Grand New Party

You may have heard that Reihan and I have co-authored a book. You may not, however, have heard that Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class And Save The American Dream is actually available for purchase as of today, both in your local bookstore and over the internet. If you really, really enjoy this blog, you'll probably enjoy the book, so you strongly consider buying it. Likewise, if you really, really hate this blog, and keeping coming back just to see what horrifying thing I'll say next, you should probably consider buying it as well: It'll be two hundred and fifty pages of pure hathetic joy (and you should feel free, of course, to scribble imprecations in the margins).

I don't think I'm going to manage Jonah Goldberg's achievement of replying to almost every reviewer (here are two early reviews, if you're interested), but there will probably be a fair amount of Grand New Party-related chatter around these parts for the next couple weeks - so if this post hasn't persuaded you to buy the book, rest assured that I'll be back to try again soon enough. Also, Reihan and I will be on NPR's On Point this morning at 11 AM, and we'll also be talking about the book tomorrow night at the Borders at 18th and L Street in Washington, so if you're in the neighborhood feel free to stop by and hurl tomatoes, or whatever fruit or vegetable you prefer.

Comments

Good luck on On Point. Tom Ashbrook is a good guy.

Posted by Will | June 24, 2008 9:34 AM

A more sane GOP, concerned at least to some extent with the economic situation confronting the bottom 99 percent, would make this a better country.

Good luck.

Will try to catch your On Point appearance tonight.

Posted by Elvis Elvisberg | June 24, 2008 9:53 AM

Nah. We don't HATE your blog, Ross. We love to mock it, but isn't that the greatest love of all?

Given that the theme of your book is Republican self-improvement, instead of comparing liberals to totalitarian mass-murderers, I predict that book sales and media interest will be disappointing. But best of luck to you, anyway. If I don't have to work late tomorrow night, I'll grab a bag of rotten cabbages and come mock you in person.

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | June 24, 2008 10:17 AM

"Sam's Club voters?"

Are you taking lessons from Mark Penn, now?

If you want to "fix" the Republican Party, I'd suggest a few things you won't like:

1. No more lock-step Congress. Hold this shameless president accountable for his many crimes;

2. Purge the party. So much corruption and special-interest serving; clean house and start over with fresh blood not wedded to big business interests, Abramoff, etc.;

3. Demand real media accountability. Turn off Fox News. Understand that propaganda and news are not the same thing; place a ban on government propaganda.

4. Uphold the constitution. That means separation between church and state; protecting individual rights -- including the right to privacy, etc. Foster the notion that stuff like abortion and divorce, while wrong, are also personal decisions between individuals and their gods. Not government decisions.

Just a few suggestions from a left-wing liberal.

Posted by zic | June 24, 2008 10:37 AM

We don't HATE your blog, Ross. We love to mock it, but isn't that the greatest love of all?

In a word: no.

Posted by Jeff | June 24, 2008 10:41 AM

Jeff, here is a helpful link for you.

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | June 24, 2008 10:50 AM

Don't put yourself in the company of mendacious hacks like Jonah Goldberg, Ross. Though I often think you're wrong, you are at least thinking things through, and engaging with the real world, not a paranoid cartoon. I respect you a whole lot more than some clown who thinks women with education degrees are the modern face of fascism.

Posted by Justin K. | June 24, 2008 11:12 AM

or whatever fruit or vegetable you prefer.

this is a good caveat in the days of food price inflation. i think rotten potatoes are a much better per unit choice in terms of economic efficiency than tomatoes, which would be much better served as an ingredient in a tasty dish....

Posted by razib | June 24, 2008 11:28 AM

I have a fetish for Elephants. If I buy your book, and pop a boner after looking at the cover, is that adultery?

Posted by rickm | June 24, 2008 11:32 AM

Ross,

Congrats on the publication. Although I often disagree pretty strenuously with what you have to say, I do appreciate that your views are seriously held, and that you take seriously the views of those who disagree with you, something that separates you from far too many of those who would moniker themselves 'conservative' these days.

