Book Description
“Politics is stuck,” writes Bill Bradley, in this insightful, informative, and provocative book about America at a crossroads, but “idealism isn’t dead. It can be reawakened.”
What will it take to make America a better, stronger, truer country? asks the bestselling author, former Knicks star, and onetime presidential candidate. Bill Bradley believes that America is at a teachable moment when we are compelled to reevaluate our political system, our leadership, our agenda as a nation, and ourselves as citizens. With clarity and urgency, Bradley shows why the story we are being told now about who we are as a people is not true. He then offers a new story about our nation, based on America’s rich heritage and his belief in the character of the American people. Bradley explores what changes need to be made in our parties, in our politics, and in citizen activism to ensure America’s future. He asserts that the American people are ready for the truth and suggests that the party that chooses to embrace this new story will be in power for a generation.
Writing from his own experience in politics and drawing on his knowledge of history, Bradley shows how the Republican Party has built a solid pyramid structure since the 1970s, at the base of which are money, ideas, and media, whereas the Democratic Party’s structure is an inverted pyramid, with too much emphasis put on the need for a charismatic leader to hold the pyramid up. Each party, for different reasons, fails to deal with the real issues that now confront America.
This informed and inspiring call to action is addressed not only to the parties and elected leaders, but to citizens as well. Bradley proposes things every American can do to shape our nation’s future. He points out that if eighty percent of the electorate voted, instead of fifty percent, it would be the most important change in American politics since women got the vote. Now more than ever, he says, we need to embrace an “ethic of connectedness,” a combination of
collective action and individual responsibility, to solve our nation’s most pressing
problems, and he argues that the fate of all countries is bound together as never before. Writing today with the freedom of a private citizen, Bradley provides this transformative and eye-opening book about the danger and the promise of America’s choice at this crucial moment in the nation’s history.
Customer Reviews:
A "HOW-TO" for citizenship and political leadership.......2007-09-29
Why should you read this?
- If you care about our democracy and want to help make it strong again
- If you want to understand the big domestic challenges we face today
- If you want thoughtful proposals to addresses those challenges
- If you want to better the understand the Democratic and Republican parties; what makes them function, what makes them DYSFUNCTIONAL
- If you want to hear an insider's take on what makes our democracy tick, what makes it great, and what threatens its survival
This is a terrific book. If I had the money, I'd buy one for every member of Congress.
I listened to this book unabridged on audio, narrated by Michael Prichard. He does a good job capturing Bill Bradley's dignity, but to my ear doesn't quite capture his enthusiasm and passion for good government.
excellent.......2007-08-28
bradley is a truly brilliant man. the book is filled with hundreds of good ideas. hopefully he will stay involved in politics. the problem is that the people who need to read this book will not. our government is controlled by big business and greedy men with their own agendas. how soon is that going to change? i highly reccomend this book.
Call to Greatness.......2007-08-20
You'd swear Bill Bradley was running for office or dashing down court for a breakaway three-pointer. This one-time presidential contender and New York Knicks superstar writes with the energy and urgency of a man on a mission.
Read his book, The New American Story, and you'll be tempted to join him. Bradley has issued a powerful call to action--one that promises to rescue our nation from political infighting and restore America's leadership role in the world.
His is not a story of military might and moral superiority; it is the story of our nation's founding principles, written by the men and women whose active engagement at pivotal points in history assured the country lived up to its highest ideals.
We have a choice before us that could transcend our current state of affairs, says Bradley. A choice that puts country over political party, the common good over the distracting issues that divide us.
One of our nation's most admired leaders--Abraham Lincoln--knew a thing or two about bringing a divided nation together. When he was president, Lincoln would often sneak out of the White House on Wednesday nights to hear sermons of a well-known preacher at the New York Presbyterian Church. One night, an aide asked Lincoln what he had thought of the sermon. "The content was excellent. The minister had a strong voice and a good delivery," said Lincoln, pausing. "But he forgot the most important part. He didn't ask us to do something great."
Bill Bradley is asking us to do something great.
"The answers to our problems rest in our hearts as well as in our heads," Bradley says in the introduction to his book, "and until we understand that, we'll make marginal improvements, but we won't make the quantum leaps that our Founders made and hoped we would continue."
I am drawn to stories of ordinary Americans who overcame obstacles to achieve great things. Freedom fighters on the Underground Railroad. Journalists who exposed unethical business practices at the turn of the 20th century. The immigrants who built our transcontinental railroad. A country lawyer who became a United States Supreme Court Justice, America's chief prosecutor of Nazi War criminals, and the founder of international law. These are the stories I want people around the world to know about when they think of America and its unique contributions to the world. That's why my husband and I make historical documentaries for a living.
Bill Bradley's book had me from hello, or at least from the moment I read the book jacket blurbs written by David McCullough, David Halberstam, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Robert A. Caro, all Pulitzer Prize winners. Because I love history, and because I believe in the strength of our nation's collective character, I kept on reading.
There is no question the bold policies outlined in Bill Bradley's book will be hotly debated in the coming weeks. He takes both political parties to task, taking aim at the current administration's policies with the finesse of a seasoned athlete and senator. And while I don't agree with every single one of Bradley's strategies on health care, education, environment, tax reform, and national defense, if this American story is to have a happy ending, I, like all other Americans, will have to look for common ground, and make sacrifices for the greater good.
Bill Bradley has faith that, given the right information--the true American story--we will do the right thing.
Current state of affairs for the middle class .......2007-08-07
I confess I have read many other books on the current status quo and state of politics in our country before reading this book. If you have too, this may be a bit repetitive as most issues have been discussed before. What I do like about Bill Bradley's book is it is not simply a laundry list of complaints. He offers at the end of each chapter (designated to each issue) some thought out solutions. This is a good book for eye-opening for our major issues - health care, education, energy... and would recommend it to readers who want to learn more about the who, what and why our social issues are being ignored by government. I also recommend "War on the Middle Class" by Lou Dobbs or "Screwed: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class -- And What We Can Do About It" by Thom Hartmann. I enjoyed reading those a little more.
Long-winded and Confusing Story.......2007-07-29
I'll confess right up front that I haven't finished the book yet, and I'll update this review when I do. I'm still slogging through lengthy, wandering passages that fail to make any points. I keep waiting for any kind of "here's a solution" or "here's what we should do" sentence, but I have yet to find one. He spends a lot of pages in the first 25% of the book telling the reader about the "story" that he says we're being told -- by whom? On every issue he seems to pick the most extreme right-wing position as representative of this "story" rather than the positions that the majority of Republicans and conservatives hold. And thus far all he's offered for his "new story" is idealistic pie-in-the-sky notions with no plan to get there. I trust that he gets there in the second half of the book.
Just one example of the poor writing and editing: In the section titled "Inequality" in chapter on The Economy, he goes on for quite a while about financial inequality, then about globalization and technological change, finally claiming that you can no longer get ahead by working hard. He then admits that that there is no way around benefiting the wealthy if you want to encourage investment. And then this sentence:
"But there is no excuse for failing to conduct rigorous oversight of and increase resources to education ... which in the long run will result in ... greater equality."
