Working with a broadly inclusive pantheon of "the Left" that places Ralph Nader and Barbra Streisand on equal footing with Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton, Schweizer (The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty) suggests that liberalism's heroes conduct their lives in ways that prove their philosophy to be "ultimately self-defeating, self-destructive, and unworkable." While acknowledging that conservatives can be high-profile hypocrites as well, Schweizer employs a double standard, arguing that "when conservatives betray their publicly stated principles, they harm only themselves and their families," but when liberals misbehave, they harm their principles first and foremost. Sometimes his research uncovers significant contradictions, as when Schweizer points out that Noam Chomsky, who tends to demonize the military establishment, wrote his first book, Syntactic Structures, with grants from the U.S. Army, the Air Force and the Office of Naval Research. But many of his charges are egregiously hyperbolic, as when he suggests that Cornel West is a "segregationist" because he bought a home in a largely Caucasian suburb. Schweizer clearly knows the limitations of his argument, since he backpedals from many of his most damning statements in his closing remarks. For all its revelations, in the end, this volume reads less like a critique of liberal philosophy than a catalogue of ammunition for ad hominem bloggers. (Oct. 25)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“A spirited attack on lefty icons.” —New York Times
“An entertaining exposure . . . In a series of 11 profiles on leftist icons from Noam Chomsky and Al Franken to Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy, Schweizer reveals that the most vocal liberals do not practice what they preach.”
—The Weekly Standard
Book Description
“I don’t own a single share of stock.” —Michael Moore
Members of the liberal left exude an air of moral certitude. They pride themselves on being selflessly committed to the highest ideals and seem particularly confident of the purity of their motives and the evil nature of their opponents. To correct economic and social injustice, liberals support a whole litany of policies and principles: progressive taxes, affirmative action, greater regulation of corporations, raising the inheritance tax, strict environmental regulations, children’s rights, consumer rights, and much, much more.
But do they actually live by these beliefs? Peter Schweizer decided to investigate in depth the private lives of some prominent liberals: politicians like the Clintons, Nancy Pelosi, the Kennedys, and Ralph Nader; commentators like Michael Moore, Al Franken, Noam Chomsky, and Cornel West; entertainers and philanthropists like Barbra Streisand and George Soros. Using everything from real estate transactions, IRS records, court depositions, and their own public statements, he sought to examine whether they really live by the principles they so confidently advocate.
What he found was a long list of glaring contradictions. Michael Moore denounces oil and defense contractors as war profiteers. He also claims to have no stock portfolio, yet he owns shares in Halliburton, Boeing, and Honeywell and does his postproduction film work in Canada to avoid paying union wages in the United States. Noam Chomsky opposes the very concept of private property and calls the Pentagon “the worst institution in human history,” yet he and his wife have made millions of dollars in contract work for the Department of Defense and own two luxurious homes. Barbra Streisand prides herself as an environmental activist, yet she owns shares in a notorious strip-mining company. Hillary Clinton supports the right of thirteen-year-old girls to have abortions without parental consent, yet she forbade thirteen-year-old Chelsea to pierce her ears and enrolled her in a school that would not distribute condoms to minors. Nancy Pelosi received the 2002 Cesar Chavez Award from the United Farm Workers, yet she and her husband own a Napa Valley vineyard that uses nonunion labor.
Schweizer’s conclusion is simple: liberalism in the end forces its adherents to become hypocrites. They adopt one pose in public, but when it comes to what matters most in their own lives—their property, their privacy, and their children—they jettison their liberal principles and embrace conservative ones. Schweizer thus exposes the contradiction at the core of liberalism: if these ideas don’t work for the very individuals who promote them, how can they work for the rest of us?
