Had Enough?: A Handbook for Fighting Back

by James Carville

Book Overview

Have you had enough of George W. Bush and the Republican right? Are you sick and tired of the tax-cutting, environment-desecrating, secret-keeping, influence-peddling, war-mongering, free speech-hating hypocrites who occupy America's halls of power? If so, you have company -- James Carville.Like James Carville, America has been bruised and battered by the Republicans who are running our country and running it into the ground. The Bush administration...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743255755
• ISBN13: 9780743255752
• Release Date: December 2003
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Smear this!

Dear reader and potential reviewer: If you are going to smear this book, please give some substantiated specifics why it is bad or evil or wrong. Stating that this book "smears" Republicans occurs to me as the type of vacuous tactic that has been working for a long time. Non-republicans: Stop letting these sophmoric tactics work. Buy this book and learn how to defend factual observations of world events and our economy.I have a partisan perspective. I feel that a strategy is only as sound as the facts on which they are based. When there are intentional lies, then what is called strategy is actually propaganda. Often, propaganda calls its opposition propaganda.You must discern for yourself what is real. The facts presented in this book, facts that are substantiated by more than quoting one's own side, demand a reinterpretation of "news" on mainstream media.If you don't like the way things are working, read this book, join an effective conversation.

Being Liberal Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry

Had enough is James Carville's best book to date. On the cover he sports a shiner which reminds readers of his committment to change, and to getting this country back on track. He looks just like an ol' junkyard dog. He aims to go after the Republican right-wing and get his readers stewed up in the process.Speaking of stew, he has several of his mamma's, Miss Nippy's, down home Cajun recipes in the book, and Republicans can buy it just for the culinary hints. Of course, they might want to shy away from Carville's own recipe for roast elephant, though I find it quite appealing. This Cajun version of Howard Beale has had enough, and his book tells readers not just his gripes, but what he intends to do about them. And he tells readers not just to complain but to do somethin.' First, he tells them to stop apologizing for being liberal or progressive, thus the review's title and the book's premise. Repulicans should apologize not us. This admonition is the first of "Ten Rules for Progressives to Live by."Carville is no vacillating analyst; he is an infromed, unaplopgetic, partisan with a penchant for factual evidence, something sorely missing in many a right-wing argument he would argue. He tells Democarts that we have to articulte solutions not just problems. He offers a charming story by the late Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburne. He likened the Democratic party to a donkey who could kick down a barn, but darn if he find it in him to build one. Carville teaches progressives to build a movement.The focus of his book is on the six purposes of government enumerated in the Preamble to the Constitution. He looks at domestic policies and issues that are meant to fulfill these objectives. He gives the "Bush Response" and the "Had Enough Solution." The six sections of the book concern these purposes:"The Common Defense," "The General Welfare," "The Blessing of Liberty on Ourselves and Our Posterity," "Establish Justice," "Insure Domestic Tranquility,"and "To Form a More Perfect Union."The limit of space is such that I can only give a few highlightsThe book is full of arresting facts, charts, and statistics that support his arguments. He demonstrates that lower taxes, especially on the rich, are not neccesarily a good thing. Of 30 relatively advanced countries commited to democracy and market economies, only Mexico (the least advanced) has a lower tax rate than the US. Still, Mexicans come across the border in profusion dispite our higher tax rates. Low taxes have not saved Mexico from being an economic basketcase. He says that because Republicans like to use the 1963 tax cut by Kennedy as an example of how " rising tide lifts all ships" we should reinstitute President Kennedy's 70 percent rate. He dropped it from 91 percent. Twice tried twice failed, he says of the Bush tax cuts. He offers the homespun analogy of a guy who digs a hole he can't get out of and then asks for another shovel.On a variety of issues from health care to homeland d

Right on the money

James Carville in some ways is preaching to the choir. The people who buy and read the book are for the most part already in agreement with him. His greatest value is that he provides focus. We all know the economy has gone south, education is in a crisis, we are disliked by the world community, the war has not turned out well, and welfare systems are in grave jeopardy. He gives us reasons why these things happened, and then builds a structure for fixing the problems. He does it with raucous humor and keen insight. He also talks about his mamma, and so we know he is a good man. This is a good handbook for Democrats and it would also be a good eyeopener for Republicans, if they could just open up their minds long enough to glimpse how the rest of the country lives. Anyone who has lost his job, or can't afford health insurance, or is looking forward to Medicare and Social Security needs to understand what is happening and what can be done about it.

"Stop apologizing for everything"

This is James Carville's first rule for Democrats. His excellent book details what the Democratic Party has to feel proud about, which includes Social Security, Medicare, public schools, regulation of the financial markets, food safety, etc ... basically, examples of the government performing actions that benefit its people. He contrasts this with the current neo-conman government of Mr Bush and his father's staff, which has been a "pay to play" operation restricted to participation by the wealthy. Then Carville proposes progressive (aka "liberal") solutions.This is a great book to get Democrats, maybe even Greens, fired up and ready to engage in the Political Process. To provide that additional kick in the a$$ (the book uses a lot of foul language*), Carville leaves the reader with a list of things they can do, concluding with "Be Positive" (and a recipe for bread pudding with hard sauce.)If you're angry or depressed with the current state of the nation, read this book! Then resolve to take at least one "action" per week.-------------footnote: * Mr Carville is inclined to use salty language, as does Al ("Lies and the Lying Liars") Franken. For this reason, conservatives will probably want to avoid this book, so as not to get their delicate sensibilities offended. But genuine conservatives might learn something about how "their" government has been acting since Mr Bush began squatting in the White House, so I recommend they give "Had Enough" a try, too.

Excellent how-to guide

While recent months have brought a number of excellent books expressing liberal political views and correcting the dishonesty of those on the right, Carville adds practical advice and guidance to help people make a difference.This belongs on your shelf along with the recent titles from Al Franken, Joe Conason, Molly Ivins, David Corn and Alan Colmes. They all show you where the Bush neoconservative agenda is misguided and destructive, but only Carville offers solutions. The others tell us why, Carville shows us how.