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Dreaming of a Blue Christmas: Holiday Reading for Democrats in Despair
For many Americans, the holiday season can be a difficult one. While most enjoy festive celebrations, share time with family and reaffirm their faith, for growing numbers of people the holidays are a season of sadness, alienation, depression and despair. Taking their annual inventory of loneliness, the passage of time, their personal disappointments and unmet expectations, and the realities of family gatherings, the seasonally-affected may reach for Prozac – or worse.
For Democrats, liberals, and progressives of all stripes, Christmas 2004 will be especially difficult, the Winter of Our Discontent. The reelection of George W. Bush, the Republican control of Congress, and the tenuousness of the Supreme Court have created an air of gloom and portend the likelihood of darker days ahead. Taking no joy in the virgin birth, many are questioning the mysterious ways of an apparently angry and vengeful God.
For Democrats in despair, Perrspectives has just the right prescription. It’s not Prozac – it’s the Perrspectives Holiday Reading List. This selection of titles provides progressives with comic relief, new policies and strategies, insights into the other side and good old-fashioned American inspiration. Remember during these times that try men’s souls that, ultimately, our victory will be complete and their defeat total.
So smile, fight and win. And enjoy!
Laughter is the Best Medicine
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Toole’s protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, is in rebellion against his times (the 1960’s). He’s no role model for angst-filled Democrats, but he is hilarious. As he might say, George W. Bush is without shame entirely, an egregious affront to taste and decency, geometry and theology.
The Once and Future Majority
The Next Deal by Andrei Cherny
Former Clinton speech writer Cherny describes a new Democratic politics for the Information Age. His ideas on national service and a new politics of citizen choice are especially compelling.
The Emerging Democratic Majority by John Judis and Ruy Texeira
The 2004 results aside, Judis and Texeira argue that the demographics of a new professional class combined with growing minority power augur well for a Democratic majority. I disagree with their analysis, but the optimistic assessment of the future for Democrats is a soothing balm indeed.
What We Stand For: A Platform for Progressive Patriotism edited by Mark Green
A compilation of essays from Mark Green’s New Democracy Project, What We Stand For offers assessments and proposals from a pantheon of Democratic thought leaders, including Gary Hart, Sandy Berger, Joseph Nye, Christopher Edley and more.
The Real State of the Union edited by Ted Halstead
A mixed performance by Ted Halstead, Michael Lind and the gang at the New America Foundation, this collection of essays offers new approaches on health care, retirement security and a host of other issues.
The Two Percent Solution by Matthew Miller
A well-meaning though likely unfeasible attempt to span partisan differences, Miller does offer ideas for education reform and teacher pay Democrats should seriously consider.
The Paradox of American Power by Joseph Nye Jr.
Nye provides a powerful critique of American unilateralism. His emphasis on the soft power of American culture, ideals and alliances as much as military and economic strength as being essential to American influence.
Everything for Sale by Robert Kuttner
Kuttner’s excellent analysis of health care, energy and education show Perrspectives Iron Law of Markets in action: market outcomes may be optimal and efficient, but socially disastrous. He makes a powerful case against the conservative orthodoxy and strongly argues the need for balancing market incentives and limitations.
The Cycles of American History by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
This blast from the past argues that in American politics, what goes up must come down, the pendulum will swing, and other comforting analogies.
The Remedy: Class, Race and Affirmative Action by Richard Kahlenberg.
As we've argued before, the reigning orthodoxy of identity politics and group preferences are factors in Democrats dismal performance among white voters. Kahlenberg describes a post affirmative action politics based on need and not race.
The Old Time Religion
A New Democracy by Gary Hart
Back in 1983, Hart recognized three key problems for Democrats: they were not credible on the economy or national defense, and had been balkanized by labor, racial, ethic, women’s and other special interest groups. 20 years later and we have one down, two to go.
The Promise of American Life by Herbert Croly
The founder of the New Republic, Croly’s book is the bible of the Progressive Movement. His mantra about an active government role in the economy and society: Hamiltonian means towards Jeffersonian ends.
The New Republic Reader edited by Dorothy Wickenden
An illuminating look back over 80 years at TNR and some of the best pieces touching on the biggest issues – and figures – of the day.
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam
An analysis of and prescription for the decline in American participation in voluntary community organizations and the decline of social capital. His emphasis on "bridging" social capital cutting across classes, races, and faiths is an important argument for national service and against Bush's "faith-based initiative."
Know Your Enemy
The Right Nation by John Micklethwait and Adrian Woolridge
Not a happy read for Democrats, Economist writers Mickelthwait and Woolridge trace the rise of the conservative ascendancy and, they argue, its permanence.
The Essential Neoconservative Reader edited by Mark Gerson
Iraq, “Neocon” rightly became a four letter word. Find out how these lefties-turned-righties got that way. This dated book does not, unfortunately, cover how the neoconservatives once again got, to use Irving Kristol’s words, “mugged by reality.”
The World Turned Rightside Up: A History of the Conservative Ascendancy in America by Godfrey Hodson
Another interesting assessment of the 50 year "long march" by conservatives from the margins to (gulp) the mainstream of American politics, thought and culture.
The Paradox of American Democracy: Elites, Special Interests and the Betrayal of the Public Trust by John Judis
Judis provides a rich history on the decline and fall of disinterested elites working through foundations and think-tanks for the public good and its replacement by a well-funded conservative infrastructure. Key to understanding why Democrats are losing the battle of ideas.
Some of My Best Friends are Republicans
Well, actually, just Abraham Lincoln. These books are stirring and inspirational stories of the last Republican who spoke poetically of national healing and the unity of all Americans (including, as Bush the Elder would say, "the brown ones").
Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America by Garry Wills
A riveting story of the origins, meaning and importance of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Lincoln reinvented America by calling on us to be true to the promise of our Declaration of Independence. His admonition is particularly salient today.
Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural by Ronald White Jr..
White traces the design and intent of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural in 1864, with its plea for unity and healing back when Red and Blue states were reversed.
Visit the Perrspectives Resource Center to see the complete Perrspectives Reading List.
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