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Sep. 12th, 2004 09:06 pmAs I've said, I take a while to finish books, usually because I'm reading several at the same time, and also because I get distracted mighty quickly (shiny objects usually do the trick).
That said, I've really been trying to finish up some of the books I've had lying around for a while, and yesterday, I finished Big Lies by Joe Conason.
It's a perfect complement to this political season, especially if you're a yellow dog Democrat, as I am. The subtitle is "the right-wing propaganda machine, and how it distorts the truth." Each chapter sets to take apart a whiny Republican lie that Americans have heard so often that many people have actually been fooled into believing them, such as:
--Tax cutting republicans are friends of the common man.
--Liberals control the media and misuse their influence to promote left-wing policies.
--Conservatives truly love America and support the armed forces, while liberals are unpatriotic draft dodgers.
--Republicans are strict accountants who balance budgets and promote economic growth, which Democrats are tax and spenders who bust budgets (I particularly love this one!)
--Conservatives are the only reliable defenders of individual liberty, because liberals worship political correctness and suppress freedom.
--Conservatives promote family values and moral virtue.
--Conservatives believe in color-blind equality.
--Conservatives are the only true champions of free enterprise.
--George W. Bush is a compassionate conservative. (HA!)
--Conservatives are tough on terrorism, while Democrats are soft.
Definitely must reading, and packed with a lot of information that could prove useful during a dinner party.
My favorite Bush quote appears in the compassionate conservative section. "Oftentimes people are poor because of the decisions they make," this man, who was born with a silver-spoon in his mouth, and ended up going to the same college as his Daddy, where he received lousy grades, said to E.J. Dionne. "Oftentimes people are poor because they didn't get a good education (and that was their decision?)...(and aren't) making right choices and staying in school and working hard in school."
Isn't that special?
That said, I've really been trying to finish up some of the books I've had lying around for a while, and yesterday, I finished Big Lies by Joe Conason.
It's a perfect complement to this political season, especially if you're a yellow dog Democrat, as I am. The subtitle is "the right-wing propaganda machine, and how it distorts the truth." Each chapter sets to take apart a whiny Republican lie that Americans have heard so often that many people have actually been fooled into believing them, such as:
--Tax cutting republicans are friends of the common man.
--Liberals control the media and misuse their influence to promote left-wing policies.
--Conservatives truly love America and support the armed forces, while liberals are unpatriotic draft dodgers.
--Republicans are strict accountants who balance budgets and promote economic growth, which Democrats are tax and spenders who bust budgets (I particularly love this one!)
--Conservatives are the only reliable defenders of individual liberty, because liberals worship political correctness and suppress freedom.
--Conservatives promote family values and moral virtue.
--Conservatives believe in color-blind equality.
--Conservatives are the only true champions of free enterprise.
--George W. Bush is a compassionate conservative. (HA!)
--Conservatives are tough on terrorism, while Democrats are soft.
Definitely must reading, and packed with a lot of information that could prove useful during a dinner party.
My favorite Bush quote appears in the compassionate conservative section. "Oftentimes people are poor because of the decisions they make," this man, who was born with a silver-spoon in his mouth, and ended up going to the same college as his Daddy, where he received lousy grades, said to E.J. Dionne. "Oftentimes people are poor because they didn't get a good education (and that was their decision?)...(and aren't) making right choices and staying in school and working hard in school."
Isn't that special?
