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Blinded by the Right : The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative

Blinded by the Right : The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative

List Price: $15.00
Your Price: $10.20
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent
Review: A revealing look at the conservative right from a former insider, the book portrays the right under a spotlight that members within it are less than eager to have on.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Laughable at best.
Review: This from an admitted liar who changes "ideology" as often as he changes his socks? With his mercenenary bent, it kind of makes you wonder whose agenda he is promoting now, and how much he's getting paid to do it. What's truly amusing however, are the rapturous reviews from the left-wing faithful, blindly following another dissembling Pied Piper off the cliffs of reason. When paid political hacks, has-been comedians and the likes of this vermin are your strongest voices, you know your party is in trouble.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Always a lib, never a conserv
Review: This guys is full of it. He never was a conservative. He builds strawmen arguments then tears them down. Heck anyone can tear down a strawmen. Not convincing at all. If it walks, talks and quacks like a duck, let's call it a duck. If it wreaks of social istic and communistic idealogies then call it that. As for me I will continue to pay my own way, that is why I will vote for conservatives.

I ain't left the party it left me!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Help Me!
Review: How about --blinded by the money? Or, another wannbe for the Hilary bandwagon? Or, please forgive me, liberals--I will never tell the truth again? A sorry excuse for a book and a sad ending to whaa career that had promise.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: This book needs to be read by Americans of every political persuasion. The author puts names and faces to the forces that allied and conspired to destroy the Clinton presidency. Perhaps some Democrats will be glad that this book was written and view it as a vindication of sorts, and no doubt certain Republicans will continue to be unhappy with the contents and the author. But I had a different reaction. I view the book as a wake up call to any American, (Republican, Democrat or whatever) who cares about his country.

The book is a warning about the dangers and consequences of intolerance (on all sides of the political spectrum) and what can result when a group of determined individuals decide they are going to have things their way, somehow. Mr. Brock's distress at seeing conservative speakers shouted down in his early days at Berkeley should be a warning to liberals who view themselves as the standard bearers of inclusion and diversity, but do not actually walk the walk. However, events described later in the book are not excused by the author as a reaction against liberal intolerance.

The underlying, recurring refrain in the book is the unscrupulous pursuit of power by any means. Mr. Brock gained fame and money working for the individuals who financed the "Get Clinton" and "Get Anita Hill" movements. Their agenda and methods are made plain, and as a beginning journalist he was their willing tool. Slander, calumny, lies and invective were used to achieve preconceived ends. The Special Prosecutor laws were warped, the media were manipulated, and so on. It is there for everyone to read.

Historians and people who have watched American politics for a long time may say that that this type of thing is not really anything new for either party, but the lobotomized, unremitting hatred with which Clinton was pursued is noteworthy. The book describes it as a kind of cottage industry, financed by wealthy people with an axe to grind.

Some critics question the author's motives for writing the book, or are leery of it because of the author's past writings. But I fear that this book is truthful. In the end, the author has done a great service by holding a mirror up to a recent chapter of political discourse in this country. Its not his fault that the reflection is revolting, or that some of the chief villains of the day are a faction in the Republican party.

Judging by the large number of Amazon.com reviews of this book, many Americans have read it and are dismayed. Now that we have this information, now that we know what went on, what is to be done? The answer is easy, it's the execution that is difficult. I like to think that the bad guys will reap what they sow without any action on my part, but it doesn't seem to work that way in politics, at least in the short term. Americans need to be more vigilant. We have to continually hold our elected leaders and the organizations that support them to a higher standard. We must be more discerning about what we believe and hear in the newspapers, radios and tv. We must cry foul, and snap the reins, even if its the "other side" being smirched, when political discourse begins to turn sour and muddy. Perhaps I am dreaming, but this is such a wonderful country, we musn't let a malicious group of a few people (of ANY persuasion) make it less so.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I'm a conservative who appreciated this book!
Review: Does the title of this review seem confusing? Well, let me explain.

I grew up in a culture that was "conservative" -- an ambiguous term, to be sure. Some may still consider me conservative. I don't like excessive deficit spending, I think the Federal Government has gotten too big, I'm pro private enterprise, I'm pro-family and hold to a myriad of other principles that many would consider "conservative."

But I have not liked some of the directions I've seen the more extreme right taking lately. I don't have all the facts and figures that both the liberal and conservative commentators have, so what I share here is impression which may or may not have to be corrected. But my discomfort will show why I appreciated what Brock had to say.

