Using his law enforcement experience and data drawn from the FBI’s behavioral analysis unit, Jim Kouri has collected a series of personality traits common to a couple of professions.<\/span><\/p>\n Kouri, who’s a vice president of the National Assn. of Chiefs of Police, has assembled traits such as superficial charm, an exaggerated sense of self-worth, glibness, lying, lack of remorse and manipulation of others.<\/span><\/p>\n These traits, Kouri points out in his analysis, are common to psychopathic serial killers.<\/span><\/p>\n But \u2013 and here’s the part that may spark some controversy and defensive discussion \u2013 these traits are also common to American politicians. (Maybe you already suspected.)<\/span><\/p>\n Yup. Violent homicide aside, our elected officials often show many of the exact same character traits as criminal nut-jobs, who run from police but not for office.<\/span><\/p>\n Kouri notes that these criminals are psychologically capable of committing their dirty deeds free of any concern for social, moral or legal consequences and with absolutely no remorse.<\/span><\/p>\n “This allows them to do what they want, whenever they want,” he wrote. “Ironically, these same traits exist in men and women who are drawn to high-profile and powerful positions in society including political officeholders.”<\/span><\/p>\n Good grief! And we not only voted for these people, we’re paying their salaries and entrusting them to spend our national treasure in wise ways.<\/span><\/p>\n We don’t know Kouri that well. He may be trying to manipulate all of us with his glib provocative pronouncements. On the other hand …<\/span><\/p>\n He adds:<\/span><\/p>\n “While many political leaders will deny the assessment regarding their similarities with serial killers and other career criminals, it is part of a psychopathic profile that may be used in assessing the behaviors of many officials and lawmakers at all levels of government.”<\/span><\/p>\n