Okay, he tied it back into equality, but how did he suddenly switch from tax cuts and investing and unions to education in the middle of the same paragraph? Where did this out-of-the-blue accusation come from that someone isn't overseeing and funding education? I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with that accusation, just pointing out that it's completely out of place in any kind of logical or narrative flow.
And so goes this story so far. I'll keep at it and hope the writing and presentation of ideas tightens up. Maybe his publisher paid him by the word...
Book Description
Singer and Avery present in popular language supported by in-depth scientific evidence the compelling concept that global temperatures have been rising mostly or entirely because of a natural cycle. Unstoppable Global Warming explains why we're warming, why it's not very dangerous, and why we can't stop it anyway.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-10-17
Fred Singer tells it like it is. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for the facts of global warming rather than the hype.
Singer is truly a gem.
Enjoyable Read.......2007-10-16
Back in the late 70's when I was in college, I started out majoring in Environmental Earth Science. Before coming to my senses and switching to something more practical, one of the things I remember (besides those endless field trips measuring pollution levels in streams) was all of the talk about the impending next ice age.
Several pleasant decades of ignorance followed. In the last few years, I started comparing my recollections of those convincing lecturers with the human-powered global warming alarmists, now in fashion.
Funny how similar and tenuous their arguments seem to me.
Now about the book... As a non-scientist with a good grasp of the scientific method as well as physical processes, I found this an enjoyable, disciplined and methodic counterpoint to the Oscar-winning slideshow-think in the popular news outlets.
Unstoppable Global Warming - Singer and Avery .......2007-10-03
This is an excellent book that answers real questions and concerns about global warming. It counters the "sky is falling" syndrome propagated by those who do not know the real facts or insights related to the warming trends. The book focuses on adapting to a common cyclical environmental event versus approaches that are a waste of time trying to stop the warming. Overall the book is well written but is somewhat academic. There is a detailed effort to outline the warming trend with factual information and details. Is well worth the read.
A Must Read.......2007-10-02
Singer and Avery offered a well documented, heavily researched, and easily read analysis of the global warming issue.
Their conclusion: Yes, the earth is currently warming, however so slightly. No, man is not the cause of this warming. Rather, it is dependent upon 1,500 year climate cycles embedded within larger ice-age and non-ice-age shifts (which take millions of years, according to the authors). All of which is dependent upon the amount of the sun's radiance hitting the earth, which in turn varies upon the amount of solar winds intercepting said radiation. (Note: this is the summary of a layman, and is dramatically over simplistic.) This is supported by the analysis of literally hundreds of studies.
Accompanying the scientific support of the 1,500 year cycle and refutation of the greenhouse gas theory, Singer and Avery include a poignant and absolutely necessary look at the implications of acting upon the greenhouse gas theory. Truth in this issue is not a matter of simply proving one's point, of social/political standing, or of a voting platform, but one of life and death importance.
This being a heavily scientific book, perhaps "easily read" was an exaggeration. Rather, "well written" would suitably describe this readable, yet challenging book.
The authors, while being experts in the field of global climate studies, are not devoid of a sense of humor, one at which greenhouse gas theorists would certainly take issue.
The Amazon reviewer Crosslands sums up my personal opinion of this work well:
Pseudoscientists and others with a vested interest in controlling the global economy by use of the global warming hoax will not like this work. However informed readers concerned with human welfare and human progress will find this book invaluable. This book should be read by all Amercians and really by everone else in the world.
Global Warming Evaluation with Documentation.......2007-09-22
I have read this book thoroughly and enjoyed it very much. I was very impressed with the breadth, depth and documentation included with the book and range of topics presented by the authors. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in assessing the true status of the "Global Warming" Hypothesis.
Dr. James F. Howard, Ph.D.
Geo and Environmental Sciences
Book Description
On Wall Street, in the culture of high tech, in American government: Libertarianism-the simple but radical idea that the only purpose of government is to protect its citizens and their property against direct violence and threat-has become an extremely influential strain of thought. But while many books talk about libertarian ideas, none until now has explored the history of this uniquely American movement-where and who it came from, how it evolved, and what impact it has had on our country.
In this revelatory book, based on original research and interviews with more than 100 key sources, Brian Doherty traces the evolution of the movement through the unconventional life stories of its most influential leaders-Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard, and Milton Friedman-and through the personal battles, character flaws, love affairs, and historical events that altered its course. And by doing so, he provides a fascinating new perspective on American history-from the New Deal through the culture wars of the 1960s to today's most divisive political issues. Neither an exposi nor a political polemic, this entertaining historical narrative will enlighten anyone interested in American politics.
Customer Reviews:
Thorough History Of The Libertarian Movement.......2007-07-18
I am not a libertarian. But I do support their stance on certain issues such as being pro-immigration, against military imperialism and for civil liberties, including the legalization of prostitution and drugs. This book is a very thorough and well researched history of the movement. But, at over 600 pages, it is not really for those seeking a brief introduction.
Doherty begins the movement's history with the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises and proceeds, more or less, chronologically describing key libertarian figures such as F.A. Hayek, Rose Wilder Lane, Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard and Milton Friedman. Doherty is a senior editor at Reason magazine and thus obviously a libertarian himself. But I found his overall approach to be balanced and he certainly wasn't afraid to describe the personal faults of important libertarian figures. For instance, Ayn Rand comes across as an insufferable egomaniac who turned her Objectivist philosophy movement into something resembling a religious cult (based on the worship of her) before eventually driving away nearly everyone associated with her. On the other hand, I found Murray Rothbard to be a more likable character, at least during his Circle Bastiat days.
Rothbard is also the person who was most involved in bringing libertarian ideas to the radicals of the 1960's. As someone who came of age in the counter-culture, I have always recognized that there was a link between the bohemian's and the libertarian's emphasis on individual freedom. However, the truth is that most politically minded counter-cultural types tend to lean towards a sort of leftist communal anarchism and would probably identify as "radicals against capitalism" instead of "radicals for capitalism". Still I do see some similarties there and will be interested to read another of Doherty's books - "This Is Burning Man: The Rise Of A New American Underground".
In any case, I agree with the previous reviewer that every significant political philosophy deserves it's own written history and this one is very well written, detailed and worthy of being read.
Uninspiring history.......2007-07-17
This is a beefy book that needs a strong dose of willpower to finish. It reads more like a brain dump than something that's had some thought devoted to its structure (hence presumably requiring the "freewheeling" qualifier in the title), or some editorial pruning to its frequent repetition. It is useful, though, as a single source to look up the names that crop up in any discussion with _American_ libertarians (libertarians/anarchists in the rest of the world are dogmatically anti-capitalist).
The book confirms that the American libertarian philosophy is the economic-determinist twin of the Marxist one, with the premise that a simple economic formula will free everyone. For the libertarians, its "private property and free markets"; for the Marxist, it is "state-owned production and central planning". With the libertarians, you just hand over your freedom to the property owner. That is, if you can even afford to participate in their free market.
