Customer Reviews

Banana Republicans: How the Right Wing is Turning America Into a One-Party State

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This book was a very compelling look at the well-organized machine that is the right. I was impressed with how well-documented the book was, using the words of those on the right to make the case.

Those that criticize the book will have to refute an awful lot of quotes and facts by their conservative friends. With all the quotes, citations and endnotes, I don't know how one COULD refute the general claims of this book.

What was most frightening for me in this book was the push by the right to completely "wipe them [the left or the democrats] off the face of the planet." This quote by David Horowitz, political strategist for the right, is telling. As the book points out, for the Democrats, politics is a debate between two opposing camps or schools of thought. For the Republicans, it is a war for dominance. I am frightened by a group that does not welcome discourse, especially when that group is so powerful politically and economically. Squashing the political opponent seems very anti-American to me.

Read this book. Then vote.

The country has been so bombarded for deacdes by the claim that the media is liberal, readers like the one from Syracuse believe it, ignoring the power, reach and influence of the Wall Street Journal; talk radio, especially Rush Limbaugh; and MSNBC and Fox. Furthermore, the campaign has shifted all media rightward. But even Republicans have admitted the claims of a liberal media are a shell game, and a brilliantly successful one at that. This book and David Brock's The Republican Noise Machine and Eric Alterman's What Liberal Media should be read by all citizens who want to maintain and strengthen American democracy.

Despite its comic book appearance, Banana Republicans is chock-full of hard facts and useful information for anyone who values democracy and is concerned with the changing face of our nation. Some might regard Public Relations as an obscure business practice, but Rampton and Stauber demonstrate that the "hundreds of millions of dollars" spent by mega-corporations and our own government (at taxpayer expense) is money well-spent by those who want to control public and Congressional opinion.

One chapter of the book, Traitor Baiters, lists specific instances of inflammatory rhetoric by Republic leaders and pundits accusing those who disagree with them of hating America, undermining America, presenting a threat to America. These are potentially dangerous words to anyone who questions this administration and its nearly total acquiescence to corporate control.

The writing style is clear, concise, and unburdened with the thick satire of writers such as Michael Moore and Al Franken. A great introduction to the ongoing hard work of the folks at the Center for Media and Democracy. It could change your life, or at least your political perceptions.

I'm not a big fan of partisan polemics, but I bought this book on the strength of Rampton and Stauber's previous works. As in "Toxic Sludge is Good For You" (a groundbreaking exposé of the public relations industry) and "Weapons of Mass Deception," Rampton and Stauber manage to make a thoroughly compelling argument without resorting to hyperbole, hysteria, or screaming invective.

Instead, they rely on good old-fashioned research. In many cases, they let their subjects hang themselves with their own words, as when überconservative activist Grover Norquist told the Denver Post that bipartisanship "was just another name for date rape" (and he was just quoting Newt Gingrich!).

"Banana Republicans" covers a wide range of topics, from the well-funded network of conservative grassroots organizations and think tanks, to the continued blurring of lines between industry and government, to the right wing's fierce and deceptive attempts to stifle dissent. They also find time to cover the many journalistic abuses of ABC's John Stossel, a free-market acolyte and possibly the biggest schmuck on TV.

Hardcore conservatives in this country (and on this page) will certainly attack this book, just for its title. But in the spirit of raising the level of discourse on this page (and in this country), I challenge all naysayers to actually read the book and debate its many points.

This book is as scary as it is informative. While this book may look like it's some kind of pulp-fiction with its bright orange cover and its "cute" cartoon cover graphic, it packs a serious message that should be heard by the Americans that still desire democracy and the freedom to make an informed choice.

There are a few "reviewers" here that call it "bunk" because it makes the claim that the media is not as "liberal" as we have been spun into believing. Let's take a serious look at this for a moment and look at what Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News and right-wing supporter, owns:

9 satellite television networks
175 newspapers
100 cable channels
40 book imprints
40 television stations
1 movie studio

*with an estimated total audience of 4.7 billion people that are receiving the message that he and his allies want.

The numbers that I have given are only a clue as to the fact that there is a dark hole in what the American public relies on for truth. If you want to truly see how powerful the gravitation towards this hole is and how deep the hole goes, please read this book and research its claims for yourself.

Since the word "liberal" seems to be being tossed around by some people as if it's an insult, let's review the definition from dictionary.com for a minute:

a. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
d. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.

Me, I believe in truth, justice, the US Constitution, and the protection of the American worker and economy. Does this make me a "liberal?" I guess so because the modern "conservative" calls me "liberal" since I believe these ideas should be applied equally and without prejudice.

One of my favorite quotes by a president:

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president ... right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." -- Teddy Roosevelt (Republican), 1918

This is simply a must read for thinking Americans, a wake-up call and a political call to arms for those who still believe in the principles of open democracy. In BANANA REPUBLICANS, authors Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber describe the political system of a country that is barely recognizable as that of the Founding Fathers. In clear and highly readable prose, with countless footnotes and dozens of supporting anecdotes, Rampton and Stauber portray today's political system as the type our Founders fled from when they left Europe, the kind of system they strove to prevent when crafting the Constitution. Reading their book, I could only cry for what has been lost, for how far we have strayed from the grand democratic ideals I was taught were our heritage and our trust.