And, fortunately for you, you've hitched yourself to the Salam bandwagon, a winning ticket if ever I've seen one.

So, again, congrats, I can't wait to check it out.

~David Samuels
damnlefties.wordpress.com

Posted by David Samuels | June 24, 2008 11:42 AM

Ross, just finished listening to the Talk of the Nation interview that went quite well. Both you and Reihan were persuasive and held up your end with both Tom Kuttner and Tom Ashcroft.

This book couldn't have come out at a better time with the Republicans both in a position to win over the working class, much of whom has reservations about Obama, though they are vulnerable to very real economic and social anxieties that the book addresses. No wonder some Democrats are hopeful Republicans leaders won't read this book.

If the McCain folks pay attention to your views and find a way to incorporate them into their campaign, the election could be affected. I hope McCain reads it, as he is basically more a Sam's Club type Republican than a country club one. Your book could help him to flesh out his ideas in this direction.

I ordered the book today from Amazon and found Joe Carter's first customer review:

Grand New Politics is a bold, fresh argument for how the GOP can once again capture the hearts and minds of the working class (i.e., the former Reagan Democrats) without sacrificing conservative ideals. Douthat and Salem, two of the brightest young thinkers in the conservative movement, have outlined a policy direction that could save the Republican Party from imminent self-destruction. Sadly, the current party structure almost ensures that their advice will be ignored. But when the rebuilding phase begins anew, this book will be the blueprint from which the party will design the next revolution.

Posted by Peter Leavitt | June 24, 2008 12:23 PM

Stephen Amidon's review could have been penned by MoeLarryandJesus.

Posted by Ferrell | June 24, 2008 12:28 PM

In the above it should have been Bob Kutttner.

Posted by Peter Leavitt | June 24, 2008 12:34 PM

"How Republicans Can Win the Working Class And Save The American Dream"

Let me guess, Ross ... nominate David Vitter as president?

Posted by felix | June 24, 2008 12:34 PM

Ferrell writes: "Stephen Amidon's review could have been penned by MoeLarryandJesus."

It's a fair and balanced review.

But it's too kind. Ross has now written books with "Ruling Class" and "Working Class" in the titles. When will he write about his own class and use the phrase "Sycophant Class" in the title?

Or has Fred Barnes copyrighted that one already?

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | June 24, 2008 4:17 PM

Petey leavitts: "If the McCain folks pay attention to your views and find a way to incorporate them into their campaign, the election could be affected. I hope McCain reads it, as he is basically more a Sam's Club type Republican than a country club one."

Sure, because "Sam's Club type Republicans" often own 8 houses and have HOMEWRECKING WHORE trophy wives.

McCain is now pure Repiglican - an honorary member of the Bush crime family. Plus he's never earned a non-government paycheck in his entire life.

Sam's Club my ass. Petey Leavitt's so full of shit he needs to call in a plumber before he goes to the dentist.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | June 24, 2008 4:33 PM

Moe, we appreciate the subtlety and nuance of your argument.

Posted by Peter Leavitt | June 24, 2008 5:58 PM

No need to be subtle with a bottom-feeding fool like you, Petey. You and your fellow torture-loving un-American pussies wouldn't understand it, anyway.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | June 24, 2008 7:22 PM

Any thoughts about offering a Kindle version? (I'll buy it anyway, but...)

Posted by mike | June 24, 2008 7:53 PM

The thesis reads like another version of Democratic-lite. It will fail because blue collar whites are shirnking as a percentage of the population and the U.S. already has a big government party in the Democratic Party. If blue collar whites want big government programs they can vote for the Democratic Party and endure quotas, AA, and set asides as part of the process along with pathetic public schools.

In the long run, changing demographics in the U.S. will eliminate the Republicans as a relevant politic party and the U.S will function as a one party state like more large urban areas do today. IN the future, the only relevant elections will be the Democratic Party primaries.

Posted by superdestroyer | June 25, 2008 5:30 AM

Re: In the long run, changing demographics in the U.S. will eliminate the Republicans as a relevant politic party and the U.S will function as a one party state like more large urban areas do today.