One logical corollary of the formula shows up in the book in the person of Andrew Galambos, the guru of Harry Browne, twice Presidential candidate of the American Libertarian Party. Galambos taught courses on capitalism, but attendees could not talk to anyone about the content, since the ideas were owned by Galambos. (However, there are apparently a few American libertarians who oppose intellectual property.)
A really good analysis of the absurdities underlying what passes for the political philosophy underlying "libertarianism" and "anarcho-capitalism", even assuming their central proposition of the State being an inherently evil institution, is a document available on the web called "An Anarchist FAQ", written by left-libertarians and anarchists, who are obviously sceptical of any government. Since this book is a history, there understandably aren't any pages devoted to a _decent_ defence of the ideology from its critics.
As the other reviews describe, the central flow of the narrative is woven around Mises, Hayek, Rand, Friedman and Rothbard, with the other libertarians and institutions discussed in major digressions. Of all the people mentioned in this hagiography, one person who stood out was Robert Anton Wilson, a recently deceased libertarian science fiction author, who seemed to have a genuine interest in seeing the whether the professed aims of libertarianism would help those who needed it the most.
The material on Austrian economics is interesting, since it's perhaps not well known that it's quite sceptical of the ideas underlying the dominant neo-classical school, which seems to the uninitiated to be all about market-driven solutions. There is some discussion of Hayek's screed against central planning, but too little about how it applies to the central planning that takes place inside any corporation. It was striking that Mises, the founding Austrian economist, rejected, _on principle_, any empirical verification of Austrian theory against real-world data. Quite a "rational " position, that, perhaps explaining why Austrian economics was not (and perhaps still is not) taken seriously.
An Excellent and Fun History.......2007-06-29
This book is the first comprehensive history of the American libertarian movement, from its roots in the American Revolution, to Ron Paul, Cato and beyond. Along the way, the author looks at 19th Century philosophers whose anarchism was based in a strong belief in individual liberty to the nadir of American individual in the crisis of the Great Depression and the patriotic collectivism of World War Two. In 1943, it seemed that individualism was dead, so much so that the last "classic" individual anarchist, Albert Jay Nock, entitled his autobiography "The Memoirs of a Superfluous Man."
It is at that point that the story really picks up. For also in 1943, three remarkable women, Isabel Paterson, Rose Wilder Lane and Ayn Rand each published works that would rally believers in individual liberty. The following year, Frederick Hayek would publish "The Road to Serfdom" and the battle against government control would begin. Doherty makes many stops along the way, addressing the many disparate strands that are American libertarianism. From the respectable businessmen who joined the Foundation for Economic Education, to the students at the Freedom School, to the anarchism of Murray Rothbard, the radicalism of Karl Hess and the back to the land movement, Doherty shows the characters, the freewheeling, and the backstabbing.
While the term libertarian is still somewhat loaded, thanks to the sometimes strange people that inhibit the Libertarian Party, Doherty also shows how libertarianism has gone mainstream. While early Austrian economists Mises and Hayek had trouble finding academic berths in the United States, the "Chicago School" has built a network of academics. Milton Freidman advised presidents and one of his disciples now sits as head of the Federal Reserve (ironic as Friedman wanted to abolish the Federal Reserve). Whereas in the early 1960s, libertarian ideas were often passed around in mimeographed newsletters, today, it is discussed in libertarian think tanks and in glossy magazines.
Doherty really did his homework. Much of the book contains personal remembrances gleaned from an incredible number of interviews conducted over about 10 years. And as the book comes to present day, Doherty, an editor at Reason Magazine and connected with many modern libertarian organizations, takes on a very conversational tone.
In short, the book is well researched, easy to read and fun. I highly recommend it.
The Story of an Awakening.......2007-06-25
What a great read! Doherty researched his subject (and subjects) almost exhaustively and gave a sometimes breezy, sometimes dense, all the time entertaining portrait of Libertarianism and its founders. Libertarians (and I count myself as one) who boast that their "time has come" are as deluded as the conspiracy nuts who KNOW that Bush is in cohoots with Osama, Saddam, Jews, Saudis, Nazis, aliens - take your pick. I've always contended that Libertarianism will never be a political force because of the very nature of the philosophy - an anti-collectivist attitude that rejecting the sublimation of the individual to the group that is the hallmark of modern politics. In this Brave New World, everything from bathroom flushes to the size of holes in Swiss cheese is politicized. Incredibly, there are those who argue these issues with the passion of the newly converted - I mark it down to the substitution of ideology for religion.
Libertarians are critical thinkers, intelligent and questioning. Even a casual perusal of this work makes that evident. They somehow found the intellectual fortitude to reject the overwhelming majority belief in a nanny State. The movement has the highest percentage of atheists of any political group and yet, for all their smarts, they are constantly battling one another. They can only agree on the broadest and vaguest concepts - non-coercion, limited government, individual and property rights. Maybe it's the absence of the ubiquitious "Vote for me and I'll start a program" politics that voters need. The personalities in the book are heavy hitters - Von Mises, Rand, Rothbard, Hayek, Freidman and then there are all the others - Ron Paul, Popper, Brown, etc. Rand is mainly discussed through her fiction although her non-fiction is almost highlighted. Hayek's advocacy of freedom along with the brilliant but turgid von Mises is contrasted with the almost sunny, public Friedman.
Libertarianism arose in the GOP and it remains almost exclusively in that realm. (Paul says that Republicans were the original Libertarians.) The only "leftist" thread in Libertarianism is the anarchist leaning of some. The Democrat embrace of group rights, the nanny state, high taxes and (until recently) foreign intervention has prevented the rise of any movement from that side. The common thread, the glue that holds the book together is Rothbard. His decades-long search to find his philosophical base was both repelling and fascinating as he switched allegiances, picked fights, protested this or that perceived slight and yet remained in the spotlight. One is suspicious that this was his real goal at times. His claim never to have changed views is absurd and yet his machinations give the book a well-needed "spine" that allows the action to flow chronologically. As in most books about Libertarianism, the subjects of economic and human rights arise since there is a direct correlation between the two.
Doherty strikes a fine balance between theory, biography, gossip and commentary. In many books like this, either the ideology or the personalities receive short shrift. I found the reading incredibly interesting but for others it will be a chore. In the end one is both awed at the human effort that has been expended toward the idea of freedom and saddened that so few seem to grasp those ideas.
Push Back the State.......2007-06-24
Every movement deserves its 700 page history and Brian Doherty has written an outstanding one for the libertarian movement. He focuses on five seminal libertarian thinkers, Ludwig von Mises, Ayn Rand, F.A. Hayek, Murray Rothbard and Milton Friedman, but certainly doesn't ignore the other people who have made the movement so colorful. The book is consistently enlightening and provides biographical details of its major players that I didn't know. And, contrary to those who would rewrite history, Doherty makes it clear that Rand's "Objectivist" movement left a trail of broken lives in its wake, not the least of which was Rand's.
As other reviewers have noted, perhaps a few too many mistakes crept into this book and there are certainly some questionable judgments, but this is "our history" and all libertarians should be grateful to Mr. Doherty.
Book Description
"If a martian landed in America and set out to determine the nation's official state religion, he would have to conclude it is liberalism, while Christianity and Judaism are prohibited by law.
