Andrew Breitbart (1969–2012)

I had a lot of preconceived notions about Breitbart (that he was an illiterate troll, boring, etc.); I'm not sure if it's that the state of political discourse in America has gotten dramatically worse over the past few years, or if I was just wrong, but he actually seems like a fairly interesting and sympathetic figure, at least based on his autobiography. I can only wonder what politics would be like today if he were still with us.

Let's get the good comments done with first:

I like the way the book is written. It's candor, free-and-easy style is interesting and to an extent fun to read. Also, the book exposes a lot of issues in American politics which makes one (specially an Indian, such as I) realize that politics everywhere is bad business. It also revealed to me facets of political philosophies that I never heard, thought or dreamt of. I am not a political science's student and hence my ignorance.

On the down show more side:

The book (and the author) wages a full-on war with the left, the Democrats, so to speak. It brings to surface many of the issues, scandals, and "negative" strategies of the left. That was interesting to read; however, the book would have been better if it brought down the entire polit-buro, including the Republicans (let's face it, they are not as clean as the author wants us to believe. If anyone's forgotten, try and remember what's-that-chimp's-name former President from the Republican party).

The book seemed flawed with all its arguments, just because it had a hint (or rather the entire shade) of bias-ness. It seemed like desperate attempts (which, the author might agree were desperate) to point fingers towards the other side. By the end of the book, I couldn't wait to put it down as I was tired of all the whining (and self-praise for the self-appointed warrior).

I am sure if I read a book by a pro-Democrat, it would have similar allegations towards the right.

Both are evil, and this book would have been great if it fought against the entire system and not the half of it. I wouldn't recommend this book at all, at least not to anyone who is interested in the whole picture. show less

The good:

* some real enthusiasm is good
* he's right: The MSM is fucked
* the Tea Party (while not my thing) (1) has been dishonestly slandered (2) is a political phenomena
* good on Andrew for what he did, before suddenly dying at 43 of natural causes a heart attack
* some of this book is a BLAST. Really.

The bad:

* he really claims that the Democrat Party are "hard left"
* makes a big thing about truth . . . except of course attacks 911 Truth and any truth about american wars
* George W Bush was show more "the great unifier"
* sees "the left" as one pure, uniform whole, with no possibility of variation between any two "left" people.
* absolutely and completely blind to the nearly limitless corruption of the USA corporatist right.
* dismisses as a joke any mention of the Koch brothers' clear, fundamental and necessary support of the Tea Party movement
* lives to attack "the left" but is apoplectic when the corrupt left attack him.

My feeling is that Andrew was not, really, that bright or clever. He had his platform and lots of real criminals and parasites to attack. But he couldn't see outside his rabbit hole: no sensitivity to the larger issues at all.. . .

. . . and the book did kinda tire, between his successive media and social stunts. show less

I picked up this book after seeing the author interviewed in a book promotion. I had never heard of Breitbart before. Now that I've read it, I won't soon forget him.

The thrust of his story is that the Democrat-Media-Complex that is engaged in a cultural war that threatens the foundations of our democracy, the Constitution on which it is based, and is aimed at replacing it with a Marxist regime that quashes individual liberty in favor of government dominance. I won't claim that it was all show more news to me...I can clearly see the manipulation by the media . But the Marxist part...that WAS news.

While I clearly have some bad vibes about media and it's focus on entertainment over good information, I wondered if this Breitbart fella was just another conspiracy buff promoting a new wave of fear so that maybe he could become our new savior of sorts.

That theory was solidly debunked with reading his book. He clearly did play the conspiracy card. The surprise was, I bought it, the whole thing. It's much worse than I had imagined. I am shocked by the DMC and that, for them, the ends justify the means to achieve their agenda. Truth or honest debate of different perspectives is not a factor, agenda is the sole criteria. And they are winning! Truth has no play
But don't take my word for it. Read the book, you will also be shocked. Maybe not as much as me, but it's shocking all the same what is going on today.

Breitbart by the way is most famous for using the media against the DMC to expose ACORN and bring it down. He did some brilliant stuff and he promises to dedicate his life to bringing down the DMC. I salute Andrew Breitbart.. A great American.

That said, the problem is far more complex than simply the so-called DMC. It spans the entire political spectrum, where truth takes a very distant back seat to agenda, agenda focused on power for power's sake. Just read Joseph Wilson's book The Politics of Truth, and you may well be convinced, as I was, that the war in Irag was based on trumped-up theories that have little substance. Billions of dollars, thousands of lives spent so George Bush could avenge his Dad or achieve his personal agenda that had little to do with the better interest of the United States. We have paid dearly with the loss of lives, and we will continue to pay dearly for the huge cost of this war that it largely financed.

I'm ranting, yet it is not intended. Read these books, make you own decisions. This is not my father's America, and I have genuine fears that we have forever lost our way. show less