The Politics of Deceit: Saving Freedom and Democracy from Extinction

While this book is titled "The Politics of Deceit: Saving Freedom and Democracy from Extinction" it is, above all, about freedom. Smith breaks freedom into two primary categories. Freedom to will, he says, imposes restraints on others. Freedom to experience is a more extensive kind of freedom that, while limited at the boundary where others' liberties are encroached upon, also calls for responsibility to find common ground within our various differences. From his experience in political campaigns he shows how political advertising is calculated for maximum psychological effect and that even those who are aware of its manipulation are not immune from its persuasion. If you remember, for example, a childhood memory of holding Bugs Bunny's hand at Disneyland then you'll be interested to read the chapter on televised ads. Smith answers the question of "What is to be done" and foresees the internet and the emerging social media web sites such as web logs (blogs) as a means of democratizing the political process by encouraging broader participation. I recommend this book for those who want to understand the deceitful manipulations of the political machine from a political insider who has a profound command of varied philosophical and scientific perspectives.

Writers like Molly Ivins and Al Franken make us laugh and sometimes angry at how the conservatives maintain so much control in America. Glenn Smith makes us think -- about how we truly got here and how to get out. Smith shows how modern campaign practices -- the politics of deceit from the title -- corrode the system and rob us of our freedoms. To overcome the far right, Smith says progressives should quit trying to fight a war under rules written by the right. Instead, we should turn to the Net and grassroots organizing to reach out to the millions of non-voting Americans who can ultimately turn the tide. In the end, we must embrace the idea that none of us is truly free as long as one of us is not.

Smith is a troubadour of collectivist jingoism. A superior writer he employs the spectrum of propagandist tricks. From the non sequitur juxtaposition of the lynching fest (in the democratically run) old south with the unverified claims of "disenfranchisement" in the 2000 election to the skillfully employed passive voice -- the active voice requires a (falsifiable) subject -- to the howler that MoveOn.org is a grass roots organization he spins a bag of wild hairs from a crackpot old goat into a yarn thats convincing and elegant. His flawless, graceful composition gives the perpetually banal socialist litany a lyric voice. If only he used his powers for good instead of evil. p.s. He took the time to proof read my review and email to me his delight in having a rightwing nutjob review his book. You're welcome.

For the past several years, I have been disenchanted with the business of politics. The dishonesty, insincerity, and condescension was maddening and insulting. After reading this book, I understand why. According to Smith, we have been robbed of an authentic public sphere. Politics of Deceit delves into the roots of our democracy and defines what freedom means for us all. Smith has done his homework, as he refers to many of our greatest thinkers to back his own ideas. Smith says, it is necessary to redefine freedom because the politics of deceit demoralizes us all by substituting false idols for human freedom, by driving too many from the public sphere, and by creating a virtual polis inhabitied by oppressors who masquerade as liberators. In tackling the subjects of political advertising, news media, and voter suppression, Smith's credibility shines because of his obvious first hand knowledge. He has several practical solutions which give me hope that, if followed, I can make a difference.

I couldn't put this book down! The Politics of Deceit challenged my thinking on many levels. Though I am a regular voter, I often feel a sense of disconnect from the political process. By deftly blending the ideas from a variety of philosophers with his own anecdotal evidence to form a coherent argument for what he calls "freedom-to-experience", Smith has motivated me to engage in a more meaningful political dialogue with neighbors and friends. This intellectually stimulating book has reawakened my desire to explore more fully this grand experiment of democracy -- not as a bystander, but as a full participant.