If this book were in the fiction section of the library one would think it was a sequel to George Orwell’s 1984. If it were in the horror and suspense section, you might think it was a slow moving horror story. If it were in the history section, you would expect that it was the history of a country like Cuba, Red China, North Korea, Venezuela, or some other country with a corrupt, dictatorial, repressive government. Unfortunately you’ll likely find it in the political section, because it belongs in none of the above, it’s about our own country, the United States of America, with a government that once was “of the people, by the people and for the people,” and the most terrifying thing about this book is…. It’s true, and it’s happening now.
If you are a die-hard Sanders or Clinton loving liberal, or devout socialist, you won’t read this book, and this book probably isn’t for you anyway, because it’s about you.
On the other hand, if you are an open-minded Democrat (is that a conundrum, dichotomy or an oxymoron?) a Regan Democrat, a constitution supporting, gun toting, right-wing, tea party conservative nut (as the bulk of patriotic Americans would likely be called by the left) or anything in between, this book will send chills down your spine, scare the he*l out of you at best, terrify you at worst, and give you nightmares. But it should also wake up a lot of reasonable rank and file Americans as to what’s going on in our country and how we have already lost a lot of our First Amendment rights, not to mention the current move by liberals, including Hillary Clinton, to amend the First Amendment to put the federal government in charge of speech, and to determine what’s free and what isn’t.
I’ll bet you didn’t know that, regardless if you are a Republican or a Democrat, if you contribute to or are a part of an organization who supports an idea contrary to the establishment’s position on a subject, and don’t walk and talk the party line, you are risking your job, business, savings, marriage, family and/or reputation; virtually everything you have, and may even be prosecuted. Did you know that the federal government strives to acquire the names and addresses of members of, and donors to, of these opposition organizations, and keeps data bases of these people with the intent of harassing and intimidating them, and silencing them in retaliation for their political beliefs, via federal agency’s like the IRS, FBI, DOJ, FEC, and in some cases even the FDA, or by making the data public, so you will be harassed by citizens with opposing views? I sure didn’t, at least until I read this book. Can you make a significant or even nominal contribution to your favorite conservative group or local conservative politician without fear of a visit from the IRS or your local sheriff? After reading this book, I fear not.
Similar to Kirsten Powers’ book, “The Silencing: How the left is Killing Free Speech”, this book is about the First Amendment, but Ms. Powers talks about losing; Ms. Strassel talks about lost. It’s over, gone kaput. There are enough left wing zealots already in place in the judiciary, federal, state and local governments; elected, appointed, or employed, that all of the subversives can never be routed out. All of them have nefarious intentions, and have been and will continue to be subversive with regard to constitutional rights, particularly free speech, with little or no respect for the rule of law.
Ms. Strassel talks about how in today’s world you can’t have free political speech without spending money. While free speech is protected by the First Amendment, spending money in support of free speech is not. So, liberals used to attack the sources of the money through campaign finance laws. After the U.S. Supreme Court’s January, 2010 “Citizens United” ruling, a lot of those campaign finance laws were swept away, so liberals had to come up with something else, and along comes President Obama, and the left’s move to harass, scare and shame its opponents out of speaking.
They have used the IRS to target and freeze out conservative groups. They made targets out of donors to conservative groups by publicizing their names and addresses. They filed complaints with the Justice Department and federal regulators against any and all rivals. They issued new IRS, SEC, FCC rules and regulations and executive orders to either order or scare their opponents into silence. And even more ominous, they went after companies, think tanks, conservative non-profits, etc., demanding to know the names of those who funded them so that they could retaliate against those donors. They leaked information to the press, flooded opponents with document requests, and made it clear that donating to the wrong groups would subject you to protests, boycotts, blacklists, and possibly prosecution.
They had liberal groups purchase stocks in corporations to get a proxy voice in order to pressure shareholders to demand that companies get out of the political process. They retaliated against CEO’s, vandalizing and urinating on their homes, and demonstrated in front of corporation headquarters. They threatened conservative organizations with litigation if they didn’t hand over donor lists, even though in most cases donor lists are protected as confidential under the law. All of this with the consent and in many cases at the direction of the Obama administration.
I could go on and on, but you need to read the book, and I mean it. You’ll learn about our liberal State Department’s refusal to prosecute liberal criminal activity, liberal courts that either misinterpret or fail to uphold the law, Tea Party groups that were required to wait five (5) years for permission to speak, everyday Americans that had their careers or businesses destroyed and their lives ruined because they dared to speak out against the establishment or support a conservative organization or political candidate. The reprehensible behavior on the part of own government is shocking, frightening and appalling. And now it’s quite likely too late to do anything about it. Donald Trump’s victory may slow it down, but the left isn’t going away, and like a metastasized cancer, liberalism has embedded itself into every organ of our government. It will resurge in four years, eight years at best, with a new vengeance, and our very Constitution is at stake.
