http://www.alternet.org/visions/154194/a_conservative_explains_why_right-wingers_have_no_compassion/?page=entire.
This is a very well-documented opinion piece about one of the most central problems in US politics today. I've been spreading the link to Altemeyer's The Authoritarians for years but this article both goes beyond his insights and add a very concrete and alarming perspective. Well worth the time to read.