Has anyone read Thomas Frank's "What's the Matter with Kansas"?

[drumwolf]

If so, how'd you like it? And did you think he made a convincing argument and accurate observations?

His subject matter, concerning how heartland Americans went from progressive back then to conservative today, is certainly intriguing. Fact is, we can bash the South all we want for making the GOP dominant, but the Midwest is solidly red too, and it wasn't always that way. If Frank's book is on the mark, then it should be required reading for any and every liberal political strategist.

EDITED TO ADD: Bottom line, should I spend the money to get it?

[asthmaticeog]

1. Reading it now, AMAF.

No spoilers, OK?

[drumwolf]

2. Fair enough

You don't need to reveal anything specific. Just tell me whether or not you think Frank's arguments are well-done and his observations are accurate.

[MichiganVote]

3. Very good analysis and the book is extremely revealing

[asthmaticeog]

7. He's just about ALWAYS spot-on.

This will make the third or fourth book of his I've read, not to mention about 9 or 10 years worth of his work in The Baffler and other periodicals. The man never fails to get right in the zone; he's an astonishingly impressive intellect with a firm grasp on reason and evidence.

[liberalitch]

4. I agree....

The fact of the matter is that the public sells away their birthright as americans to have a government that "promotes the general welfare" because they are afraid of two men picking out china together.... all worried that that veggie platter will be on back order!

[punpirate]

5. It should be...

... if only to show those traditional strategists that their attempts to connect to the right are pretty much futile without understanding the political manipulations right--that they use cultural concerns to get elected, and then use office to make the economic changes desired by the far right wing, and then, leave the cultural sores untreated and misunderstood so they'll continue to fester and generate more support.

It's not just ordinary hypocrisy--it's a strategic hypocrisy for a hidden motive, and that's what Franks documents so well.

[no name no slogan]

6. Should be REQUIRED READING for Democrats

This book sums up the whole problem with selling out populist economic policies in order to appeal to Wall Street. If more Dems read this, we wouldn't have the same stupid corporate vs. populist arguments over and over again.

[Huckebein the Raven]

8. I think he did a very good job of presenting his argument

[two gun sid]

9. I've read it. Good book.

His arguments and observations were very convincing. I would recommend reading it. I lent it to a RWer I know. He finished it, gave it back and I haven't heard from him since.

[Coastie for Truth]

10. I read it - very depressing.

Luckily I had E.J. Dionne's new book and Robert Reich's new book to pump me back up.

[DebJ]

11. very depressing: so follow it up with Lakoff's Don't Think of an

Elephant, which I would subtitle, "The Cure for What's the Matter with Kansas"

[gizmo1979]

12. Saw him on the daily show but completely forgot about the book

[yorgatron]

13. read it,liked it,

had a problem with one or two things,but they were minor.