All of the time I was reading this book I kept being reminded of an incident that happened to me in the late 1970’s. I was working as a technical consultant to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea. Jimmy Carter was in the White House and the time, and I was at dinner with several of my South Korean associates. I was railing at what a poor president I thought Carter was, and how bad our economy, inflation, and interest rates were, when a young South Korean engineer looked at me with a tear in his eye and said, “I envy your freedom to disagree”. Well he needn’t be envious anymore, because like the South Koreans, I fear we don’t have the “freedom to disagree”.
Read “The Intimidation Game”, and then do something about it. We are witnessing the death throes of free speech in the United States and the United States Constitution itself.
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The Intimidation Game: How the Left Is Silencing Free Speech Hardcover – June 21, 2016
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Print length416 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherTwelve
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Publication dateJune 21, 2016
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Dimensions6 x 1.06 x 9 inches
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ISBN-13978-1455591886
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Progressives' objective is to extend government's regulatory reach ever-deeper into society's dynamics. Strassel reveals how fast and how far this project has been expanded to include an especially sinister objective: Empowering government to control political campaign speech-speech about the government's composition and behavior. Her frightening reports come from many fronts in this war on America's open society. This book is a fire bell in a darkening night."―George F. Will
"There have been a lot of good books of late decrying the increasingly repressive climate towards free speech. But none have connected the dots between the Obama White House, Congressional Democrats, and the spider web of 'grassroots' organizations the way Kim Strassel does in THE INTIMIDATION GAME. It is required reading for those who want to know what's behind the supposedly spontaneous daily outrages we see every day."―Jonah Goldberg
"Public shaming encouraged by leading political figures. Pre-dawn police raids. Federal agencies targeting groups and individuals because of their political views. It's hard to believe these things are happening-and taking place with increasing frequency-in the United States. But they are. And in this searing indictment of the systematic attempt of the political left to shut down political debates they cannot win-Kimberly Strassel provides the often-horrifying details. THE INTIMIDATION GAME is a shocking and assiduously well-reported chronicle of the illiberal tactics of the new progressives-and a must-read for anyone who wants to understand American politics today."―Stephen Hayes
"Strassel draws a timely, convincing, and alarming picture of liberal governance and a
Democratic machine that's eager to bully resistant citizens."―Publishers Weekly
"An eye-opening lesson in the law of unintended consequences: where "a vast new disclosure regime" intended to curb corruption has spawned a corruption all its own."―Kirkus Reviews
"There have been a lot of good books of late decrying the increasingly repressive climate towards free speech. But none have connected the dots between the Obama White House, Congressional Democrats, and the spider web of 'grassroots' organizations the way Kim Strassel does in THE INTIMIDATION GAME. It is required reading for those who want to know what's behind the supposedly spontaneous daily outrages we see every day."―Jonah Goldberg
"Public shaming encouraged by leading political figures. Pre-dawn police raids. Federal agencies targeting groups and individuals because of their political views. It's hard to believe these things are happening-and taking place with increasing frequency-in the United States. But they are. And in this searing indictment of the systematic attempt of the political left to shut down political debates they cannot win-Kimberly Strassel provides the often-horrifying details. THE INTIMIDATION GAME is a shocking and assiduously well-reported chronicle of the illiberal tactics of the new progressives-and a must-read for anyone who wants to understand American politics today."―Stephen Hayes
"Strassel draws a timely, convincing, and alarming picture of liberal governance and a
Democratic machine that's eager to bully resistant citizens."―Publishers Weekly
"An eye-opening lesson in the law of unintended consequences: where "a vast new disclosure regime" intended to curb corruption has spawned a corruption all its own."―Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Kimberley Strassel is a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board. Since 2007 she has written the "Potomac Watch" column and has worked for the Wall Street Journal in Brussels, London, New York, and Washington. An Oregon native, Ms. Strassel is a graduate of Princeton University and is the author of the bestselling The Intimidation Game.
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Product details
- Publisher : Twelve; First Edition first Printing (June 21, 2016)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 416 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1455591882
- ISBN-13 : 978-1455591886
- Item Weight : 1.75 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.06 x 9 inches
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- #101 in Political Parties (Books)
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Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2016
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Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2016
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This is a thoroughly engaging and well-written description of how the progressives who have overtaken the Democratic Party are employing a strategy of intimidation and harassment straight out of the pages of Maoist/Leninist playbooks. Starting with the outrage of the Lois Lerner/IRS harassment of grass-roots TEA party organizations and through raids and investigations by other federal agencies (OSHA, FDA, IRS), the Wisconsin SWAT-team raids and secret subpoenaes, and Senate floor attacks on the Koch brothers, Strassel shows how leftists all the way up to Pres. Obama use government and the press to harass and intimidate people out of speaking their minds and into keeping quiet. She also portrays those brave souls who have stood up to that harassment. It is a frightening, outrageous, and important read. See the 1-star comments for a taste of what she is talking about. People who do not deny this is happening, but excuse it as necessary for the "greater good." That way leads to anarchy and violence.
