Irregular Books

The Conservatives Have No Clothes, by Greg Anrig, offers a positive view of politics in America. In this vision, right wing ideology has failed, and will inevitably continue to fail. The main purpose of the book is to explain “Why conservatives can’ t govern – and why conservative ideas will continue to flop”.

That’s sweet and rosy and all, but how is it that “conservative” ideas are flopping? Right wing ideology is expanding, not contracting. Even Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for President, is promoting many right wing ideas: “Faith-based” religious programs paid for by the government, offshore drilling, the death penalty and warrantless wiretapping of Americans, for example.

The following video offers a rather simplistic approach, claiming that progressive ideas are based on real experiences, whereas “conservative” ideas are based on clever distortion of reality. It’s essentially an argument that reality should defeat marketing every time. The weakness of that idea is in itself proof enough that marketing matters.

Anrig works for a prominent think tank. That sounds like an asset, but it turns into a burden when Anrig cannot break away from logical arguments about what ideas people should support. If only Anrig could embrace the power of persuasion, he’d be a lot closer to providing a useful plan for progressive regrouping. In politics, being correct matters much less than being perceived as correct.

I wanted to enjoy The Conservatives Have No Clothes, but instead I found it to be detached and unconvincing, offering a cold and clumsy approach to politics rather than a plan for grabbing people’s attention. I can’t recommend it.