The Little Blue Book: The Essential Guide to Thinking and Talking Democratic [Kindle Edition]

(Did you ever notice how -angry- conservatives always are?) Also interesting to note that not one conservative review said "thanks for explaining the progressive mind."

There is a difference between the "me first" and the "we first" approach to life. "Me first" goes a long way back... all the way to caveman days. "We first" takes a bit of understanding... and with the founding of the USA (and the French Revolution) came fairly recently. The thing that separates the USA from the petty dictators and oligarchies of the rest of the world -IS- "we first-ness" : putting everyone as a whole on the same, equal footing as the needs of the individual.

Ask a conservative about what makes the US great, and you'll get a lot of chest-beating and harumphing about "our freedoms." But seldom can they actually answer -what- it is about the US that separates us from the crowd. Lots of countries have "freedom."

It's that the first word of the Constitution of the Unites States is "We" - and there's a reason it's not "The King" - we take care of each other. We place the basic rights to life, liberty and happiness together for ALL citizens, not just the strongest, or the most wealthy.

We often hear that it's hard to be a good citizen of the US... and the reason is the "we" in the Constitution - each one of us must balance our own personal desires and beliefs with those of complete strangers, with whom we may vigorously disagree... but who have as much right to their opinion as we do to ours.

THAT is what makes the US great. And the extreme conservatives seem to either forget, or no longer believe in, our founding principles. The USA is about -balance- not power. It is quite possible to have BOTH life _and_ liberty - it's not an either/or situation as most conservatives believe.

Progressives may not accept the beliefs of the conservative mind, but at least they are willing to allow for co-existence; conservatives, on the other hand, want to literally -outlaw- the liberal perspective. And that is, according to our founding fathers, un-American at its core.

This book may overstate its case, but it does provide some insight into the differences of mind. Personally, I think the extreme right has gotten a bit hysterical in the past 20 or 30 years (and I'm certainly old enough to make that observation.) Unfortunately, in their blind passion, they are destroying the very country they profess to want to save.

It's our -balance- between the public and the private that makes us strong and resilient. Without it, with either side predominant, we are just another also-ran country in the dust-bin of history; not unique, not strong, not special.

I'm a veteran. I love this country. I'd hate to see the conservatives "me first" destroy its very foundations.

I think this book is worth a read, whether you're liberal -or- conservative.

I am halfway through "The Little Blue Book" and I now have proper words to use to illustrate the ideas that have been rumbling around in my head for over a decade. Wish I had had this book back in 2008 but I'm glad it is here now. Easy to read with "plain English" explanations. Wrap up at the end of each section is very helpful. Can't wait to use the ideas!

The friend who gave me Dr. Lakoff's brilliant "Don't Think of an Elephant" as a Xmas gift forget to mention I'd never be the same person after reading it. Since then I've read everything the good professor's written. This little volume is a summary of the best of five or so of his works & is worth reading for just the time savings! In these pages lie the key to shaking poor & middle class Americans who steadfastly vote Republican out of their collective comas. Read it & act on it! So76 (dot) org