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Why would an American president bow down to world leaders? Why is it easy for politicians to stoke hatred for rich, fat-cat CEOs? And why do so many nations around the world hate America, the world’s lone superpower? read more
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Each month Michael will answer questions that you submit to him. To ask Michael a quesion, click here. Newsletter subcribers will be the first to receive Michael's answers. Click here to submit a question.
May 2011
I just wanted to thank Michael for his piece on Fox News regarding the Egyptian protests. He is one of only a handful to mention how poorly women are treated in that country, to note their absence from the protests and to cite the poll that was done recently about how women are treated in Egypt. Let's not forget how those wonderful protesters treated a female reporter recently. I've noticed that all the reporting coming out of the Middle East since then by American reporters is being done by men. Its not safe enough for their female reporters, but its a wonderful peaceful example of democracy in action, isn't it? How sad. Thanks again for telling the truth. - Sandy
April 2011
"I'm confused about how the Underdogma Theory applies to the tea party. It seems obvious that the tea party was a grass roots organization without any clear national leadership. To me, this implies very little recognizable "power," in contrast to the Obama administration power-grabs that the tea party opposed, such as ObamaCare. So how did the liberals turn this one on its head and scorn the grass-roots, little guy "underdogs" group, while championing the endless power of the Federal government overdogs?" - M
One way the Tea Party movement relates to Underdogma is how Tea Partiers across America have embraced this book-along with the biggest Tea Party group in America, The Tea Party Patriots, and the leader of the Tea Party Caucus in Congress, Michele Bachmann, who endorsed Underdogma. And the reason is this: Underdogma embraces American Exceptionalism, which is the source of America’s power.
One of the things that makes America exceptional among nations, and throughout history, is where power is vested in this country. For the first time in world history, a nation was built on the revolutionary principle that man’s rights come directly from the Creator, and America’s founding documents declared that the role of government is not to grant rights but to secure them and guard them on behalf of the People, who are sovereign. This placed “people power” above “state power.” So, grassroots Tea Partiers are not “little guys” according to America’s founding principles. The grassroots-the People-is where real power resides in America. So, when you have a government that seeks to thwart America’s founding principles and amass power at the expense of the People, they naturally view Tea Partiers-and those who seek to uphold America’s founding principles-as threats and opponents.
March 2011
"Hi, i guess my confusion with your philosophy is...how do you address the notion that someone might be opposed to a particular "OverDog" - not "simply because they have more power...' but rather - simply because they might, regardless of their power 'status,' 'simply be unscrupulous, or amoral in their actions or means of achieving power? You imply that your premise is universally applicable yet it doesn't account for 'scorn' based on Just Cause." - Michael S.
Yes it does. Great question, because it gets to the heart of what Underdogma is, and is not. I agree with you: scorning someone for being “unscrupulous or amoral in their actions” is clearly “scorn based on Just Cause.” Underdogma determines right from wrong, good and evil-not on “just cause” but on which side has less or more power.
Let me give you an example. If a millionaire drives past your home in a limousine, and runs over your dog, you would have “just cause” to scorn him. Scorn him because of his actions. He killed your dog.
Underdogma is far different. Underdogma would be to scorn the millionaire for driving past your home in a limo-and not killing your dog. It is the gut reaction to scorn him simply because he is a millionaire who has a limo. The other half of Underdogma would be to automatically assign all kinds of virtue to the man driving the rickety old jalopy behind the millionaire-without knowing a thing about either man’s character or actions.
Underdogma separates right and wrong from people’s character and actions, and makes these determinations of right and wrong-simply on whichever side has less or more power. Some people criticize American policies, and yet they still love America. Like Tea Partiers.
Underdogmatists take their criticism of America to the extreme. Not only do they demonize America for being big and powerful (the first part of Underdogma see photo #4),but they actually cross over and take the side of America's less-powerful enemies (see photo #2)-even those enemies who would kill them if given the chance (the second part of Underdogma).
Click here to buy Underdogma and you will never look at a protest the same way again!
May 2011
I just wanted to thank Michael for his piece on Fox News regarding the Egyptian protests. He is one of only a handful to mention how poorly women are treated in that country, to note their absence from the protests and to cite the poll that was done recently about how women are treated in Egypt. Let's not forget how those wonderful protesters treated a female reporter recently. I've noticed that all the reporting coming out of the Middle East since then by American reporters is being done by men. Its not safe enough for their female reporters, but its a wonderful peaceful example of democracy in action, isn't it? How sad. Thanks again for telling the truth. - Sandy
April 2011
"I'm confused about how the Underdogma Theory applies to the tea party. It seems obvious that the tea party was a grass roots organization without any clear national leadership. To me, this implies very little recognizable "power," in contrast to the Obama administration power-grabs that the tea party opposed, such as ObamaCare. So how did the liberals turn this one on its head and scorn the grass-roots, little guy "underdogs" group, while championing the endless power of the Federal government overdogs?" - M
One way the Tea Party movement relates to Underdogma is how Tea Partiers across America have embraced this book-along with the biggest Tea Party group in America, The Tea Party Patriots, and the leader of the Tea Party Caucus in Congress, Michele Bachmann, who endorsed Underdogma. And the reason is this: Underdogma embraces American Exceptionalism, which is the source of America’s power.
One of the things that makes America exceptional among nations, and throughout history, is where power is vested in this country. For the first time in world history, a nation was built on the revolutionary principle that man’s rights come directly from the Creator, and America’s founding documents declared that the role of government is not to grant rights but to secure them and guard them on behalf of the People, who are sovereign. This placed “people power” above “state power.” So, grassroots Tea Partiers are not “little guys” according to America’s founding principles. The grassroots-the People-is where real power resides in America. So, when you have a government that seeks to thwart America’s founding principles and amass power at the expense of the People, they naturally view Tea Partiers-and those who seek to uphold America’s founding principles-as threats and opponents.
March 2011
"Hi, i guess my confusion with your philosophy is...how do you address the notion that someone might be opposed to a particular "OverDog" - not "simply because they have more power...' but rather - simply because they might, regardless of their power 'status,' 'simply be unscrupulous, or amoral in their actions or means of achieving power? You imply that your premise is universally applicable yet it doesn't account for 'scorn' based on Just Cause." - Michael S.
Yes it does. Great question, because it gets to the heart of what Underdogma is, and is not. I agree with you: scorning someone for being “unscrupulous or amoral in their actions” is clearly “scorn based on Just Cause.” Underdogma determines right from wrong, good and evil-not on “just cause” but on which side has less or more power.
Let me give you an example. If a millionaire drives past your home in a limousine, and runs over your dog, you would have “just cause” to scorn him. Scorn him because of his actions. He killed your dog.
Underdogma is far different. Underdogma would be to scorn the millionaire for driving past your home in a limo-and not killing your dog. It is the gut reaction to scorn him simply because he is a millionaire who has a limo. The other half of Underdogma would be to automatically assign all kinds of virtue to the man driving the rickety old jalopy behind the millionaire-without knowing a thing about either man’s character or actions.
Underdogma separates right and wrong from people’s character and actions, and makes these determinations of right and wrong-simply on whichever side has less or more power. Some people criticize American policies, and yet they still love America. Like Tea Partiers.
Underdogmatists take their criticism of America to the extreme. Not only do they demonize America for being big and powerful (the first part of Underdogma see photo #4),but they actually cross over and take the side of America's less-powerful enemies (see photo #2)-even those enemies who would kill them if given the chance (the second part of Underdogma).
Click here to buy Underdogma and you will never look at a protest the same way again!
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