"It's like our country has been taken over by some sort of cult."

[lildreamer316]

Quote from Arkansas Granny here at DU; which prompted me to look this up:

Cult of personality
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Cult of personality or personality cult is a term for what is perceived to be excessive adulation of a single living leader. The term was coined by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev soon after the death of Joseph Stalin, but the phenomenon he described is much older. The lifetime cult of Julius Caesar was deeply resented by patrician republicans; it paved the way for the imperial family cult of the Roman Empire.
Personality cults usually characterize totalitarian states or countries which have recently experienced revolutions. The reputation of a single leader, often characterized as the "liberator" or "savior" of the people, elevates that leader to an almost divine level.
<snip>
The most famous fictional cult of personality is probably that of Big Brother in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. The character was possibly based on Britain's Earl Kitchener although more likely based on Stalin.

Cult of Personality-Living Colour

"Look into my eyes, what do you see?
The Cult of Personality
I know your anger, I know your dreams
I've been everything you want to be
I'm the Cult of Personality
Like Mussolini and Kennedy
I'm the Cult of Personality
Cult of Personality
Cult of Personality
Neon lights, A Nobel Price
The mirror speaks, the reflection lies
You don't have to follow me
Only you can set me free
I sell the things you need to be
I'm the smiling face on your T.V.
I'm the Cult of Personality
I exploit you still you love me
I tell you one and one makes three
I'm the Cult of Personality
Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi
I'm the Cult of Personality
Cult of Personality
Cult of Personality
Neon lights a Nobel Prize
A leader speaks, that leader dies
You don't have to follow me
Only you can set you free
You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You me power in your God's name
I'm every person you need to be
I'm the Cult of Personality"

Ok; acording to the definiton above (wiki) I don't think we have gone *that* far *yet*; but I DO believe that is what many in the administration were aiming for. Honestly I do think it has been derailed; I just thought these were interesting to refer to....
Thanks Arkansas Granny for the inspiration.

[nine23]

1. I love that tune, and made the connection a long time ago...

Wikipedia aside, this song suits present America to a tee...except, of course, the Nobel Prize reference. Surely, a primate learning to speak would most definitely be up for a Nobel, but GWB can neither speak, nor write, spell, annunciate, think "as humans do", etc.

Everything else in the tune is spot on.

[Gronk Groks]

2. It IS a personality cult to the Bush-bots...

...it just didn't catch on with the general population.

If they could've they would've though...:scared:

[lostnfound]

3. Seymour Hersh said the same thing on the Daily Show months ago. nt

[Bluebear]

4. For years I have said Bush has them under some weird spell

It's the only thing with which I can explain it away.

[wli]

6. probably death threats and blackmail

c.f. Wellstone, the anthrax attack on Democrats and journalists, etc.

[bee]

5. Call me crazy but...

I honestly feel as though 14 members of the PNAC in the Bush administration definitely qualifies us as having been taken over by a cult. :tinfoilhat:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century

Scary shit! :scared:

[KerryOn]

7. Scary shit idead...

My Gradfather told me a long time ago, that he believed that the US would be taken over one day, and not a single shot would be fired. He believed that the US would be taken over from within by corrupt politicians.

It is happening folks.

[necso]

8. It is a cult.

But the hierarchy of "gods" changes over time.

It's about adhering to the "line" (whatever this happens to be -- today) and making those "leaders" anointed by the neocons into figures of worship.

Sick, sick business. Sick, sick mentality... in additional to being unpatriotic.

Being a patriot is about supporting founding principles (beyond those shortcomings in the founders' practices), not party folly -- and patriotism's certainly not about supporting the oligarchy of a self-selected elite.

(And being a nationalist is about looking out for your own nation first, if only because your fate is linked to it.)

[Lisa]

9. a real US president would shy away from cultlike trappings ...

This is the kind of thing George Washington was worried about, wasn't it. He didn't want to be a king.