Why Americans hate politics

by E. J. Dionne

Paper Book, 1991

Status

Available

Genres

Politics, Government, Law and Public Policy

Publication

New York : Simon & Schuster, c1991.

Description

In this new edition of his national bestseller, E. J. Dionne brings up to date his influential proposals for a politics that can and must find a balance between rights and obligations, between responsibility and compassion. From the New, Updated Introduction: "At the heart of Why Americans Hate Politics is the view that ideas shape politics far more than most accounts of public life usually allow. I believe ideas matter not only to elites and intellectuals, but also to rank and file voters. Indeed, I often think that the rank and file see the importance of ideas more clearly than the elites, who often find themselves surprised by the rise of the movements that arise from the bottom up and shape our politics."

User reviews

LibraryThing member grumpyvegan

I regret E J Dionne’s book is called Why Americans Hate Politics because it misleads the reader into thinking that it is about something that it’s not. This is a book that discusses U.S. politics of the Sixties Left and the Eighties Right and contrasts the Liberal left with the Republican

right. Dionne concludes with the recommendation of a perspective that I'll summarize as a self-governing republic striving for the middle ground. At the book’s conclusion he briefly refers to the American’s growing alienation from political discourse but it hardly justifies the book’s title. Nevertheless, I found this to be an excellent book as someone who wanted to understand more about contemporary American politics and public policy development. Further, his Washington Post columns and radio media appearances always demonstrate keen insight and thoughtful criticism. I look forward to reading Dionne’s additional titles.

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