone who would dare abuse the power of his (or her) office in such an outrageous manner.

Greenwald practicing psychology (or would that be clairvoyance?) without a license, using a TV cartoon to bolster his point.

Oh, brother. Do you realize how silly you sound?