Attention Deficit Democracy (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Delusions about democracy are subverting peace and freedom..." (more)
Key Phrases: torture scandal, voting levers, detainee abuses, United States, Abu Ghraib, White House (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

That mendacity has long been a bedrock of government makes Bovard (Lost Rights; The Bush Betrayal) mad as hell, and he takes administrations from Johnson's to Bush II's to task for distorting, concealing and fabricating facts and condemning voices of dissent as unpatriotic and damaging to democracy. Bovard places past and current administrations' justifications for military actions (Johnson in Vietnam, Reagan in Iran, Bush I in Kuwait, Clinton in the Balkans and Bush II in Iraq) alongside the facts of each case, an approach that benefits greatly from hindsight and serves to insulate his argument from partisan criticism. Clearly, it's government, not the liberals or conservatives who man the helm for any period of time. Government, though, can only be as crooked as the public and media allow it to be, Bovard argues, decrying voters who vote for a candidate because he "wears a cowboy hat" and the media for not being vigilant enough in calling out wayward politicians. Bovard describes problems in painstaking detail, but he is less adept at offering solutions, blandly encouraging Americans to cultivate "a higher grade of patriotism." Readers up-to-date on the headlines will learn little, but those looking for a rousing refresher on the merits of skepticism will find it here in spades.
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Review

"A lively attack on politicians, voters and government. Bovard's indictment of an ineffective but ever-expanding federal government would make any libertarian proud." --The New York Post

"A comprehensive attack on the administration from a less-often-heard place on the political spectrum." --Publishers Weekly

"Bovard explains how supposedly free citizens have bought into the lies and frauds offered by the political class.... Bovard offers wise counsel and sage advice."
--The Orange County Register

 

"Bovard makes his most salient points about the hazards facing a depoliticized public."--The Washington Times

"We ignore Jim Bovard's work at the risk of being repeatedly...'betrayed' by the siren songs of presidential candidates of both parties."
--Former congressman Bob Barr, American Conservative

 

"Attention Deficit Democracy not only diagnoses our national malady, it provides a remedy as well. If you care about the loss of our liberty, have people read this book. Once Bovard gets their blood boiling, they start paying attention!" --Charles Goyette, Air America

 

"Spectacular... Attention Deficit Democracy displays Bovard's emergence as a formidable prose stylist. Relentlessly incisive and epigrammatic, Bovard at his best reminds me of Nock and Mencken. And in the course of nearly 300 pages, he very rarely - if ever - descends from that exalted level.”              

--Will Grigg, Editor in Chief, New American

 

“Readers looking for a rousing refresher on the merits of skepticism will find it here in spades.” -- Publishers Weekly

 

“Bovard is an iconoclast's iconoclast. While much of the western world  unquestioningly accepts democracy's pretenses... Bovard not only questions those pretenses, he proves them false.... Bovard yanks the curtain off the voting booth.” -- Becky Akers,  Counterpunch

 

“Bovard is a partisan of neither major party, only of liberty.... The American people must start paying attention, and thus start being more outraged. Reading Attention Deficit Democracy is a perfect place start." -- Anthony Gregory, Freedom Daily

 

“Our modern-day Thomas Paine has done it again.  In Attention Deficit Democracy Bovard bombards us with the same high level of unfettered ‘Common Sense’ perspective on freedom that we've come to expect from him."

-- Joe Fondren, WRJM, Alabama radio

 

“Playing fast and loose.... Bombthrower....  A grating tone....  Overheated....  Trafficking in shopworn dissident rhetoric...  Character assassinations... Such smearing is all in a day's work for Mr. Bovard...”  -- Washington Times

 

“It is fantastic. I could not stop thinking about it. It is the unheard truth behind what is happening in the United States.” -- Liz Skrobiszewski, WRIR Richmond, Virginia.

“This is an amazing book... A fantastic job... Bovard is  one of the best writers for freedom in the world today.” -- Gardner Goldsmith, WNTK New Hampshire 

 

“It is a great book. People should not read this book unless they are willing to have their arms twisted  to think for themselves.” -- Ron Smith, WBAL, Baltimore

 

"Attention Deficit Democracy is Bovard's best book. You can open it up anywhere, start reading, and every paragraph will smack you upside the head."

--Brian Wilson, WSPD Toledo
 
It ‘s a wonderful book. It is really thought provoking. Anyone who wants to think out there is in for a treat with this book." -- Bill Borst, WGNU Radio St. Louis
 
"Bovard is one of my favorite authors... Attention Deficit Democracy is kind of a painful read." -- Jan Mickleson, WHO Iowa radio
 
Bovard... is one of very few journalists who are both pro-freedom and willing to dig... The dry wit is vintage Bovard, and is plentiful throughout Attention Deficit Democracy. Such Menckenesque touches are much appreciated... "   Sunni Maravilossa, Internet maven
 
“Attention Deficit Democracy is a wake-up call to the American people. As Bovard reveals one ridiculous lie after another, you won't know whether to laugh or cry.”     Laissez Faire Books
 
“James Bovard has hit another one out of the park... Americans may suffer from an attention deficit when it comes to their government, but your attention will be riveted on this book. By the time I reached the final page, my copy bristled with Post-It notes marking Jim's brilliant observations, startling facts, and wickedly witty statements.” Claire Wolfe, author

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (January 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403971080
• ISBN-13: 978-1403971081
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #336,451 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vanishing Breed, February 19, 2006

By	Douglas Doepke (Claremont, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

It's probably a measure of the author's "attention deficit" thesis that many well-meaning folks mistake Bovard for a liberal because of his unsparing criticisms of the Bush administration. He's not. Instead he belongs to that vanishing school of thought known as traditional conservatism. The work serves as a reminder for true political conservatives-- I don't mean the empire-building, corporate cronies of the Bush administration-- and should come as a breath of fresh air to them.