Another important point Strassel makes is how efforts to "get money out of politics" have the perhaps unintended (perhaps intended) effect of silencing critics of the powerful and elite. You will come away wanting to abolish all campaign finance and disclosure laws.
Only 4 stars because Strassel provides no citations or sources, which is inexcusable for a serious work. It leaves open to doubt the accuracy of her reporting (unfortunately). She also uses trite phrases and names that gives the book the tone of a polemic more than of a serious historical or political work. Again, this tends to cast doubt on the accuracy and completeness of her reporting, which is unfortunate (and I hope not true). This is too important a subject to be open to such doubts.
Presuming her reporting is accurate, kudos to Strassel for documenting this outrageous abuse of power.
Another important point Strassel makes is how efforts to "get money out of politics" have the perhaps unintended (perhaps intended) effect of silencing critics of the powerful and elite. You will come away wanting to abolish all campaign finance and disclosure laws.
Only 4 stars because Strassel provides no citations or sources, which is inexcusable for a serious work. It leaves open to doubt the accuracy of her reporting (unfortunately). She also uses trite phrases and names that gives the book the tone of a polemic more than of a serious historical or political work. Again, this tends to cast doubt on the accuracy and completeness of her reporting, which is unfortunate (and I hope not true). This is too important a subject to be open to such doubts.
Presuming her reporting is accurate, kudos to Strassel for documenting this outrageous abuse of power.
21 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2016
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Not since Woodward and Bernstein's "All the President's Men" has there been a journalist willing to do the deep digging to uncover the abuse of power by an out of control American government. If you are an activist you must read this book to discover the playbook of the progressive ruling elite. If you are an interested citizen/voter you should read this book so you know the extent to which a very coordinated progressive cabal is willing to go to silence Americans.
Kimberley Strassel interviewed American citizens who were actually harmed by the overreach of government agencies and an Administration that has been calling the shots for almost 8 years. The thread of how conservative Americans were singled out for IRS audits and raids on their homes and police action is stunning. The fact that few other media outlets covered these stories is even more stunning. Thank goodness this travesty bothered Ms. Strassel enough for her to undertake this very unpopular stand by investigating this criminal behavior by government employees and their political Svengalis.
People need to understand what happened, who is involved and how the progressives continue to harass innocent Americans for no other reason but that they have a differing set of values and principles. Such an excellent book! Thank you Kimberley Strassel for writing it!
Kimberley Strassel interviewed American citizens who were actually harmed by the overreach of government agencies and an Administration that has been calling the shots for almost 8 years. The thread of how conservative Americans were singled out for IRS audits and raids on their homes and police action is stunning. The fact that few other media outlets covered these stories is even more stunning. Thank goodness this travesty bothered Ms. Strassel enough for her to undertake this very unpopular stand by investigating this criminal behavior by government employees and their political Svengalis.
People need to understand what happened, who is involved and how the progressives continue to harass innocent Americans for no other reason but that they have a differing set of values and principles. Such an excellent book! Thank you Kimberley Strassel for writing it!
124 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
Max Layton
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Costs Of Free Speech
Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2016Verified Purchase
If you believe free speech is the bedrock of democracy, this is a frightening book. In one well-researched chapter after another, the author shows how our political elites are using the IRS, the FEC, and campaign finance and disclosure laws to intimidate anyone who dares disagree with them. Must read!
7 people found this helpful
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Guy Goodwin
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Left will not like this being published
Reviewed in Canada on July 22, 2017Verified Purchase
Incredible. Thorough and revealing...and scary as to what is going on behind the scenes. The Left will not like this being published. Well done!
One person found this helpful
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Sensei TM
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great Writing Style but This Neoliberal Re-Interpretation of 'Free Speech" Does Not Convince
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 6, 2016Verified Purchase
A rather deceptive account of free speech, one that conflates diverse case studies as though they were more similar than they are. Example, can you really compare the need for political anonymity for ACLU civil rights activists in the 1950's to the political anonymity of the CEO or CFO of a multinational corporation who wants to donate huge sums to a PAC today? In the former case we are defending a vulnerable group of individual citizens from the overwhelming power of the state. In the latter case we are defending the rights of huge, powerful corporations to influence the very make-up and policy of government. This is oligopoly masquerading as democracy.
On the other hand, I agree with Strassel that the government (IRS) over-reached its legal authority in selectively singling out grassroots groups critical of its policies and then subjecting them to onerous bureaucratic hurdles in order to prevent their political activities. Strassel writes very well and her style is admirable. However, I am not convinced by her neoliberal arguments, some of which are based on bad analogies.
On the other hand, I agree with Strassel that the government (IRS) over-reached its legal authority in selectively singling out grassroots groups critical of its policies and then subjecting them to onerous bureaucratic hurdles in order to prevent their political activities. Strassel writes very well and her style is admirable. However, I am not convinced by her neoliberal arguments, some of which are based on bad analogies.
3 people found this helpful
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