I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration
In his seminal book Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate, linguist, cognitive scientist, and expert on the framing of political discourse George Lakoff writes that the conservative worldview is one of patriarchal top-down authority. Children are raised to be good through punishment and discipline, and Daddy will support and protect the family from a dangerous world.
But what if Daddy is nuts?
Children who have been raised in dysfunctional families where Daddy and/or Mommy is an alcoholic or drug addict and/or crazy know this scenario well.
First we scurry not to get hurt. We cover for the crazy parent by not inviting friends home and we sleuth to repair their damage. Eventually we may try to report a danger to an authority, but if the intrusion of that authority becomes a threat to the family, we will backtrack like mad. We will call for help but try to cover the fact that we are doing it by doing it without taking responsibility for it.
Sound familiar?
In a sane culture, Daddy would be removed by intervention. The "children" would grow up and take responsibility and realize that they have the power to take control, that no one crazy person wields the authority they imagine he does.
Our Constitution makes provisions for all this. It's called the 25th Amendment!