Category Archives: book review

Why the Left Excels at Political Humor and the Right Not So Much

Posted on June 25, 2017 by politicaloptic

It is almost a cliché that political humor is owned by the left. One can’t help but be bowled over by the number of liberal-leaning comedians sucking up oxygen on the airwaves. For a long while it was people like … Continue reading →

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Hillbilly Elegy: J. D. Vance’s Personal Take on White Working-Class America

Posted on January 31, 2017 by politicaloptic

J.D. Vance’s recent book, Hillbilly Elegy, puts a spotlight on the crisis of white working-class America. It is a memoir of a young man who grew up in a culture of poverty and dysfunction but who, with a little help and some grit, eventually … Continue reading →

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Ayn Rand Nation

Posted on July 11, 2012 by politicaloptic

There are more of them out there than you think. They hold to a philosophy of stripped down government, undiluted capitalism, and deliberate selfishness. Their guru is the 20th century novelist and essayist Ayn Rand, apostle of über individualism. Some idea of … Continue reading →

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On the Use (and Abuse) of History

Posted on June 25, 2012 by politicaloptic

Most would agree that right-wing advocates have been adept at employing history in the service of their cause. David Barton’s lessons on the Christian roots of liberty and Glenn Beck’s chalkboard seminars on the sins of American Progressives are but two examples of conservatives using the … Continue reading →

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What’s Wrong with Our Politics: “Asymmetric” Polarization

Posted on May 16, 2012 by politicaloptic

Not many would argue with the claim that our politics has become dysfunctional. The parties can’t seem to agree on anything, and the legislative process has been tied in knots for most of President Obama’s tenure as president. But typically, most … Continue reading →

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The Fox Effect

Posted on March 16, 2012 by politicaloptic

Fox News has found a new public enemy. This time it’s not Acorn, George Soros, or the Occupiers of Wall Street. Instead it’s an entity with a low profile and a tedious job: Media Matters, the watchdog  organization that tracks … Continue reading →

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