Sirota: "rest assured that the louder their temper tantrums get, the ...

[understandinglife]

... more progress we are making.

The New York Times today posted an excerpt of the first chapter of Hostile Takeover as a preview to the review of the book coming out tomorrow by op-ed editor Tobin Harshaw (You will be able to see the review http://www.nytimes.com/books|here> tomorrow - I am headed out for a few days of vacation so, as promised earlier, I am posting my thoughts now since I have seen it already). The Times for months refused to review Hostile Takeover, preferring to try to ignore it. Only when the book hit the bestseller list did the paper realize it was embarrassing itself by its behavior. Not surprisingly, the review that the paper finally agreed to do is indeed a spectacle - and it highlights the fault lines of power that have taken center stage in American politics.

The review first tries to claim that Hostile Takeover is "directed less at the ruling Republicans than at their main opposition, mainstream Democratic centrists." That's factually inaccurate - the book is roughly 75%-25% critical of Republicans vs. Democrats, respectively, and you may recall that the Washington Post attacked the book as a Democratic Party "apologia" (I have submitted a letter to the Times' editor demanding a correction on this assertion, though I'm not holding my breath that it will be published).

The inaccuracy, of course, is no accident - it is designed to simply write off the book as just something of interest to Democrats in the upcoming election (thus, the subheadline in the piece that bemoans supposedly "more prescriptions to help the Democrats reverse their electoral fortunes"). What both the Times and Post reviewers display in their dishonest efforts to paint the book as one or another kind of partisan screed is a more fundamental desire to hide the fact that this the book is an analysis of the whole system. They don't want any systemic analysis gaining traction - because God forbid if we start talking about systemic problems, then we can actually have a real debate about the power equations that drive our broken political process and insulate the Establishment from small "d" democratic influence.



<clip>

Even in its angry review of Hostile Takover, the Times is forced to acknowledge that we, the people fighting for our democracy, have the facts on our side. It is a tacit admission that the Establishment well understands the crimes being perpetrated on us - and simply doesn't care to change its ways. And while Washington's pundits, lobbyists, and other assorted status quo apologists will continue to scream like little children and berate us with epithets whenever we the people assert ourselves - rest assured that the louder their temper tantrums get, the more progress we are making.

by David Sirota

Yes, We the People ..." are finding that we have countless ways to be Our Government, and those who've managed for so long to subvert the Republic to their criminal special interests are beginning to realize it ... how's it going Joementum ....


Never Forget: George W. Bush willfully violated National Security to cover-up his willful launch of a war of aggression and illegal occupation of Iraq.

[babylonsister]

1. This book sounds fascinating! Thanks for the heads-up! nt

[KoKo]

2. I'm reading "Hostile Takeover" right now...and it's Excellent...worth

buying unless you support Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and the rest of the DLC Dems. DLC Dems might get a feel for how the rest of the country see's America from reading that book because Sirota get's to the core of what Dems should be about and why we've lost it.

Anyway...a good read. A thumb through it at your local book store will tell you whether to buy it or not. I was glad that I did...

[Time for change]

3. I think he hits the nail on the head

Though I'm not sure what WaPo means by "Democratic apologia". Is the Times saying that its equally critical of Dems and Republicans, and WaPo is saying that it's too partisan Democratic? If so, they would appear to be contradicting each other more than anything.

But as Sirota says, they're both wrong, and this is very much a critique of the whole system.

I'm about two thirds through it, and I certainly can see why our corporate media wouldn't want too many people to read it. Let's just say that it's appropriately critical of the corruption that pervades much of our government today.

[understandinglife]

4. "Let's just say that it's appropriately critical of the corruption ...

... that pervades much of our government today.

Exactly.


Peace.

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. Can you blame them?

Of course they interpret a book about the evils of malfeasant government as a broadside against Republicans. That's as it should be. Good government=Democratic government.

[femrap]

6. I can't wait to read this one!

I love it when Corporations are exposed as the greedy pigs they are.

[DemReadingDU]

7. Thank you! I've missed your insightful postings!

added K&R!

[troubleinwinter]

8. The article is fascinating, and looks like the book will be too.

On the other side, there are organizations like the Democratic Leadership Council, which is holding its "national conversation" in Denver this weekend. The group purports to represent America's political "center" but on issue after issue after issue, the organization and its highest-profile leaders have gone on record advocating for extremist national security, trade and economic policies well outside the mainstream of American public opinion. These policies, undoubtedly influenced by the group's big corporate donors, have helped destroy America's middle class and weaken America's security. The group, of course, purports to represent ordinary Americans. But they can't hide even the farcical nature of that assertion. As just one example, the Rocky Mountain News reports the DLC's supposedly "national conversation" runs "through Monday at the Hyatt Regency hotel and is not open to the public." And now the group is pitching stories to reporters trying to openly position themselves as the counterweight to grassroots political organizing and activism.

[zippy890]

9. kick for sirota!

great book!
:dem: