As someone interested in politics, I've found the last decade or two disheartening. Not only has the level of discourse degenerated, but it seems as if those responsible are consistently rewarded for their lying and bullying and, not satisfied with that, they've used every dirty trick to undermine our democracy -- impeaching the president, stealing the 2000 election, gerrymandering Texas, recalling the California governor, rigging voting machines (you KNOW it's going to happen) .... There doesn't seem to be any limit to which conservatives won't sink in their quest for power and money, and as a moderate liberal I wonder how we can defeat liars and bullies without resorting to the same tactics? Thank goodness, Joe Conason and others (Molly Ivins, Michael Moore, Al Franken) are finding their voices, and speaking truth to power.
In the introduction, the author makes the case that almost all good things enjoyed in this society (overtime pay, safe working conditions, minimum wage, unemployment insurance, consumer protection, public education, clean food and air, Social Security and universal suffrage, among others) have been brought about by liberals against strong conservative opposition. Conason states that the demonization of liberals has been a conscious strategy by right-wing strategists like Lee Atwater and Karl Rove, enabled by an infrastructure of foundations and think tanks financed by wealthy paranoics like Richard Mellon Scaife.
Organized into ten chapters, each addresses a lie told loudly and repeatedly by right-wing extremists:
(1) liberals are elitists while conservatives care about the common people -- this is a joke when one considers how the pseudopopulist Right cravenly caters to corporate interests at the expense of employees and consumers
(2) liberals control the media -- the media is increasingly controlled by corporate owners and while reporters may be liberal, the editors and publishers are overwhelmingly conservative
(3) conservatives are more patriotic than liberals -- it's appalling to hear chickenhawks (aka draft dodgers) like Bush, Cheney, DeLay, Gingrich, Limbaugh, Lott, Rove, etc. criticize the patriotism of Democrats, who actually outpace conservatives as veterans. Also, with Republicans in control of everything, soldiers are still on food stamps and being asked to pay for their costs in Iraq! The Right uses the American flag like a prop; as Johnson said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel". Furthermore, some conservatives still revere the treasonous attempted secession of the South and conservative organizations like America First served as cover for German and Japanese agents during WWII. Most recently, William Safire and George Nethercutt have both said that freeing Iraq is worth one or two body bags a day -- sound patriotic?
(4) conservatives are better economists -- by any economic indicator -- GDP, inflation, job creation, deficit reduction -- Democratic presidents have done better than GOP leaders. The savings and loan debacle occurred under Reagan, who ran up a $3 trillion national debt, and W has squandered the surplus given to him by Clinton. Since the Gingrich Revolution, pork has risen exponentially, with GOP districts currently receiving about $612 million more than Democratic districts. oink
(5) liberals are concerned with political correctness but not individual liberty -- unless you count freedom from surveillance and theocratic rule, freedom of information, etc.
(6) conservatives support family values -- there's enough sanctimonious hypocrisy to go around here, yet at least liberals tend to be tolerant of others, while conservatives deride others even when they share the same problems
(7) liberals exploit minorities -- there's a reason minorities don't vote for the GOP, and you need look no further than the horrid "jokes" told by Reagan, Bush and others, as well as the policies informed by those attitudes
(8) conservatives are champions of free enterprise -- unless you consider crony capitalism and corporate welfare free enterprise. Even Alan Greenspan, a revered economic conservative, recently stated that he was wrong about market regulation. PS -- Why did the Bush administration repeal sanctions against offshore US companies?
(9) Bush is a compassionate conservative -- only if by "compassionate" you mean willing to end Head Start and after-school programs, gut environmental laws, tax families while ending dividend and estate taxes, and reduce public health spending.
(10) conservatives are tougher on terrorism -- where is Saddam? Where is Osama? Why was Bush hiding in Air Force One on 9/11 rather than leading his country? Why is the administration obstructing all efforts to examine the events and conditions that led to 9/11? Why did Ashcroft reduce spending on terrorism measures when he got into the Justice Department? How could Reagan trade arms for hostages in Iran, bungle Lebanon and lift sanctions from Pinochet's Chile? Why did Poppy Bush train Osama bin Laden and give Saddam Hussein anthrax, botulinum and nerve gas? Why did Dubya violate closed air space on 9/11 to hasten bin Laden family members and Saudis out of the country before they could be questioned by the FBI? How could his administration ignore warnings by outgoing Clinton officials that al-Qaeda was a major threat?
Conason uses facts, and quotes to refute the agitprop. He repeatedly and convincingly targets Anne Coulter and Rush Limbaugh. Also, this is the most complete account I've seen of George W. Bush's execrable tour of duty in the Texas National Guard. (Indeed, none of Barbara's four sons served in the Vietnam conflict, which suggests that the Bush twins won't be headed over to Iraq anytime soon either.)
Conason delivers a lot of information and it's well organized, so this would be an awesome little item to tuck under your arm as you head off to join your family for the holidays -- there's bound to be a relative or two who swallow all the manure spread about by BushCo.
To paraphrase Francis Bacon, it is the inquiry, knowledge and belief of truth that is the sovereign good of human nature. Cravenness abounds in conservatism at the moment. It's up to the American people, assisted by thoughtful research like this, to find the truth. It will set us free.
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Top reviews from other countries
Arynth
A revealing and necessary analysis of right-wing propaganda.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2004
