Best Progressive Book to argue the Liberal View Point

[LynneSin]

Poll question: Best Progressive Book to argue the Liberal View Point

A new member asked for a recommendation of a few books he could read to get a better understanding of the liberal viewpoint aka "Make the Case"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=267745

I'm pretty well read with an extensive collection of books from the progresive viewpoint. So I'm picking the nine I think are best to discuss and I thought it would be neat to have a poll and see what the best is.

I'll leave an "OTHER" incase I forget something

NOTE: I was going to put Will's books in there but lets face it - we'd all vote for Will cause he's a hell of an author AND a great great DUer to boot. I would highly recommend any of his books for those who need to "Make the Case" for the progressive causes ESPECIALLY 'Greatest Sedition'

NOTE2: Molly Ivins and Michael Moore both have 2 great books so I combined them. I know I'm going to get heck for not putting any Noam Chomsky or Jim Hightower in there - just make it an OTHER

EDIT NOTE: Seems I should have put in James Carville's "we're Right, They're Wrong" so I combined the 2 Clinton Books since they both pretty much cover the same thing - The Clinton years and the right-wing smear!

[trotsky]

1. We're Right, They're Wrong - James Carville

I thought the Ragin' Cajun did an excellent job with that one.

[LynneSin]

2. We need polls that we can add 20 items to it

I mean there really are sooooooo many good books out there!!!

[On the Road]

3. Agreed: "We're Right, They're Wrong"

for basic modern political dialogue.

I found that my perspective changed more gradually but more fundamentally by reading progressive historical books such as "Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James Loewen, "A People's History of the United States," and some of Chomsky's books (which I would not recommend for the uninitiated).

[Zuni]

15. James loewen's book is darn good

Lies my teacher told me was one of the first progressive histories i have ever read. His critiscm of the Wilson Administration was spot on, and he is right--most of it is not common knowledge. many of the stuff in his book was fascinating--like the colony founded by whites, free blacks and indians, in colonial times--i had never heard about it. Great book, and i learned a lot reading it.
I do not like Chomsky--everything he writes about that I actually know something about makes it look to me that he is flagrantly biased and paints some erroneous picture (I suspect that is why he concentrates on obscure events, so people cannot show to be wrong as easily). The stuff I read in james Loewen's writing usually jibes with the other history I have uncovered, but Chomsky often does not.

[GOPisEvil]

4. Glad to see everyone agrees with me!

:7 I mentioned this book on the other thread. It's a great mood-lifter.

[Zuni]

14. I like james Carville

He is our political pitbull. he can savage any GOP spokesperson 1 on 1.

[LynneSin]

5. Added James Carville's book

Since it was early enough to do so. Even though Clinton Wars and Living History are by 2 different authors, they cover much of the same material - the Clintons during the White House Years and all the smearing that went on.

:shrug:

[IrateCitizen]

6. "The Politics of Meaning" by Michael Lerner

But I'd argue you're presenting a false premise here, Lynne. You're looking for books that argue the liberal viewpoint of partisan politics. What I suggested is a book that presents a progressive view of forming a better society.

In essence, are you looking for symptoms or deep causes? Because many of the examples you cited are only going to point out symptoms.

[MissMarple]

19. I agree, we don't need anymore voices for the band wagon.

We need more pragmatic analysis and suggestions for change. Since I dance around the center line both politically and philosophically, I like Kevin Phillips and the New America Foundation guys. While Michael Lind calls himself a Republican, he more a democratic pragmatist. We need balance, not rabble rousing. Most of us here are already "roused". We need focus and direction. Many of the Democratic candidates this year are offering this. We are lucky to have so many viable candidates and others with vital points of view that are being heard.

I vote for Wealth and Democracy by Kevin Phillips and The Radical Center by Ted halstead and Michael Lind. The second is short, concise and offers a good overview of American history, and suggestions for our evolving and so far relatively successful republican democracy (or democratic republic). The first does, as well, but is longer and ... hmmm a bit harder to slog through.

If anyone has an opinion on either of these, please let me know. I don't have anyone else to talk to about this. I'm pretty much solitary. :D

[wryter2000]

7. Qualifying my vote

I voted for Krugman because, so far for me at least, his is the most important book to read. However, it isn't really liberal. It's more about fiscal responsibility and Bush's lies than anything else. Plus, his theory of the revolution the RW'ers are planning to take over our country.

[Kenneth ken]

8. Who Will Tell The People?

by William Greider. It's not new and trendy, but I thought it was a very good read. It was published about 1992.

[Faygo Kid]

9. "The Past Has Another Pattern"

By George Ball - an honorable, decent member of the Establishment who opposed Vietnam with integrity and honor. A "must read" for all DUers. No jokes in it, though.

[underpants]

10. Other: "BigLies" by Joe Conason

I liked Franken's book a lot and Brock's book was very informative but strangely written. Conason has a lot of facts that dispell the big lie machinery.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

16. I agree, and Conason's Book is very succinct and factual

Franken's proves his point with satire.

[rasputin1952]

27. Believe it or not, I just picked up "Big Lies"...

at the library book sale for 50 cents! It was a donated book, but I can't believe my luck. I'm about half way through it now, and it is chock full of facts, which is precisely needed to fight the RWnuts.