Many Americans are outraged by liberal hostility to traditional religion. But as Ann Coulter reveals in this, her most explosive book yet, to focus solely on the Left's attacks on our Judeo-Christian tradition is to miss a larger point: liberalism is a religion—a godless one.
And it is now entrenched as the state religion of this county.
Though liberalism rejects the idea of God and reviles people of faith, it bears all the attributes of a religion. In Godless, Coulter throws open the doors of the Church of Liberalism, showing us its sacraments (abortion), its holy writ (Roe v. Wade), its martyrs (from Soviet spy Alger Hiss to cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal), its clergy (public school teachers), its churches (government schools, where prayer is prohibited but condoms are free), its doctrine of infallibility (as manifest in the "absolute moral authority" of spokesmen from Cindy Sheehan to Max Cleland), and its cosmology (in which mankind is an inconsequential accident).
Then, of course, there's the liberal creation myth: Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
For liberals, evolution is the touchstone that separates the enlightened from the benighted. But Coulter neatly reverses the pretense that liberals are rationalists guided by the ideals of free inquiry and the scientific method. She exposes the essential truth about Darwinian evolution that liberals refuse to confront: it is bogus science.
Writing with a keen appreciation for genuine science, Coulter reveals that the so-called gaps in the theory of evolution are all there is—Darwinism is nothing but a gap. After 150 years of dedicated searching into the fossil record, evolution's proponents have failed utterly to substantiate its claims. And a long line of supposed evidence, from the infamous Piltdown Man to the "evolving" peppered moths of England, has been exposed as hoaxes. Still, liberals treat those who question evolution as religious heretics and prohibit students from hearing about real science when it contradicts Darwinism. And these are the people who say they want to keep faith out of the classroom?
Liberals' absolute devotion to Darwinism, Coulter shows, has nothing to do with evolution's scientific validity and everything to do with its refusal to admit the possibility of God as a guiding force. They will brook no challenges to the official religion.
Fearlessly confronting the high priests of the Church of Liberalism and ringing with Coulter's razor-sharp wit, Godless is the most important and riveting book yet from one of today's most lively and impassioned conservative voices.
"Liberals love to boast that they are not 'religious,' which is what one would expect to hear from the state-sanctioned religion. Of course liberalism is a religion. It has its own cosmology, its own miracles, its own beliefs in the supernatural, its own churches, its own high priests, its own saints, its own total worldview, and its own explanation of the existence of the universe. In other words, liberalism contains all the attributes of what is generally known as 'religion.'"
—From Godless
Customer Reviews:
A bit inflammatory but still many good points.......2007-10-16
Like many of Ann Coulter's books, this book is rather inflammatory. Maybe that's why a lot of people read them - she says the stuff that the rest of us are afraid to say. Like many of her other books, either you love this book or you hate it. In many ways Ann Coulter is the conservative counterpart of Molly Ivins.
Her basic point is that, contrary to what liberals would have you believe, their position is not religiously neutral. She argues that liberalism has all the characteristics of a religion, a thesis that's sure to get a rise from many supposedly nonreligious liberals.
Regarding teacher pay, I have to admit I was rather shocked by some of the points she brings up; I simply had never heard a lot of that before. I have since seen similar information elsewhere, so I believe her points here are accurate. This section is sure to irritate the teachers' unions by pointing out rather inconvenient facts that go against their standard dogma (such as the fact that teachers are actually paid very well for the amount of work they do). This is sure to challenge what you've always been told about the subject.
Regarding Darwinism, she points out that evolution is bogus science. Sure, this section does contain some errors in it (Coulter is not a scientist), but overall she brings up many valid points that can serve as a foundation for further discussion. I would encourage who would like a more thorough scientific critique of Darwinism to seek out books by the likes of Michael Behe and his associates at the Discovery Institute, or from the likes of Ken Ham and his associates at Answers in Genesis.
She brings up a lot of other really interesting points, but I'll leave it to you to read the book yourself. Sure, there's a lot of rhetoric in this point, and sure a lot of it is deliberately inflammatory, but a lot of it's really thought provoking too. The tone of the book apparently makes it difficult for most people to read or discuss it rationally or objectively, but if you do I think you'll find a lot of food for thought, and maybe have some of your pet ideologies challenged. I'm glad someone finally had the courage to say a lot of the stuff she did. Definitely recommended.
So much hatred, so little brains..........2007-10-09
I wonder why some people in this country who claim to be such good Christians have no problem with our government slaughtering thousands of families? If the church of liberalism is godless, then what would you call a government who has done just that? Invaded another country for its own personal gain? I just can't help but wonder what makes Ann Coulter tick, that her vision is so clearly focused in one direction while totally ignoring the sins of her own. I am reminded of the Bible passage that talks about removing the log from one's own eye before attempting to remove the speck from a brothers. These kind of books will do nothing more than to continue to polorize this country, other than making her more money from idiots who cheer her on.
Makes for good educational reading........2007-10-07
Read this and other far right books. Read far left liberalism books. You should realize that both the far right and the far left are necessary evils. As long as the left and right agree not to agree we as a nation will prosper. Much like our government. When both parties agree you best worry! Imagine our nation without the right. Many would join on the dark side. Imagine our nation without the left. We would be how should I say, Talibaned or held to the strict standards of Sharia law, in the Christian sense. Careful how far we lean. We might just fall and not get back up.
Ann is dead on....again!.......2007-10-03
This book is so dead on and rock solid. Everything in this book, footnotes the source, and is packed with information on the whole liberal thought process. The book is also full of analogies like 'liberals freak out if a tree is cut down, but could care less about aborting babies'. This book along with Bill O'Reilly's Culture Warrior, are awesome at exposing a lot of this left wing agenda. Ann Coulter, is/was an attorney and knows her stuff. Of course all the liberals are going to rate this a '1' so no one reads it, but you will not be disappointed in this book.
Angry, intolerant, irrational.......2007-09-30
Miss Coulter is angry and starved for attention. This book is a manifestation of her mean-spirited partisanship, the type that still clings to the failed neocon policies of G. W. Bush. As has been pointed out in previous reviews, her "endnotes" are inaccurate, her allegations are often baseless, and her so-called "facts" are oftentimes nothing more than right-wing talking points.
It's hard to imagine why she is so angry and distraught over America's current condition. After all, her sacred Republican Party has held the White House for all but 12 years since 1968. And since 1994, the congress has been in the hands of the religious right. And yet, here's Coulter, trying to blame all of our nation's social ills on whoever she deems as "liberal." What have the Republicans been doing over that vast span of time, if not addressing the very real social problems we face? What other priorities have taken precedence? Where have they budgeted the trillions in taxpayer dollars that could have gone into improving our schools, rebuilding the infrastructure, and keeping our economy strong and vibrant? Who has driven our country deeply into debt, especially to the Chinese Communists?
Why doesn't Ms Coulter address any of these salient points instead of trying to further divide a population that's growing sick of partisan bickering and no-compromise "leadership."
It would seem to me that any rational individual could see through her smokescreen of indignation and her strawman arguments.
Ann, here's fifty dollars. Please buy a clue.