The text argues vigorously for a minimalist state on the classic grounds that state power inevitably threatens precious individual liberty, while the only democratic check on the rise of a threatening "Leviathan" rests with a knowledgable citizenry. In Bovard's view, the problem with today's citizenry is they lack both an understanding of constitutional principles and a concern with protecting tthem. In short, the democracy suffers from attention deficit. Thus constitutional liberties are being forfeited to an ever-expanding state apparatus, particularly in the aftermath of 9-11.

The book's strength lies in detailing this abandonment, which Bovard executes with style and vigor. As a non-conservative who stands to lose the same rights, I'm glad to see the few remaining traditionalists stand up to the radicals who think that opposing gay marriage and abortion-- at the same time they override constitutional protections, run up huge war-making deficits, and meddle in the internal affairs of other nations-- are enough to merit the title of conservative.

Although there are assumptions readers (including myself) may take exception to, the factual evidence Bovard marshals remains unassailable thanks to follow-up disclosures on headlines of the day. Moreover, whatever the ultimate merits of a minimalist state in an age of corporate dominance and planetary decline, it's time for principled conservatives to stand alongside Bovard in defense of constitutional values. Happily, the book represents a forceful contribution to that effort.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 'A NATION OF SHEEP WILL BEGET A GOVERNMENT OF WOLVES" Edward R. Murrow, January 20, 2006

By	Philip Mayor "Phil Mayor" (Blasdell, New York USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In his latest offering James Bovard does an excellent job of proving that Murrow's warning has come to pass in no uncertain terms.

With his top notch research, an excellent blending of historical as well as up to the moment events; this writer has once again shown that to allow Washington to conduct unsupervised activities is to pass to our children a disgraceful legacy, along with a mortgage that they will never pay off.

Bovard shows THE BIG PICTURE is distracting the people from all of the components of its making. As well as how all of those components effect the lives of all Americans not only today, but for generations to come.

It is a very sobering read.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Raises a Serious Problem, February 13, 2006

By	Loyd E. Eskildson "Pragmatist" (Phoenix, AZ.) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Attention Deficit Democracy" addresses what Bovard sees as rising ignorance of the electorate, fear mongering tactics that permeate U.S. presidential elections, and our Messianic Democracy (long history of deceit and foreign manipulation in the name of spreading democracy). In Bovard's opinion "the will of the people" is often simply a measure of how many people fell for which lies, and/or were frightened by which advertisements.

The bulk of the book consists of a seemingly endless series of surveys showing American voters as uninformed, often with major consequences for rational voting. For example, a University of Maryland 10/04 poll concluded "It is clear that supporters of the president are more likely to have misperceptions (eg. linking Saddam to 9/11) than those who oppose him." Another survey found that each time new warnings of terrorist threats became public, Bush's approval rating rose an average 3%.

Clearly modern democracy and representative government are based on faith that the people can control what they do not understand - the myriad of often inter-locking issues of today. While Bovard does not present anything near a compelling case establishing that today's voters are less knowledgeable than their predecessors, it is clear that government complexity and involvement has grown by leaps and bounds. Thus, it does not require any great amount of analysis to conclude that being an informed citizen similarly requires a never-ending increase in learning what is happening. A few factoids are no longer enough; meanwhile, newspaper readership levels have declined from 60% in '92 to 40% in '02. (The significance of this finding, however, is unclear - obviously citizens could also be obtaining increased knowledge via TV and the Internet.) Nonetheless, assuming declining newspaper readership reflects NO INCREASE in citizen awareness, the result is "the will of the people" is an increasingly meaningless phrase.

Bovard skewers politicians from both parties, over the past 50+ years. However, without question Bush II bears the brunt of his often interesting criticisms and points. For example, days after 9/11, only 3% saw Saddam or Iraq as culprits; by 2/03 72% believed Hussein was personally involved. Similarly, by early '04 only 55% had fears of another terrorist attack; however, through adroit manipulation of the media by the FBI, administration officials (especially V.P. Cheney), and Homeland Security leadership - often simply rehashing old information - this was up to 64% by August. This increase was crucial to Bush's re-election since those seeing terrorism as the #1 issue voted almost 7:1 for Bush. (Meanwhile, piles of untranslated potential terrorist documents mounted, scandals in TSA and air marshall security arose, inadequate cargo screening, a porous border, etc. was largely ignored - critics were painted as traitors.

Bovard devotes a relatively long chapter to summarizing U.S. meddling in other nations' affairs - in the name of democracy. Tactics include CIA involvement, military support, and monetary support (eg. the National Endowment for Democracy - funded by the U.S. government, but laundered through other entities). Putting the Shah back in Iran ('53), supporting a military coup in Guatemala ('54), the Vietnam War, over-throwing Allende in Chile ('73) and Chavez in Venezuela ('02), spending $65+ million in the Ukraine '04 election, and interfering with early indigenous Iraqi political efforts after taking over the country were but a few of the examples - involving many Presidents and both parties.

Bovard's recommendations, however, were rather weak. Emphasizing "representative government (creating "less mass delusion" - somehow), and restoring the rule of law (almost laughable in today's climate of dubious spying, withholding information at will, enforcing tight party discipline to muscle support and stifle dissent, and packing the Supreme Court with supporters) were his two top ideas. To be honest, I don't have anything better to offer - other than we need to be re-thinking the appropriateness of our governmental system given the impossibility of acting as an informed electorate in our so-called democracy. Simply reforming lobbying abuses (not addressed by Bovard) is by no means sufficient.