In every society in human history, including the United States, those in power seek to imbue themselves with the attributes of religion and patriotism as a way of getting greater support for their policy and insulating themselves from any criticism.

Mitchell is warning about a recurring political strategy: leaders wrap themselves in sacred symbols (religion) and civic loyalty (patriotism) to convert policy disputes into moral tests of faith or national allegiance. By doing so, they can broaden support beyond the merits of a proposal and portray dissent as irreverent or un-American, thereby discouraging scrutiny. The quote reflects a liberal-democratic concern with maintaining space for criticism and pluralism—especially in the United States, where religious language and patriotic ritual can carry exceptional persuasive force. It also implies that citizens should separate genuine religious or patriotic commitment from its instrumental use by power.