BANANA REPUBLICANS is a book that will have you shaking your head in disgust or despair every few pages. The book begins by examining the Right Wing think tanks funded by a few wealthy families: the Mellons, Koch's, Bradleys, and Olins, for example, as well as the Coors. These wealthy scions have literally purchased the "marketplace of ideas," filling the air so insistently with radical, unscientific, poorly-researched notions that their mere repetition gradually gives them credence. The authors then move on to address the Right Wing's creation of a media "echo chamber" so loud, so effective, and so little concerned with truth that any story, no matter how unfounded, becomes credible. They offer as examples the absurdly misreported story of Bill Clinton's infamous airport runway haircut, Clinton's so-called "bimbo eruptions" and paternity allegations, and the hyperinflated and grossly incorrect misquoting and reporting about Al Gore's role in the early development of the Internet as examples of not only how the echo chamber operates, but how it diverts attention from issues to personalities and trivia. As anyone knows who listens to Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, et. al., they are masters of such ad hominem reductionism. Along the way, the authors also provide a well-deserved skewering of ABC's John Stossel, a reporter of right wing pseudo-science who has consistently hidden his agenda behind his audience's own lack of knowledge. Remember the Republican "outrage" over Clinton's use of the Lincoln Bedroom for political donors? Has anyone heard the issue mentioned since George Bush took office? Why not? The practice is as common today as it was during Clinton's Presidency.

Rampton and Stauber document the current Bush Administration's persistent manipulation of government studies and websites to fit its agenda, particularly in the area of scientific research. Chapter Five, "Block the Vote," is undoubtedly the most disturbing chapter of this book. As others have, the authors describe the Right Wing Republican agenda to subvert American democracy in the name of gaining and permanently holding political power. According to the authors, they have done so through fear and intimidation, disinformation campaigns, manipulating voter registration, suppressing black voter turnout, ramrodding off-year gerrymandered redistricting through state legislatures, and resorting to various forms of election fraud. Again, Rampton and Stauber support their case with numerous examples. In Chapter six, the last major content chapter, the authors illustrate how the current Administration, aided and abetted by the Conservative media echo chamber, has turned virtually all questioning and criticism of government plans, programs, and actions into "treason" or "traitorous behavior." So much for open debate in a democratic society, now just a memory among those of us old enough to recall it.

BANANA REPUBLICANS makes it clear that the Republican Party has not simply declared war on Democrats, they have declared war on democracy itself. The goal is a one party system with a marginalized second party for the sake of appearances. They can't afford for the United States to look too much like the old Soviet Union - it would puncture that rose-colored, idealized America they keep passing off as reality to Red Staters while they are busy subverting it. This is an eye-opening book for the uninitiated, well worth the little time it takes to read. If it results in feelings of outrage and despair over the state of our nation and our political system, well then, you've gotten the message.

Even if your'e new to the topic you cant miss with this well documented book.
DisInformation has been around since Adam & Eve bit the apple.
If you have any doubts that there are people who want us to bite the apple again, get this book. Buy an extra one for your local library.<P(...).Don't be taken in by the right wing echo chamber or it's victims (ex. NY Times & Judith Miller). Think and research for yourself.
This book, among others, will get you up to speed, fast.
I wont even mention that the so-called "left wing press" doesn't want to to hear what the world thinks about the present administration. Look them up and see for yourself.
The American press' coverage of events is highly pressured by "bottom line" considerations of their multinational owners.
Then you'll see that using critical thinking is required now more than ever. But, please dont take my word for it. Keep aware.

This book looks at how the Republicans, now in control of every major part of the federal government (Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court and the mass media), are now working to maintain and strengthen that hold through manipulation of the American political culture.

Republicans have worked hard, and very methodically, for at least the last 20 years, to build the conservative movement. It now ranges from conservative think tanks, like the Heritage Foundation, to K Street lobbying firms, to right wing media (especially talk radio). Starting from the grass roots, Republicans have become very good at getting their message to the public. The weekly Republican "must attend" meeting in Washington is run by tax opponent Grover Norquist. It is there that the message of the week is chosen. Democrats are nowhere near as organized.

Even inside the Republican Party, moderation and disagreement are squelched, and traditional oversight agencies are stripped of their influence. The National Cancer Institute's website was altered to say that abortion increases a woman's chance of getting breast cancer, even though actual research overwhelmingly shows the opposite. The CDC's website has been altered, in that information showing that condom use is effective in preventing AIDS has been removed. This is in line with the Christian Right's opposition to sex education.

Woe unto that person or group who uses their constitutional right to oppose the war in Iraq. Tennessee State Senator Tim Burchett has advocated the deportation of war critics. Who can forget the experiences of the Dixie Chicks? A number of recently published books equate liberals with hating America, and generally betraying the nation. Ann Coulter has called Democrats the Treason Party. It has now become popular among Republicans to label any dissenter, whether environmentalist or senior citizen, as a terrorist.

This is an excellent book from Rampton and Stauber. The brains behind PR Watch, they have created another Must Read look at how the US Government really works. This is highly recommended.

VEry good and timely book, showing how aonce-great political party has deteriorated and sunk to the lower depths, by embracing hate-mongers, bigots, reactionaries, and general crazies to become almost an anti-democratic cult. True conservatives such as Barry Goldwater, if they were alive, would be absolutely appalled at how their party has pandered to the basest instincts of many Americans--fear, intolerance, hate, fanaticism, and bigotry. A warning shot...

This was an utterly fabulous book. My friend Marc, the Original Banana Republican, was especially impressed with the bit about gay marriage. I highly recommend this thoroughly investigated masterpiece.