Next: Parties and Money. (They go hand in hand, right?) Why parties matter, why they can't govern without majorities, and why it is usually hard to convince people to vote for a different party are covered, as well as an explanation of why your money is needed, how much you should give, and why you shouldn't expect to be thanked (except via junk mail).
The remainder of the book explains to activists how to deliver the Republican message, including a chapter on blogs and their potential for influencing major media, as well as how NOT to deliver said message. The idea that moderation on issues like abortion, guns, and "the environment" is a virtue for Republicans should be obvious, but the mileage that Democrats get out of attacking GOPers on these issues suggests that a lot of single-issue Republicans would find this idea earth-shattering. Hewitt also covers what he calls edge-of-the-knife issues: key issues that could be used to persuade, but might just as easily drive voters away if handled clumsily (an example would be immigration reform). Next-to-last is a plea for using the correct tone in politics, including avoiding the anger that seemed to derail the Dean candidacy after the Iowa caucuses. And lastly, Hewitt goes back over the stakes in this and future elections.
This is a pragmatist's guide to party politics, and as such is refreshingly direct; Hewitt wants Republicans to win elections because he believes they will protect and defend us in needed ways that Democrats won't, and this book explains both the "why" as well as the "how." Hewitt is a rarity in conservative talk radio: an intelligent, empathetic, clear-headed man who prefers honest debate to shout-downs and for that reason actively courts left-leaning guests and callers. And those qualities carry on into this book; it's very rare for a political book to be so blunt and clear about its objectives, and yet remain so even-tempered and reasonable.
In case you hadn't noticed, this book covers a lot of ground, and to his credit, Hewitt covers it in a manner that allows for quick and easy reading (I read the second half of the book in basically one sitting). I believe it would be perfectly understandable for the non-political reader (by design, one would suspect), but it is thought-provoking enough to interest a political junkie like myself and make me want to do additional reading on some of these subjects. Some of his statements are hyperbolic and left without supporting facts, but in most cases these are areas where the expected audience would be able to fill in the facts and see the basic point behind the hyperbole.
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
This sounds like a friend of the Memphis Mafia TCB crew, speculating about Elvis in '76, "I'm telling you guys, he just needs a laxative, otherwise, everything is good".
While you mention security, you don't have one factual point where the Republicrats (what? you have two political mafias in the USSA? How do you tell them apart?) have increased security, freedom or prosperity.
It pretty much seems downhill. And Hewitt just seems like a cheerleader for everything going to hell, just so he could say, "I told you everything is going to hell".
2 - Mark Saleski
dat's pretty funny.
why, just a coupla days ago, some republicans in new hampshire were snagged with their involvement in a scheme to jam democratic "get out the vote" phone banks in the 2002 election.
it's not in the republicans' genes...i guess they musta stepped in something.
3 - Rodney Welch
One word, Steve: Watergate.
4 - MikeD
I appreciate your review. I am glad to see that you agree with educating the masses more with the likes of Hewitt and Prager, rather that Limbaugh and Savage. I plan on buying and enjoying the book.
5 - RJ
Assuming Nixon "stole" the election in 1972 via Watergate (though he was certain to win anyway), perhaps he was just mimicking the behavior of JFK-LBJ from 1960, when the dead awoke in key states, at least for one night, in order to vote for the Democrat ticket?
6 - Rodney Welch
Did Nixon's forces use votes from dead people? I wasn't aware of that, but it wouldn''t surprise me. I mentioned Watergate because the Nixon Administration was so rife with corruption that it renders moot any discussion that Democrats have some sort of foothold on political skullduggery. Nixon would have probably liked Hewitt's book; he didn't like close elections either, and he took every possible illegal measure to avoid them. When Arthur Bremer plugged Governor Wallace, Nixon and Charles Colson personally discussed planting McGovern literature in the assassin's apartment. Maybe the title of Hewitt's book should be all, The More We Cheat, The Better Our Chances: Crushing the Democrats in Every Election and Why My Political Ass Depends on It.
7 - Lono
y'all are wrong and way off. There is no good in the world that can from a republican adminstration but tax breaks for rich white folk. In my eyes, the current administration should be tried and hung for war crimes.
It's ok though, because after the French fraud charges and the FEC charges... Cheney will be indicted by summer 05.
and let's be honest, the Democrats are not resourceful OR evil enough to steal an election. Especially with the conservative bench at the Surpreme Court. I must digress to your professionalism, when it comes to thwarting Democracy and strong arming elections... us Democrats are pretty much a bunch of freedom loving pussies.