Book Description
After four decades as a Republican insider, Victor Gold reveals how the holy-rollers and the Neo-Cons have destroyed the GOP. Now he's fighting to get his party back.
As a man who served as press aide to Barry Goldwater and speechwriter and senior advisor to George H. W. Bush (in addition to coauthoring his autobiography), Victor Gold is absolutely furious that the Neo-Cons and their strange bedfellows, the Evangelical Right, have stolen his party from him. Now he is bringing the fight to them.
Invasion of the Party Snatchers is a blistering critique not only of the Bush-Cheney administration but also of the Republican Congress. Gold is ready to tell all about the war being waged for the soul of the GOP, including the elder Bush's opinion of his son's work domestically and abroad, the significance of the newly elected Congress, and how Goldwater would have reacted to it all. Gold reveals, among other explosive disclosures, how George W. has been manipulated by his vice president and secretary of defense to become, in Lenin's famous phrase, a "useful idiot" for Neo-Conservative warmongers and Theo-Conservative religious fanatics.
Although there have been other books by dissident Republicans attacking the Bush-Cheney administration's betrayal of conservative principles, none have been by an insider whose political credentials include inner-circle status with Barry Goldwater and George H. W. Bush.
Customer Reviews:
Every Republican must read this book.......2007-09-19
As a conservative Democrat, often fed up with both parties, I found this book very compelling. It lucidly verified some of my intuitions about the GOP's recent turn towards insanity. If you think you might be interested in this book, but are not sure, try to find streaming video of Bill Moyer's interview of Victor Gold. It was on the Bill Moyer's Journal web site. It is this interview that got me interested in the book. If that interview interests you, see if you can find Bill's interview with Bruce Fein.
I hope the GOP can return to it's roots, and this book will help.
They Just Don't Seem As Scary Now, Do They?.......2007-08-24
I saw Victor Gold stumping for his book on some television show or other -- probably The Daily Show. I ordered the book simply because I now and then like to buy books from certain authors for no other reason than to give them money; authors whose opinions I share, authors I admire, authors who look nice in a particular colour -- my tastes are catholic. And, nothing says "You go, girl!" like sending money to a publisher. Anyway -- I bought Victor's book because he appeared touchingly in need of some validation. That was it, really.
Then the book arrived and I actually read it.
Well - I had forgotten so much about the Good Old Bad Old Days and Victor reminded me of it all... Goldwater Republicans! Wow! Hadn't heard that term in, oh, way too long! But reading about Barry and his merry men from Victor's adoring perspective brought it all back. I was a bleeding heart liberal in those days; got Clean For Gene and all that... I had also cleanly forgotten one of our arch-nemeses, Barry Goldwater, in the years of ever increasing bad craziness since then.
I find myself thinking these days that the old style conservatives were much worthier foes than this new lot of what Victor styles "neo-cons". As Victor outlines in his pithy little book, the old school cons were logical and consistent and abhorred arguments based on "gut feelings" or anything that might smack of fuzzy thinking. I miss 'em, bless their hearts. I miss people who would quote chapter and verse of the Constitution to back up their political views rather than the current lot who quote much other chapters and verses.
In short, I found Victor's book interesting and definitely worth the lamp light. If you're old enough to remember Barry Goldwater, read this book for the hope it holds out that one day the left's Loyal Opposition will recover their aplomb and once again become worthy intellectual sparring partners.
Or, just buy it 'cause Victor's a charming old git and you want to give him some money. Either way.
A strong, personal call that deserves Republicans' attention.......2007-08-21
Somewhere in the last few years, Ronald Reagan's "eleventh commandment" --"Thou shalt not criticize another Republican" -- lost its moral force and we have seen quite a number of books by disaffected GOPers taking George W. Bush and the neocons to task. Amid the various analyses of libertarians versus "big government conservatives" ("The Elephant in the Room" by Ryan Sager), old-line activists versus cronyist party hacks ("Conservatives Betrayed" by Richard Vigurie), and the like, it's nice to get a book with a really personal angle, and some really personal anger, to it. "Invasion of the Party Snatchers" is not investigative reporting, wonkish budgetary number-crunching, or a philosophical take-down of Leo Strauss -- those other books have plenty of that and often do it well. That's exactly what made "Invasion of the Party Snatchers" a refreshing read.
Vic Gold has impeccable conservative credentials, and has earned the right to a respectful hearing from his philosophical soulmates and erstwhile party comrades. While "Invasion" sometimes felt *too* off-the-cuff for my taste and somewhat too quick to find in Barry Goldwater's example all the keys to recovering fundamental GOP principles, there's no doubting the strength of Gold's convictions or the power of his prose. It would be nice if young Republicans -- particularly Young Republicans -- would read this and discover you can express strong beliefs in strong language without coming off like Ann Coulter (hint: you don't want to come off like Ann Coulter). And even though Gold evidently found it necessary to use the obvious "I knew Barry Goldwater..." cliché, I appreciated his repeated reminders that John McCain is no Barry Goldwater.
Perhaps some morning (not, one hopes, too long in the future), the Republican Party will stumble out of bed, look at its stubbly face and bloodshot eyes in the bathroom mirror, and ask itself "Oh Lord, what was I thinking?" If and when that happens and the party gets back on the wagon, maybe it will take a moment to thank people like Vic Gold who tried to stage an intervention?
Gutsy truth-telling by an insider who has a way with words.......2007-08-13
A must read if you've found yourself wondering where all the real Republicans went. Apparently there is still at least one left. Unlike any other anti-administration book, Vic Gold knows the whole story from the inside and, thankfully, is courageous enough to tell us. Ah - someone willing to take a career risk to say what they think is true. Not many of them left, eh?
Gold doesn't spare the Democrats when they deserve it either. My mother borrowed my book after I was finished - she said she thought she could open any page randomly, read it aloud and have us both nodding furiously in agreement and laughing hysterically. We'd all be in much better shape if, whether conservative or liberal, we had a lot more like Gold. Some days I really worry they broke the mold.
I only put this book down to feed my children. Otherwise, straight through.
Vic Gold for President. (Until then, though, read the book.)
Good Book.......2007-08-09
I bought this book for my sister-in-law, who is a Republican but very unhappy with the neo-con take-over.
After she had read it, my wife and I did too. We all thought it well writen, and quite readable, and a good summery of events. Once we all had read it, we donated it, brand new, to our local library.
Book Description
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.”
---Sinclair Lewis, author of It Can’t Happen Here, 1935
For the first time since the Nixon era, Americans have reason to doubt the future---or even the presence---of democracy. We live in a society where government conspires with big business and big evangelism; where ideologues and religious zealots attack logic and the scientific method; and where the ruling party encourages xenophobic nationalism based on irrational, manufactured fear. The party in power seems to seek a perpetual state of war to hold on to power, and they are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to achieve their ends. The question must be asked: Are we headed toward the end of American democracy?
Nobel Prize--winning author Sinclair Lewis depicted authoritarianism American-style in his sardonically titled dystopian novel It Can’t Happen Here, published in 1935. Now, bestselling political journalist Joe Conason argues that it can happen here—and a select group of extremely powerful right-wing ideologues are driving us ever closer to the precipice.