Should the GOP go the way if the Whigs (which I doubt) the one party situation will last about a decade, if that. The Democrats would ultimately fission into two daughter parties: a decidedly leftwing party and a center-right party tugged ever more rightward by an influx of former GOPers.

Posted by JonF | June 25, 2008 6:51 AM

JonF,

The problem with the highly improbable fission of the Democratic party is that why would any group leave the growing black and Hispanic voters behind. Do you think that the black and Hispanic groups that vote as blocks much more than whites would really move to a green party?

The future of politics is much like urban politics today, a single party state where elite whites who can afford to avoid the bad parts of living in an urban setting giving black and hispanics enough government goodies so that they will continue to support them. See Chicago as a good example. Do you really believe that the Democratic Party in Chicago will ever split in two?

Posted by superdestroyer | June 25, 2008 8:05 AM

Hmm. #965 in sales, 15 already available from secondary sellers from $11.95, tags associated with the book include "what a boatload of crap," "lunatic ravings," and "already dancing on Bush's grave."

It's a hit!

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | June 25, 2008 6:46 PM

Re: The problem with the highly improbable fission of the Democratic party is that why would any group leave the growing black and Hispanic voters behind.

Why would any party leave any sufficiently large group of voters behind? But parties do exactly that when they see it in their interest to pursue some other large group of voters instead. Moreover Hispanics are not a monolithic voting block even today and Blacks may well cease to be one if someone drives a stake through the heart of the American Right. I can easily see a situation where the Democratic party divides into a Clintonite/DLC wing and an Obamist/Netwroots wing, and Blacks and Hispanics dividing between them, perhaps on the basis of age, religiosity, income or even geography. Also, do not forget that the GOP commands a core base of about 30% of the American electorate. That’s a lot of voters. Someone will want them and will move far enough to the Right to get them. Hillary Clinton almost did that this year, except McCain's presence prevented her from getting much traction on the Right. Also, don’t discount the possibility of some Ross Perot-like figure entering the arena and succeeding, thereby starting a new party entirely. Your city analogy just doesn’t work. America is far, far more diverse politically (and in many other ways) than any large city, and it’s going to get more so, not less. Finally the aging of the population poses a number of rough issues for the future—and ensures that conservatism (small “c” at least) will continue to exert a pull in politics.

Posted by JonF | June 25, 2008 6:57 PM

JOnF,

Look at California. The Republican Party is fading away and Hispanics vote overwhelmingly for the Democratic Party. How large does a country have to be before it cannot function is a single party state. As California and New York head toward being one party states, as all of New England head toward being a one party area, there is no reason to believe that the U.S cannot function as a one party state. The current Republican Party will just become a faction in the Democratic Party primary process.

Also, your point about blacks and Hispanics would mean something if you could provide a current example where blacks and Hispanics split their vote between two candidates in a city or state election. There is just no example of blacks splitting their votes even if it means voting for corrupt politicans like Kwame Kilpatrick or William Jefferson.

Posted by superdestroyer | June 25, 2008 8:02 PM

It's now down to #1239 and more people are selling it even more cheaply used... this may end up in the Mary Cheney Zone.

Maybe no one wants to revive the Repiglican Party, after all.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | June 27, 2008 2:36 AM

I just listened to the NPR interview and was so hungry for more that I Googled a couple other interviews. Absolutely brilliant stuff. The GOP is at an important crossroads in the history of your party and I would echo David Brooks' words that your book seems to be a roadmap for moving forward. I can't wait to read it. We need more voices like yours if we (conservatives) are going to remain relevant to the American people as a movement.

Posted by Progressive Conservative | July 17, 2008 1:53 PM

As one of two Republican candidates for the House in Arizona's Fourth Congressional District, I think "Grand New Party" is exactly the prescription Republicans need. Reihan and Ross should be named co-chairmen of the Republican National Committee.

Posted by Republican Richard Hussein Grayson for Congress AZ-04 | July 18, 2008 11:37 AM