Product Description

Crashing the Gate is a shot across the bow at the political establishment in Washington, DC and a call to re-democratize politics in America. This book lays bare, with passion and precision, how ineffective, incompetent, and antiquated the Democratic Party establishment has become, and how it has failed to adapt and respond to new realities and challenges. The authors save their sharpest knives to go for the jugular in their critique of Republican ideologues who are now running, and ruining, our country. Written by two of the most popular political bloggers in America, the book hails the new movement of the netroots, the grassroots, the unorthodox labor unions, the maverick big donors that is the antidote to old-school politics as usual. Fueled by advances in technology and a hunger for a more authentic democracy, this broad-based movement is changing the way political campaigns are waged and managed. A must-read book for anyone with an interest in the future of American democracy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #468533 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 216 pages

Review
"...provocative new book that offers a perceptive analysis of progressive politics and proposes to revolutionize the Democratic Party..." -- The Nation, February 24, 2006

"Dead on." -- Adam Cohen, New York Times, March 12, 2006

From the Publisher
There's a powerful new force in the Democratic Party. People around the country are banding together to take back the people's party. Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas explain how the Republicans rose to power and what the Democrats need to do to take back Washington. This is the playbook for a new century of Democratic leadership.

From the Author
JOE TRIPPI, author of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: "Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas Zúniga are pioneers of a new politics that empowers people—the Democratic establishment ignores Crashing the Gate and its insights at its peril. For everyone who believes that the Party must reform itself and return power to the grassroots, this book is a must read."

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, editor, The Huffington Post: "Two of the hottest Democratic bloggers--Daily Kos’ Markos Zuniga and MyDD’s Jerome Armstrong--prove with this book that they are also two of the sharpest and most insightful voices in the progressive movement. Crashing the Gate is an urgent and powerfully-written look both at what ails our democracy and what can heal it. Ultimately, they show that the fuel to reform our politics will not come from party insiders but from 'the netroots, grassroots, and the rise of people powered politics.'"

DR. LARRY J. SABATO, author of Divided States of America: "No one is spared in this lively, pointed book—and that makes it a lot of fun. Democrats should read Crashing the Gate to find their way out of the political wilderness. Republicans should read it to understand what their opponents might do if they get smart. Independents should read it to see what vigorous, two-party competition will really look like."

Customer Reviews

Breath of Fresh Air
It's a great look behind the curtains of Democratic politics. It's not so much about the Republican problems - or at least that material is covered in so many books these days - but it details the peculiar weaknesses of the Democrats. I wish there were a few more details about how to cure these ills, but they are pretty obvious: more shoe leather, more Internet fund raising, etc.

Great for those who are "inside-politics" junkies, as well as those who aspire to be part of the netroots and the next wave of political power.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
But after reading this outstanding evaluation of what ailes the Democratic Party, it is pretty hard to see what was so good about the last 30 years.

The authors do a very good job of laying out exactly what is wrong with the Party. My anger over the leaches pulling the Party down grew as I turned each page.

I am even more dtermined than ever and plan to redouble my efforts to reform this party.

The only drawback to the book is the almost complete lack of any discussion of solutions. These were peppered throughout the book as a contrast to the very real bad things going on in the party. Perhaps the authors would consider allowing several movers and shakers who are accomplishing things out there in the hinterland to add a chapter or two in the second edition to give us some sort of blueprint of how things get done.

An important book for the left
My copy of Crashing the Gate arrived on a Saturday afternoon. I picked it up late that night and found it hard to put down - and ended up staying up till 5AM.

Other reviews have pretty well laid out the topics covered. I'd add that the historical information on the Conservative movement and the rise of left wing netroots via the Dean Campaign was interesting, a lot of it I knew, but a lot of it I didn't.

The strongest portion of the book (which I went back and read a second time) was the section on Media consultants and their roll in the failure of Democratic politics. Not because it tells us who to blame, but how we might do better. The thing that hit home for me is that the Republicans have a huge advantage over us in advertising because they have figured out that a political ad that pulls on emotional strings is much more effective than trying to layout a policy position or quote statistics. I think Jerome and Markos nailed that.