In this compelling, impassioned, yet rational and fact-based look at the state of the nation, Conason shows how and why America has been wrenched away from its founding principles and is being dragged toward authoritarianism.
Praise for the books of Joe Conason:
“A comprehensive, well-researched indictment of a bunch of nasty people who really deserve it.”
---Molly Ivins on Big Lies
“When Joe casts his eye on the cadres of the right, they invariably emerge battered, with their arguments filleted, their sources of money exposed, and their real motives laid bare.”
—Michael Tomasky, former editor, The American Prospect, on The Raw Deal
“A hundred years from now the primary source on the so-called Clinton scandals will still be The Hunting of the President by Joe Conason and Gene Lyons.”
---James Carville on The Hunting of the President
Customer Reviews:
A decent effort.......2007-10-06
I enjoy Joe Conason's writing and I miss his appearances on the old Al Franken Radio show. That being said, there have been so many books written lately about the dangers of Bush administration policies that this book felt like a retread of things I already know and am already concerned about.
But if this book manages to convince one person to reconsider their political convictions or at least dig into the arguments, then it would have served it's purpose.
Not one of the best Bush critiques on the market but still worth a look into.
It has happened here........2007-10-02
I'm going to read "It Can't Happen Here" next. Apparently it's quite precient about our current state of affairs.
Last bucket of water from a drying up well--.......2007-06-01
Conason is trying to dip one last royalty check from the "Stand by for the Bush dictatorship" bucket, before the well runs dry next year.
After 2007, nobody is going to buy into this stuff and come January 2009, it'll get thrown in a bargain bin under the last copy of a Gary Sick "expose'" of "the 1980 October surprise".
Think Joe Conason will give a rat's if Hillary uses the same methods and usurps the same Executive powers, if she becomes President? Or simply changes nothing about NSA spying and the Patriot Act.
Not a chance...he'll probably write a book DEFENDING it.
Quick Read, Makes an Important Point.......2007-05-11
Conason really drives home the need to link authoritarian thinking to other elements of fascism (such as corporatism, cronyism, and other corruptions of good government).
Of the group, I fear authoritarianism most of all, because it demands blind adherence to X, whatever X is deemed to be. Authoritarianism is ultimately classist as well, because it divides the world into an elitist class of relativist-thinking Machiavellian authorities, and a class of those who are meant to be nothing more than blind followers of the authorities.
That speaks greatly to the fools they deem the followers to be, and reflects poorly on the educational "reforms" executed by this administration, most to indoctrinate authoritarian thinking and the shut down of critical thinking and questioning abilities, anything that might lead one of those blind followers to stand up and say "the emperor isn't wearing any clothes."
So-called "faith-based" initiatives are also a thinly-cloaked attempt to further indoctrinate authoritarianism and blind-goose-stepping, by setting up strict hierarchies of patriarchal authority all over again, like the Divine Right of Kings, reining in the empowerment of women, anything that might lead to free-thinking dissent.
The TRUE IRONY of all of this persuasion process is that the so-called authoritarian elitist class are deep relativists, far more postmodern than most intellectual postmodernists.
Exposing King George.......2007-05-11
The great irony of the Bush administration is they have spent so much time and money on trying to craft the appearance of competency that they seem to have left nothing for actual governance. The author writes that, "the Bush administration spent $1.6 billion on public relations and media contacts between January 2003 and June 2005" This includes paying journalists for positive coverage and in one infamous incident illegally creating a reporter and running her phony reports on local news stations. And as the coup de grace the Bush administration has had the entire Faux News network to spread its propaganda 24/7. More and more evidence is accumulating that the White House has spent the last 6 ½ years using every apparatus of the government available to illegally push the Republican agenda and shore up the base, all at tax payers expense. From vetting scientists based on political affiliation to giving out money through the Faith Based Initiative program to garner votes, literally everything is done in order to entrench Republican power. And what has all this energy and money achieved; one of the most unpopular presidents in American history and an administration that may well go down as the most incompetent ever.
I've always said about Bush that he's leading the wrong country. He is much better suited to a South American banana republic. It's very difficult to run a modern, wealthy country with the White House's brand of crony capitalism which probably explains why the administration spends so much money trying to convince everyone they're doing a bang up job. Bush has managed to surround himself with people who take the concept of a Unitarian Executive very seriously and believe that George W. Bush is literally unbound by Congress, the Supreme Court and even the Constitution or Bill of Rights. The Bush administration has consistently chosen political hacks over qualified candidates for appointments even in the rebuilding of Iraq. It seems the president has taken the term `serving at the pleasure of the president' to heart, believing that his appointments are given their positions to serve HIM and if they displease him they should go. The concept that the president serves the country and appoints qualified people AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE to do the best job they can seems completely lost on this president.
My biggest question at this point is what is the goal? Bush has less than two years left as president (unless he knows something the rest of us don't) and it looking increasingly likely that the next president will be a Democrat. Those who promote the idea of the Unitary Executive certainly don't want this privilege extended to a Democratic president. The Bush administration seems woefully shortsighted which may be the saving grace for the country since their incompetence seems to be driving a stake right through the heart of the GOP. Their ham handed approach to consolidating power may end up be more of a wake up call than an actual long term threat.
This kind of book is like shooting ducks in a barrel. The Bush administration is such a train wreck that you could write a single short sentence on each of the White House's blunders, lies, crimes and ethical lapses and easily fill up a book. Joe Conason is not an investigative journalist like Ron Suskind or Seymour Hersh. What Mr. Conason does is collect and comment on information available to anyone and for this I have to remove a star because it's a lot easier to analyze information than to gather it. There is very little in this book that I hadn't already heard although I do pay closer attention to current events than most. I'll give this book a solid 4 stars because it is a good compilation of facts supporting the authors contention that authoritarianism can certainly manifest itself despite the safeguards set up by our countries framers.
Book Description
THE CONSERVATIVE'S POLITICAL BIBLE.
Let's say you're listening to a loony liberal, debating some dopey Democrat, or arguing with a gaggle of goofy lefties.
Wouldn't it be great to have the facts to combat all those liberals lies? Well, here it is: finally, the book that sets the record straight!
Radio host and author Gregg Jackson has written THE authoritative answer book for conservatives concerning our nations key concerns:
Abortions, terrorism, the Patriot Act, separation of church and state, immigration, the environment, homosexual marriage, taxes, deficits, school vouchers, gun control, health care, social security, education, media bias, and President Bush's real record of achievements.
What makes "Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies" so important is that it gives conservatives, right-leaning independents, and even disaffected Democrats the truth they need to counter common liberal claims. Issue by issue, the book offers clear and concise conservative responses and comebacks.
Here is a brilliant, A-to-Z reference book that gives readers clear-cut answers on today's most pressing political and social issues. "Conservative Comeback to Liberal Lies" should be in the hands of every red-blooded conservative in America!
Customer Reviews:
Hard to Listen When You're Being Slandered..........2007-10-05
Is this what the land of the free and brave has come to? Is this what the "Greatest Generation" fought and died for?
