| THE TRUTH (with Jokes) Al Franken New York: Dutton, 2005 |
Rating: 5.0 High |
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| ISBN-13 978-0-525-94906-0 | ||||
| ISBN-10 0-525-94906-2 | 336p. | HC/BWI | $25.95 | |
There are plenty of books about politics as it's been practiced by conservatives during the past few decades, and specifically as abused by the campaign and administration of George W. Bush 1998-2009. Those books do a respectable job of debunking the manipulative practices that campaign1 so assiduously employed, or the greedy practices of certain members of Congress. Al Franken's book eviscerates those practices.2 And while other authors cover specific topics like the flubbed occupation of Iraq more thoroughly,3 Franken hits all the lowlights; his book applies a broad-spectrum hubricide.
Franken begins his narrative with the presidential election of 2004. He structures the first chapter like a novelization, throwing in plenty of humorous made-up encounters with people who weren't there and some humorous made-up encounters with people who were there (yes, I was able to tell the difference.) There are sprinkles4 of humor throughout the rest of the book as well. But make no mistake: this is as serious a condemnation of the Bush administration and certain Republican Congressional leaders as you'll find. Franken lays it all out in chapter and verse: Bush and Rove using fear to sway the electorate; Bush and the Republican leaders of Congress politicizing the Terry Schiavo case; House Speaker Tom DeLay saving Saipan (aka the Marianas Islands) for sweatshop owners; and Jack Abramoff ripping off Native American tribes. He also covers Bush's attack on social security and the "planning" for the postwar occupation of Iraq. As I say, this is all laid out in great detail — facts, figures, and names of the players, with damning quotations thrown in. He exposes the scurrilous ads, the blatant lies of right-wing talkers, the corporate interests pulling strings (yes, even for social-security privatization.) It is not a pretty picture.
Saipan is a U.S. protectorate with lax laws. The minimum wage is $1.35, and products made there can be labeled "Made in USA". Asian businessmen can bring young people from China or the Philippines for their shops. Abramoff and DeLay protected these slumlords and the harsh conditions they imposed on their workers — conditions including:
Abramoff made $7 million on the Saipan deal. He also bilked various Native American tribes out of $82 million. The Lakota have a word, wasichu — "he who steals the fat.5 On page 173, David Grosh says that word aptly describes him and the others involved with Abramoff. Yes.
Franken sums it up neatly at the end of his account of Tom DeLay's activities:
"Republicans. They're not all like that. But more of them should know that this is what their leaders are all about. After all, as Tom DeLay said to the Saipan slave drivers: 'You are a shining light for what is happening in the Republican Party.' Saipan and the Tigua [tribe] are just the tip of the iceberg. In almost every aspect of government—from energy to military contracting to environmental protection to health care—you find the exact same kind of cynical looting and betrayal of the public good." – Page 180 |
The narrative ends on a hopeful note. I can say that this now seems justified. Obama is in the White House, and if he's not everything he seemed to be during the campaign, still he's doing a good job under difficult circumstances. After a protracted legal battle over ballot-counting, Al Franken is now Senator Franken, and he too is doing a good job. Our economy is recovering from George W. Bush's "improvements." Things are looking up.
Franken's last book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, was good. This one is better. It's done with impressive scholarship.6 Each of the 15 chapters is thoroughly end-noted (even Chapter 15, "A Letter to My Grandchildren"). If it had an index, it would be perfect. Even without that feature, it is a must read. And even though it's now somewhat dated, I also rate it a keeper.
To contact Chris Winter, send email to this address.