The I Hate Republicans Reader: Why the GOP is Totally Wrong About Everything [Paperback]

Clint Willis (Editor)

Book Description

Series: "I Hate" Series, The | Publication Date: October 7, 2003

Few have the time or constitution to be able to remember the details of every horror story about how the Republican Party has repeatedly attempted to hijack the American dream for its own selfish reasons. For those who want to be sure they’re not left sputtering in an argument they know they should win hands-down, The I Hate Republicans Reader—via a wide range of lively and entertaining essays, articles, speeches, and rants—will be the place to go for the many compelling reasons to detest the GOP. From era-defining scandals such as Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Enron to coldhearted policies on health care, welfare, and race, to their outrageous theft of the 2000 election and tearing down of the liberal democratic ideals for which the Founding Fathers fought, to the isolationist arrogance of George W. Bush, this book has it all. Divided into such easy-reference sections as Greed, Corruption, Malicious Stupidity, and Big Lies, this collection includes appropriate excerpts from the likes of Eric Schlosser, Michael Moore, Joan Didion, Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose, and David Brock, as well as Ralph Nader, Paul Krugman, Hunter S. Thompson, Barbara Ehrenreich, I.F. Stone, Jimmy Carter, James Carville, Christopher Hitchens, Al Franken, and Bill Moyers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Clint Willis is mad as hell, and he isn't going to take it any more. For readers similarly mad-who think Republicans are "insufferable stinkers" or that they're "small-minded, selfish, arrogant, power-mad, murderous little twits and nerds"-this book will surely satisfy. This anthology gathers dozens of pieces, including excerpts from bestselling books by Michael Moore, Molly Ivins, Eric Schlsosser, and pieces by Paul Krugman, Paul Begala and other well-known liberal voices. Alan Dershowitz highlights the injustice of the Supreme Court's decision in the 2000 presidential election; Hunter Sl. Thompson remembers Richard Nixon after his death ("He was the real thing-a political monster straight out of Grendel"); Paul Begala recounts the "mutually beneficial relationship" between former Enron CEO Ken Lay and George W. Bush. As election time nears and the 2004 presidential election gears up, liberals will appreciate this handy reminder of Republican wrongdoing.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"If we let our visions of the world go forth and don't try to piece together clever diplomacy, but wage total war . . . our children will sing great songs about us."

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press; annotated edition edition (October 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560255080
• ISBN-13: 978-1560255086
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,783,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Readings, January 13, 2004

By 

Kate L Lloyd (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The I Hate Republicans Reader: Why the GOP is Totally Wrong About Everything (Paperback)

This is the type of book that the voters need to be confronted with. Sad to say is that this country is in a lot of trouble right now, and unless we are willing to do something about it, it's going to get worse. This book really discusses that factor, and regardless of it's slightly misguiding title, it's not republicans he's talking about, but rather Republicans, the big business man who've bought our country and are now running it via corporate interest and lobbiests. Unfortunetly, this will only be read by fellow liberals, who are already angry enough. This book really deserves to be read by the moderate in your family, or as a gift for the republican we all keep as the skelaton in the closet. It's not radical left agenda, it's just a plea to live up to what our country stands for. Our forefathers created the most incredible idea ever seen by men, it's our job to not to let that idea become yet another commodity bought and sold on Wall Street.

63 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Here Comes the One World-Government, November 15, 2003

By 

doomsdayer520 (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The I Hate Republicans Reader: Why the GOP is Totally Wrong About Everything (Paperback)

This book could definitely use a better title, regardless of any attempt by the editor to be funny or ironic. This type of title encourages reactionaries to publish one-star reviews consisting of less than three sentences, when they haven't read the book or even looked at a copy with their own eyes. Despite the corny title, there is some very informative material in here, and this compendium can be seen as a useful introduction to the workings of some powerful and well-connected writers, such as Arianna Huffington, Paul Begala, and James Carville. Consider the excerpts here to be a good justification for exploring larger and more in-depth books. The running theme in many of the excerpts here is the abuse of power and influence by the Dubya administration, along with its use of empty patriotism and simplistic jingoism to silence all dissent. It's interesting that guys who spread horror stories of a one-world government are well on the way to becoming one themselves.

Of special concern is Alan Dershowitz's expose on power plays at the Supreme Court to unethically hand the 2000 election to Bush, and Michael Jewell's intricate investigation into the Dubya administration's incestuous corporate connections and their effects. However, the book has to be penalized for mixing such serious material with a lot of cheese. Two satirical pieces from The Onion (the world's greatest webzine) are funny but misplaced, while silly quizzes and a collection of Donald Rumsfeld's bad poetry are wastes of space. Worst is Paul Slansky's never-ending 47-page laundry list of outdated Dan Quayle stupidity mixed with unfocused 80s irony. So once again, consider this book merely a useful introduction to greater works elsewhere. Those who automatically condemn this book as liberal babble (assuming they can spell either of those two words correctly) have been brainwashed by the very same dirty tricks described herein. [~doomsdayer520~]

21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Alternatively Frightening and Hysterical, December 10, 2003

By 

Peter C. Krieger (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The I Hate Republicans Reader: Why the GOP is Totally Wrong About Everything (Paperback)

If you are looking for a reason to avoid a knee-jerk pro-Republican response, this book details some of the seamier sides to America's Elephant Party (assuming that the stories are true and not the machinations of some vast left wing conspiracy seeking tax hikes and other abominations).
He fails to note that _both_ sides of the political fence (particularly now) claim a monopoly on virtue as loudly as possible, while accusing the other of unspeakable crimes.
The author includes some less-than-concrete examples when trying to defend Liberals and Democrats. James Carville goes on about how hamburgers dispel the myth of "Big Government," (he essentially says that the Democrats virtuously defend the citizens from the predations of business) or something ridiculous like that, failing to make the connection between sound regulation of the food supply and the goverment absorbing 22% of the economy, up to and including $20 million mohair subsidies and $6000 toilet seat covers.
I doubt if any reasonable person could envision a world where cash spent on meat inspections is not diverted to a padded defense contract, but that however is my point not the author's.
Ludwig von Mises said it best: The only thing Republicans are good for is tax cuts; they spend as irresponsibly as any other politician of any party affiliation from any point in history.
Whether you are a dyed-in-the-wool conservative, or a tax-and-spend, Kennedy Loving Liberal, or just a plain classical liberal (note the difference, please) this book has some interesting articles as well as some hysterical comment on the 1988 campaign [Dukakis -vs- Bush Sr.].
All in all a very good read.