I used to spend evenings as a teenager during the early 1970s as the Viet Nam War wound down to its tragic conclusion discussing that and the cultural zeitgeist with my father, an ex-military fighter pilot who fought in WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. We were definitely on opposite sides of most issues, but I learned a lot from these discussions, including his viewpoints, many of which I took very seriously. But books like these don't even bother to help understand other people's opinions and judgements. This book, like so many others of its kind, simply demonizes anyone who has a different (e.g., not sufficiently "conservative") opinion, and provides an ammo belt of snappy comebacks designed not to change anyone's mind, but to bludgeon the opposition into silence through fear, intimidation, and bumper-sticker levels of reasoning.
Books like this are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Buy it if you must, but don't expect me to waste my time arguing with anyone who reads it.
It's really not that good........2007-09-25
I have read this book and was quite disappointed with it. I will admit that I am a little leaning toward the left, but I do consider myself as a Moderate. I know I'm going to get flamed, however I will excerise my right to freedom of speech.
The book was ment for a conservative to have "comebacks" to liberal stances. However, most of these stances are from either the extreme left or simply appear made-up or preposterous to common sense. A few comebacks seem equally weird and go against common sense.
I also did some research of my own on some of the author's claims and found many inaccuracies, twisting of facts, and some obvious ommisions. The author has made some interesting thoughts and cases for Conservative ideals, however this was more philosophical than factual. In some of my research I did find some supporting evidence. These comebacks even seem reaching or incomplete if used in actual debate. I gave it two stars only because it gave the conservative mindset, some philosophical thought, and for some accuracies.
Good book.......2007-09-23
The book provided an organized and comprehensiver approach to answering the circular logic of the liberals.
facinasting book.......2007-09-17
I really enjoyed this book because I am a conservative person in a whinny Democrat world. This book would be good for anyone to read that has not heard both sides of the Republican, Democrat arguments.
I am becoming an independant.
Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies.......2007-09-14
Too many of us argue with each other on the issues of the day but without hard facts --we often simply repeat biased media headlines and political soundbites. That only aggravates the divisions among us. This book provides factual ammunition for any debate and it is easy to look up the issue to make sure you have the facts straight. Because of the approach the author has taken it will appeal to conservative/libertarian Republicans and repel Democrats but Democrats could learn much from this book --and that would save them from humiliation in open discussions. If the book was packaged in a less partisan way it would have greater appeal because it does give reliable factual information of use to all Americans interested in honest debate. I learned a lot of contemporary history from this well-written, easy to read book.
Book Description
Drawing from his thirty-two-year radio career, the terrible truth of Boortz's book depicts his in-your-face brand of Libertarian politics. From questioning the true definitions of democracy and racism to challenging the entire Social Security system, he provides fresh insights into nagging social and political issues.
Customer Reviews:
A great book!.......2007-03-15
Short and to the point. Boortz as usual has pragmatic, common sense ideas and tells it like it is. He hits the nail on the head as far as the connection between liberals basing their ideas on feelings and emotions rather than stats and logic. Not to say there isn't a segment of conservatives that are exactly like this also, however liberals are more likely to display this. Hardcore liberals and leftists (as opposed to moderate ones) will probably not enjoy this book because of its truthful stance on the need to be an individual rather than be associated with a conceptual group.
About Time - Finally, a professional conservative opinionist........2007-02-22
I like my news and political science filtered through entertainers, so this book was great! Large print and short paragraphs, just like I like. Even a nitwit like me can follow politics now thanks to people like Neal Boortz!
So true.......2007-02-08
Neil rocks. So much of what he says I agree with.
Can't wait for his new book.
Nobody says it better.......2007-01-20
This is a must read for anyone that wants to understand the liberal mindset. He doesn't solve the problem but he makes is more understandable about why liberals think and act the way they do and why they are slowly ruining everything that is great about this country. Why do most college professors, journalists, and entertainers become liberals? Boortz has some brilliant ideas on this. Read the chapter on why America was not really meant to be a democracy, the founding fathers feared the effects of democracy.
One thing I don't understand......................2006-12-14
the one thing I don't understand about this book is the fact that boortz doesn't point out the fact that all liberals are mentally retarded and suffer from what doctors call the anti-american gene. it is quite amusing to me to hear all of the liberals whine and complain about a rich white man and this and that. maybe if you would get off your you know what you could make something of yourself. oh, but then you wouldn't have time to complain. I have a better solution for you though. since you are unhappy with the amount of dollars in your wallet, go down to mexico and exchange them for some pesos and salute the red, white, and green.
Book Description
A popular look at the separation of church and state: what it is, what it isn't, and why it matters for the future of religion in America.
- An alarm-ringing but intelligent and fair-minded revelation of the backlash against traditional moral values, presented in an accessible and practical way using the sports analogy of fair play.
- Explains why religiously-informed moral values are under threat in a one-sided interpretation of church and state.
- Empowers readers by helping them to clarify confusing viewpoints and motivating them to act on what they believe.
Customer Reviews:
Blessed Are The Peacemakers -- If Richard Land Isn't Making Peace, It Isn't His Fault.......2007-10-05
When it comes to politics (or religion, though that is not the point here), most books come from the point of either why the author's political philosophy is right and/or why those who disagree with the author is wrong. The result is an increase in polarization. Some of the books along that line deserve to be written, but they help only in presenting the problem, not in solving it.
"The Divided States Of America" is written from the point of view of trying to heal the breach, of trying to reconcile Christian brothers that disagree on political issues (or possibly just fellow Americans).
Just as welcome, though, is the fact that Land is not promoting unity at the expense of convictions. Rather, his goal is to help others understand their differences. His success is indicated that Senator Joe Lieberman (D-Conn) wrote the foreward, and praise on the cover is written by former Secretary of State (under Clinton) Madeline Albright.
One major theme in this book is a proper understanding of separation of church and state. Land favors the ana-baptist approach, which is to have a pluralistic country where the state does not mandate a particular belief structure but tolerates all, while maintaining people in office the constitutional freedom to hold and express their religious view. The other view is the Assorted Crazy Loons Unleashed view, which basically is meant to intimidate people into not expressing their religious views, which is an essential part of a person.
Richard Land does an excellent job dealing with the following facts:
1. Persecution of Christians (particularly Baptists) by other Christians, including in American history, leading to the Ana-Baptist and also the constitutional view of Separation of Church And State.
2. There has been religious expression on the part of our government from George Washington on, that it isn't new with Bush, and that it wasn't considered a problem until someone made a mistake of trying to mandate secularalism as the state religion.
3. The militant effort of secularists to eliminate any hints of Christianity in society, which is not promoting religious liberty but hindering it.
Thank you, Rev. Land, for writing this needed book. Hope it succeeds in uniting true Christians in an area that is not an essential to faith.
MUST READ!.......2007-04-12
Dr. Land has done a great job with this book. He maps out a middle ground in the church/state separation debate that is very understandable. Both the novice and the expert will find the book readable, engaging, and thought-provoking. A lady at my church has already read the book and asked me to consider teaching a special six-week Sunday School class based on it. Anyone who wants to know a constitutionally acceptable, faith affirming position on church/state issues must read this book.
