The Republican Cult(s)

John over at Blogenlust directed me to a post by Digby on what on the surface appears to be Republican actions that would not be in their long term best interest. It would seem that they really don't think they are ever going to be in the minority again. Those of us on the left, who never stray too far from out tinfoil hats these days, have theorized that they think they can fix all of the elections from here on out.
While reading another post by Steve Soto at the Left Coaster today, As Baptist Pastor Resigns, His Younger Followers Demonstrate Cultist Behavior, another possibility occurred to me; the Republican Party has become a cult or perhaps cults.

Cult

1. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.

   
   

   The followers of such a religion or sect.

   
   
2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.


3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.


4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
5. 
   

   
   

   Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.

   
   

   The object of such devotion.

We have a couple of cults at work here. The cult of the neocon imperialists; They thought they had gained permanent power when Bush I was elected. It's among these wingnuts that attempts to "fix" democracy may come into play. They are ruthless and nothing is wrong if it maintains their power. Like Hitler and Stalin they truly believe their cause is righteous. Category five above would apply to this cult. In an attempt to get and maintain power they are in turn responsible for the rise to power of the Radical Christian element that at times seems to have taken over the party. All five of the above traits would seem to apply to this cult of Republicans. They believe they will prevail because God is on their side. They have managed to elect a number of cult followers to the House and Senate although it's not always easy to tell the real cult members form the ones simply using them. We can see the popular support of the Radical Christian Right decrease as more and more of their followers recognize how radical they really are. The Terri Schiavo event may have broken the back of this cult and their influence will be greatly reduced after the 2006 election. The neocon/oligarchic wing of the Republican Party cannot win on their own and their power will be reduced as the Radical Christian element because less a factor.