While I love satire, and humor, and find a mix the best way to fight against neo-cons when addressing them in a public forum; in one-on-one contacts I find that indisbuable facts far outweigh anything else to press home the point.

Just as when I ask, "Why do you hate Hillary?", and get blanks stares; the same thing happens when I point out facts to people that listen to rush, and faux news...blank stares.

"Big Lies" will hold it's own, far into the future.

BTW: for an overview of the quintessential Progressive politician, pick up any of the TR biographies. They are all basically the same, and give a great background on how a "privledged" American, can move forward to help the nation as a whole. He was truly a Progressive.

:kick:

[Wetzelbill]

11. I am an absolute book nerd

I think Palast's book was great for pure documentation of misdeeds and lies. I read everything I can get though. Chomsky, Ivins, Will Pitt etc. I haven't gotten around to some books I would love to read though. Big Lies by Joe Conason, any of Franken's, Krugman. My big one that I just started was "Globalization and It's Discontents" by Joseph Stiglitz. I want to give a special shout out to Paul Wellstone though. I read "The Conscience of A Liberal" last spring and it is a moving and inspiring piece of work from a genuinely remarkable man. I hope I can learn to channel my anger and be as warm and uncondescending as Wellstone always was. That is a great book to read and model yourself and your activism from. Couldn't say enough good things about the man, his legacy and his book.

[Davis_X_Machina]

12. The New Testament n/t

[LynneSin]

13. But only the Gospels

Paul was Christianity's first fundamentalist - "convert them or else!!"

[rasputin1952]

29. It is kind of difficult to beat Christ...

when it comes to Progressive viewpoint.

:kick:

[rasputin1952]

30. It is kind of difficult to beat Christ...

when it comes to Progressive viewpoint.

:kick:

[Terwilliger]

17. other: The People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

http://sale-for-you.com/books/details/0060528370/A,People,s,History,of,the,United,States,:,1492,Present.html

[Kusala]

18. very informative but oh so very dry

[ReadTomPaine]

20. Is the Krugman book a collection of his articles?

Not that there's anything wrong with that- his work is great!

[jiacinto]

21. Up from Conservativism by Michael Lind

nt

[Liberal1965]

22. "It's the Economy, Stupid"

by Paul Begala is a good one too.

[populistmom]

23. Lies is a good start

but books like The Best Democracy Money Can Buy gives more details.

[Booberdawg]

24. Going to Amazon.com now to get Franken's and Palast's books

As a reminder, if you purchase through DU bookstore, DU gets a share of the revenue.

[Booberdawg]

25. Thanks for this poll. I've ordered a few books now.

I've been dying to get Franken's book anyway, but I've been hungry lately to get a little more informed and more involved and feel like some reading is the best place to start.

Maybe I got a little carried away - I ordered seven books to start! These are the ones that piqued my interest most. Some of them from the recommendations here:

Big Lies: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine and How It Distorts the Truth Joe Conason

Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush's America Molly Ivins

The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: The Truth About Corporate Cons, Globalization and High-Finance Fraudsters Greg Palast

What Liberal Media? The Truth About Bias and the News Eric Alterman

Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right Al Franken

Thieves in High Places: They've Stolen Our Country--And Its Time to Take It Back Jim Hightower

We're Right, They're Wrong: A Handbook for Spirited Progressives James Carville

[Booberdawg]

26. kick

cause good reading suggestions here!

[Seneca]

28. The Rights of Man

Thomas Paine's rebuttal of Edmund Burke's reactionary tripe via the French Revolution. It is the foundation from which every book in this thread (minus the New Testament) is based.

[rasputin1952]

31. Thanks for reminding me about that one Seneca....

yes, indeed; I agree that all of the previously mention books are based on, "the Rights of Man".

:kick:

[corporalclegg9]

32. Thanks very much!

Thank you all very much for helping me out here! I went out to the bookstore yesterday and bought "The Best Democracy That Money Can Buy", which was actually losing in the poll to Al Franken's book at that point, but from what I can gather it's more what I'm looking for. It seems more factual, I think, but I could be wrong about that. Does anyone know more about Al's book? Just from my first impression, Al's book seems to be sort of more about opinionation and satire, sort of a left-wing response to Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh. I don't mean that as an insult to Al, I'm just saying that stylistically it looks similar. Is that accurate, or is it more factual and logically argued? I am certainly going to keep the other books in mind that everyone has recommended to me, but I am really going to try to read one book from the right-wing with each left-wing book that I read, at least to the point where I feel I've been exposed enough to both sides.

If anyone's curious, I got some book recommendations from Free Republic, and the one I chose was "The Quest For Cosmic Justice," by Thomas Sowell.

Thanks again!

[LynneSin]

33. About Al's book

It's a great book in pointing out how the right-wing shrills lie. Like Ann Coulter and how she overloads Nexus-Lexus, which is the prime resoure tool used by anyone and everyone in the research & writing industry.

Franken talked about how Ann would make comments like Group A & B never once mentioned Situation X & Y. And her footnote/endnote would be something like 'Nexus-Lexus search on ABXY yielded no results'. The thing is she was putting TOO much information into Nexus-Lexus which searches all sources for anything with all those criterias. Al Franken tried those same searches without the overload of criteria and found the documents that Ann Coulter "claimed" were never written/said/published.

The whole philoshy of the right-wing research is "If you say a lie often enough people will actually believe it's true"