Thank you Dr. Land.......2007-04-03
Having been raised in the Southern Baptist church, I have been following Dr. Richard Land for many years & I would like to thank him for this excellent book. There is much too much shouting from the left & the right (although more often from the left)on what role & what kind of role that religion should play in American politics & culture. Anyone wishing to hear a rare & thoughtful balanced look should read this book as soon as possible.
Amazon.com
In Conservatives Without Conscience, John Dean, who served as White House counsel under Richard Nixon and then helped to break the Watergate scandal with his testimony before the Senate, takes a vivid and analytical look at a Republican Party that has changed drastically from the conservative movement that he joined in the mid-1960s as an admirer of Senator Barry Goldwater. Listen to our interview with Dean as part of our July 13 Amazon Wire podcast (along with interviews with Garrison Keillor and Henry Rollins) to hear how he originally conceived of the book with the late Senator Goldwater, and the social science research he drew on to put together his portrait of the "conservative authoritarian." (You can subscribe to regular Wire podcasts here.) And take a look at Dean's choices for the best books to read on the American presidency in our Grownup School feature.
Book Description
John Dean takes a sobering look at how radical elements are destroying the Republican Party along with the very foundations of American democracy
John DeanÂ's last New York Times bestseller, Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush, offered the former White House insiderÂ's unique and telling perspective on George W. BushÂ's presidency. Once again, Dean employs his distinctive knowledge and understanding of Washington politics and process to examine the conservative movementÂ's current inner circle of radical Republican leaders—from Capitol Hill to Pennsylvania Avenue to K Street and beyond. In Conservatives Without Conscience, Dean not only highlights specific right-wing-driven GOP policies but also probes the conservative mind-set, identifying recurring qualities such as the unbridled viciousness toward those daring to disagree with them, as well as the big business favoritism that costs taxpayers billions. Dean identifies specific examples of how court packing is seeking to form a judiciary that is activist by its very nature, how religious piety is producing politics run amok, and how concealed indifference to the founding principles of liberty and equality is pushing America further and further from its constitutional foundations.
By the end, Dean paints a vivid picture of whatÂ's happening at the top levels of the Republican Party, a noble political party corrupted by its current leaders who cloak their actions in moral superiority while packaging their programs as blatant propaganda. Dean, certainly no alarmist, finds disturbing signs that current right-wing authoritarian thinking, when conflated with the dominating personalities of the conservative leadership could take the United States toward its own version of fascism.
Customer Reviews:
Some good material, but at heart disappointing........2007-10-14
The thesis John Dean gives for this book is that the current conservative movement is dominated by two kinds of authoritarian personality: followers, who will obey any strong voice and who refuse to ask questions; and dominators, who will say and do anything to gain power.
Unfortunately, the bulk of Dean's psychological evidence comes from a single source, and his portrayal of that evidence is extremely poor. It ends up reading as a circular argument: "authoritarians are people who do these things, and these people do these things because they are authoritarians."
The most glaring flaw in the argument is the utter lack of left-wing or Democratic figures in the analysis. Well-known dominant figures such as the Clintons are completely ignored, with the blithe handwave that authoritarian personalities are almost completely restricted to conservative political views.
There is some value in the material he delivers about specific individuals- how Tom DeLay, Newt Gingrich, Dick Cheney, Jack Abramoff and others openly betrayed some, bullied others, lied, cheated and stole in order to gain and hold personal power. However, I greatly suspect this information is available in Dean's other books, Worse than Watergate and Broken Government, which do not have the handicap of a flawed and almost indefensible psychological argument.
For people like me who want to prevent the creation of an elective monarchy in the United States, who want government made both accountable and balanced again, this book does not provide the ammunition we need to counter the lies of those who still support the establishment. Dean is quite correct about there being conservatives without conscience, but rather than demonstrate that lack of conscience with deeds he tries to do it with psychology- and in so doing he fatally undermines this book.
Revealing.......2007-09-30
I'm nonpartisan, but not nonpolitical. Over the years, my votes have been split pretty evenly between Democrats and Republicans. But in recent years, I've been very disappointed in the changes in the Republicans. They no longer embrace conservative values. They've become hard-right authoritarians, catering to a dwindling proportion of the American people. Dean's book gives the reader lucid insight into what has been going on, and his writing is backed up by extensive social research into the authoritarian personality.
This is an important work for anyone who wants to remain politically aware.
Honest, insightful, must read.......2007-09-20
After reading the trilogy of deans books, I, a very liberal democrat, can finally say that these people have no conscience and better understand why i am saying it. I'm in my 50's so i remember a lot of the nixon/reagan issues and even gave me a better grasp of those crooks. When a republican speaks out against republicans americans needs to listen. I have always felt that thse conservatives were the gravest threat to america thru their judicial appointments, which the rest of the country seems to be oblivious to. It was nice to see that dean felt the same way. Worst president/vp ever. Dems are toothless tigers, reps are liars,crooks and self serving idiots. John W. Dean for president, with Lou Dobbs for vp
A "MUST" read for thinking people.......2007-08-23
Raised a republican, a Marine, a biker, a banker, a business consultant: I was the perfect target for the Bush assault on America. NO MORE!! As Mr. Dean writes about the abuse Bush and crew have made on our freedoms, out liberties, on human decency, so to did I become a progressive, a liberal in all but the death penalty and immigration. Dean writes from the inside, from the perspective of a 'insider', a functioning republican establishment pro. We see how our rights and liberties are being assaulted and taken. It's useful, informative, wisened reading. Well worth your time.
Time For A Change.......2007-08-16
This book is one of the best to describe the dangerous climate that has evolved in politics during the past 15 years and its threat to our democracy. Dean cogently describes the personality flaws and characteristics inherent in the social cons and neo-cons and why it is impossible to have an intelligent discussion on pertinent issues with their leaders or followers. They and their rightwing radio talk allies make perfect fodder for each other. It would almost seem funny if it hadn't dragged us into an interminable war and undermined our prestige and reputation around the world while making us hate each other.
Books:
- The New Craft of Intelligence: Personal, Public, & Political--Citizen's Action Handbook for Fighting Terrorism, Genocide, Disease, Toxic Bombs, & Corruption
- The Origin of the Second Amendment: A Documentary History of the Bill of Rights in Commentaries on Liberty, Free Government & an Armed Populace 1787-1792
- The Places In Between
- The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge (Theory and History of Literature, Volume 10)
- The Rwanda Crisis
- The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert
- The Tyranny of Tolerance: A Sitting Judge Breaks the Code of Silence to Expose the Liberal Judicial Assault
- The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World
- The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
- Understanding Street Gangs
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Cost Accounting
- The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction
- La Privatizacion Como Alternativa
- Plant Tricksters
- The Bible and Its Influence, Student Text
- The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You
- The Call of the Wild
- The Dance of Anger: A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships
- Modelling and Forecasting Financial Data: Techniques of Nonlinear Dynamics
- Embroidered Truths
Civics
| Government
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
The Assault on Reason
This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future
Values of the Game
Einstein: His Life and Universe
