Summary: Off Center E-Book

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• Herausgeber: Political Book Summaries
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 19

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

The must-read summary of Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson's book: “Off Center: The Republican Revolution & the Erosion of American Democracy”.

This complete summary of "Off Center" by Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson, two renowned political science professors, presents their exploration of the dynamics behind America's political shift to the right and their explanation of how the Republican party has maintained control, despite policies which clearly benefit affluent and ideologically extreme people and pay little heed to the broad majority of Americans.

Added-value of this summary:
• Save time
• Understand the American government under the Republican Party
• Expand your knowledge of American politics

To learn more, read "Off Center" and discover how the Republican Party maintained power and what this means for ordinary Americans.

Leseprobe

Book Presentation: Off Center by Jacob S. Hacker & Paul Pierson

Book Abstract

Off Center explores the dynamics behind America’s political shift to the Right, which appears to have occurred without either a voter mandate or bi-partisan support. The authors conclude that the neoconservatives have been able to seize control through some simple, but powerful activities: one, they are very well organized in executing rapid PR and marketing activities to bring pressure onto opposition or build support behind a position, legislation, appointment or candidate; and secondly, the very wealthy and very conservative patrons who support this minority within the Republican Party provide the money required for rapid deployments of any kind. This same base of wealthy donors also appears to control the media via stock holdings or other means.

Off Center examines how the Republican Party has maintained this control and argues that permitting a small group to so dominate the country’s political discourse threatens American democracy itself as it defeats the give and take the founding fathers had relied upon to keep elected officials focused on the greater good of the country.

About the Author

Jacob S. Hacker is a New America Foundation fellow and Peter Strauss Family Associate Professor of Political Science at Yale. Paul Pierson is a political science professor at the University of California-Berkeley

Summary of Off Center (Jacob S. Hacker & Paul Pierson)

The Political Shift

Republicans hold most of the political power today. Extreme-right political activists are setting the agendas for the party. Referred to as “the base,” these activists are seemingly unconcerned with the fact that most Americans hold beliefs best characterized as “middle of the road.” This same group seems unconcerned with the fact that their agenda is right of the fairly conservative legislation of the last 30 years. The fact is that the real power today resides off-center. The power is far to the right of almost any stakeholder involved in politics. The problem with this off-centered leadership is that it renders voter’s wishes obsolete.