The Rise of Counter-Establishment and Blinded by the Right

The Rise of the Counter-Establishment

Where did the modern conservative extreme right come from.? Sidney Blumenthal explains this, in rich detail, in his book “The Rise of the Counter-establishment”. This book starts in the beginning of the twentieth century by explaining the roots of the neo-cons and ideological roots. In Blumenthal’s book we get extreme which include the rise of Milton Friedman, the Reagan Revolution, and the merger of the religious and economic right.

What is most interesting about Blumenthal’s book is that we can see the feudal out look of some of the leaders of the conservative movement. There is a belief in a type of capitalism that is more akin to a feudal world where the wealthy dominate, social movement is limited, and religion is homogenized. We have nearly one hundred years of the history of one of the most influential movements of our lifetimes in one place. Its worth buying and I rate it a buy.




Blinded in the Right

Imagine being a gay man in the closet working for the far right during their rise to power. That is what David Brock was as a hard core right wing pundit who was well enmeshed in the power structure of the Republican and conservative movements. He went from being a darling of the right, to an outcast shortly after he was “outed”.

Brock’s story is fascinating as we watch him argue passionately against his own interests, and then see his tumble on the road to Damascus. He rights well, and it is very difficult to put the book down once it is begun.

This is a fantastic book, a quick read and well written. It’s worth buying as well, if for no other reason than to be able to loan it to friends who are curious about the inner workings of the modern Republican Party.