Neither conservatives nor liberals have a corner on lying. For so long I've listened to conservatives bewail the lies of the liberals, and they may very well be true. But I have often wondered if the conservatives might be doing the same thing. Brock's book was interesting for me because it addressed this question that had been nagging me for years. I didn't see Brock trying to espouse any particular political view. But I did see a writer who was trying to correct some wrongs that he felt were promoted by "The Right."

He tries to give a balanced view of the Whitewater matter -- something I can't comment on because I don't have the information that he does. He tries to give a balanced view of Hillary Clinton as well. He also tries to correct a lot of information he previously gave about Anita Hill.

I appreciated this book because:

1. I am a Christian who is distressed at seeing the Religious Right grab the flag and the cross and try to promote their political agenda as being straight from God Himself.

2. I am a straight, white married woman, but I don't like gay-bashing. For that matter, I don't like the outright bashing of any people different from oneself.

3. The ultra conservative right doesn't seem to be very concerned about the needs of the poor. While I'm not in favor excessive government handouts, I do believe that we need to have a system that will be fair to everyone.

I think Brock's book needs to be read, even by people who think thy don't agree with him. I'm not sure if I agree with everything he says, either. But it brings a perspective that needs to be seen, if we are to be open minded and consider all sides to the issue.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Suspicions Confirmed
Review: All the whining by the right-wingers crying foul to this book only confirms Brock's witness and testiment to the reprehensible political assault on individual civil liberties and justice by the WASPish homophobes that have taken over the republican party and the country. David Brock's soul-searching revelations give us a peek into the rotted inner sanctum of the extreme right. He gives us a gift - a road map to the future if they remain in control of this country. No wonder they cry foul. Brock's book is a blow by blow history of this perverse group's path to power through the 80s & 90s to now. Pick up the rocks and check out the slime that steals our tax dollars under the guise of government contracts. Read the names. Who's on Fox News (truly an oxymoron if there ever was one)- who OWNS Fox News? Brock's book is chunky-jammed packed with names. True, Brock is an example of a vulnerable young journalist who was slowly corrupted by the access to power and the easy money and fame. But once he began questioning the status quo (and, horror of horrors, writing the truth) he was dropped like a lead balloon. Brock's own conscience pulled him out of the corrupted fog. It took great courage to write this book, much less admit his role to the world (and to himself). The ridicule and insults hurled by the 'religious' right in response to Brock's book harkens one to Shakespeare- "methinks thou doth protest too much." Thank you for this book, David Brock!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Confessions of a Hit-man for the Conspiricy
Review: I was reluctant to buy this book because I didn't want to reward the reprehensible behavior of the author. I still feel that he profited from his crimes and now is profiting from his confession.

Just the same, this book is a great read and an important history lesson. Brock does Hillary Clinton the invaluable favor of justifying her phrase "vast right-wing conspiricy". She was completely correct, and quotes Brock in her own book, Living History. We don't have to approve of the character of the author to enjoy his story and learn from it.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Eh..........
Review: David Brock, Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair, et al. should get together and start their own newspaper. They could call it "The Daily Load of Crap," edited by Howell Raines.

There is no reason to believe that Mr. Brock is any more truthful and "unbiased" now than when he was working for the other team 10 years ago. It all appears very self serving to me. Some reviewers have said that many of his facts in this book are just as iffy as in his earlier tabloid publications.

It would be a much more effective, interesting and enjoyable read if he stuck to politics and journalism, and did not turn the book into some type of pop-psychologico journey for personal identity salvation. Also, for someone who in the past had as much media clout as he did, and who seems to have a commercially succesful writing career yet in front of him, the lack of reflection, thoughtfulness, and general intelligence is disheartening.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Read it and weep, right-wingers!
Review: "Blinded by the Right" is essential reading for liberals who wish to understand how the conservative political machine functions and thrives. I also recommend it for any Republican naive enough to think that his or her party really stands for integrity and morality. Brock reveals how he and other journalists became trained character assassins, taking out any and all who stood in the way of complete right-wing dominance. He chronicles the bitter hatred that many extreme conservatives feel for those unlike them (moderate Republicans as well as Democrats), describes and their smug feelings of "legitimacy" that drove them to wage (and lose) an unconditional war against the Clintons. Probably most interesting is Brock's own realization of how he had betrayed his own identity in working for a movement that hates homosexuals. "A Jew in Hitler's army" is how he describes being a gay man in the right-wing hate machine. Worthwhile reading regardless of your ideology.


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