WhatOCOs a Wingnut? ItOCOs someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of the political spectrum - the professional partisans and the unhinged activists, the hardcore haters and the paranoid conspiracy theorists. TheyOCOre the people who always try to divide us instead of unite us."Wingnuts" looks at the outbreak of extremism in the opening years of the Obama administration OCo from the unprecedented government spending that spurred the Tea-Party protests to the onset of Obama Derangement Syndrome. John Avlon explains how hate-fueled rumors take hold (one section is called OC How Obama Became Hitler, a Communist and the AntichristOCO), looks at the OCyhunt for hereticsOCO that is taking place inside both parties and details the rise of hyper-partisan media. Avlon profiles preachers who are praying for the presidentOCOs death, goes inside the growing OC HatriotOCO movement and parallels the OC BirthersOCO and the OC 9/11 Truthers.OCO The book compares current merchants of political paranoia with past fear-mongers and finds that divisive demagogues have sold this snake oil before. But the two partiesOCO increased polarization and the echo-chamber of the internet are helping the fringe blur with the base, making the Wingnuts more powerful than ever before.We are allowing paranoids, hysterics and hyper-partisans to hijack our politics OCo but it doesnOCOt have to be this way. Avlon asserts that centrists need to stand up to the extremes on both sides and declare their independence. The book ends on a hopeful note OCo the conclusion is OC How to Take America Back from the Lunatic Fringe.OCO"
Description:
WhatOCOs a Wingnut? ItOCOs someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of the political spectrum - the professional partisans and the unhinged activists, the hardcore haters and the paranoid conspiracy theorists. TheyOCOre the people who always try to divide us instead of unite us."Wingnuts" looks at the outbreak of extremism in the opening years of the Obama administration OCo from the unprecedented government spending that spurred the Tea-Party protests to the onset of Obama Derangement Syndrome. John Avlon explains how hate-fueled rumors take hold (one section is called OC How Obama Became Hitler, a Communist and the AntichristOCO), looks at the OCyhunt for hereticsOCO that is taking place inside both parties and details the rise of hyper-partisan media. Avlon profiles preachers who are praying for the presidentOCOs death, goes inside the growing OC HatriotOCO movement and parallels the OC BirthersOCO and the OC 9/11 Truthers.OCO The book compares current merchants of political paranoia with past fear-mongers and finds that divisive demagogues have sold this snake oil before. But the two partiesOCO increased polarization and the echo-chamber of the internet are helping the fringe blur with the base, making the Wingnuts more powerful than ever before.We are allowing paranoids, hysterics and hyper-partisans to hijack our politics OCo but it doesnOCOt have to be this way. Avlon asserts that centrists need to stand up to the extremes on both sides and declare their independence. The book ends on a hopeful note OCo the conclusion is OC How to Take America Back from the Lunatic Fringe.OCO"