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1,003 of 1,328 people found the following review helpful:
By Wynton C. Hall (Bainbridge, GA United States)
This review is from: Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Hardcover)
The quality of investigative research in this book would make even Woodward and Bernstein proud. What's so difficult to understand is how the liberals he profiles have flown under the radar screen for so long. Why have reporters and television journalists not uncovered the explosive findings Schweizer uncovers? The answer, of course, is that reporters don't find what they aren't looking for. And it's sad, honestly, because the level of ideologically driven reporting has further eroded the fourth estate.
I agree with the previous reviewer; the Publishers Weekly review makes it obvious the reviewer a) chose not to read the book or b) was so ideologically driven as to ignore the explosive revelations made in this book. Even the references the reviewer makes are largely from the first chapter and the epilogue, which almost suggests they simply rifled through the pages and scanned the text.
In sum, this book's strength is that it deals in facts with serious evidence to back up its claims. Plus, it's a great read. Those profiled may be entitled to their own opinions, but, much to their chagrin, they're not entitled to their own facts.
Reporters and those profiled have some major explaining to do. This will become an instant conservative classic and raise some eyebrows from honest liberals as well.
513 of 719 people found the following review helpful:
By RON ENGLISH (Norman OK)
This review is from: Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Hardcover)
Many of those covered in this book are quick to point out the flaws in the people with whom they disagree,but somehow overlook the ugly in their own life or the lives of their fellow leftwing buddies. Strangly, we find that most of the mainstream media neglects covering the hypocrisy of their pets. So, special thanks to Peter Schweizer for this timely and most intesting book filled with hard to find facts about America's Liberal Darlings.
Many of the facts found here you probably suspected were true before you knew for sure, but, now you can know and have a look at them with their masks removed and their hypocrisy vivid under the spotlight of Peter's book. I am happy to see "Do As I Say (Not As I Do) : Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy" climb in sales.
138 of 165 people found the following review helpful:
By Tim Janson (Michigan)
This review is from: Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Hardcover)
I'll say it...conservatives can be hypocrites but at least they will admit it. I think that's the one thing that separates the left from the right sometimes. The left's smugness would never allow them to admit such a frailty and that is just what author Peter Schweizer hits on in this wildly entertaining and humorous book. Schwizer goes after the usual list of offenders including the Clintons, Al Franken, and Michael Moore. Moore is particularly grating as his lavish lifestyle is in direct contrast to his grandstanding champion of the common man title he's bestowed upon himself. Also noted is that Moore's own charitable foundation just happens to own a good deal of Halliburton stock! Horrors, Michael! For shame!
But all this isn't just one man's opinion. Schweizer has done his homework, gathering financial records, court documents, news reports, etc, he has come into this book with a lot of ammo. Moore isn't the only liberal investing privately in corporations they publicly whip. You'll read several accounts of rich liberals doing whatever it takes to avoid paying their own taxes while fueling the corporate engines with their investment dollars. And then there's ultra-liberal wacko Noam Chomsky who Schweizer reveals has made millions working for the government.
Oh and what about Hillary who thinks that girls as young as thirteen should be able to get abortions without their parent's consent even while her own daughter Chelsea was forbidden to get her ears pierced. And on it goes...Teddy Kennedy, Ralph Nader, Barbara Streisand...they all are revealed for the hypocrites that they are. Hey, nothing wrong with that...but at least admit it!
Fantastic!
Get A Copy Of "Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Paperback) By Peter Schweizer"
Sphere: Related Content
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“A spirited attack on lefty icons.” —New York Times
“An entertaining exposure . . . In a series of 11 profiles on leftist icons from Noam Chomsky and Al Franken to Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy, Schweizer reveals that the most vocal liberals do not practice what they preach.”
—The Weekly Standard
Book Description
“I don’t own a single share of stock.” —Michael Moore
Members of the liberal left exude an air of moral certitude. They pride themselves on being selflessly committed to the highest ideals and seem particularly confident of the purity of their motives and the evil nature of their opponents. To correct economic and social injustice, liberals support a whole litany of policies and principles: progressive taxes, affirmative action, greater regulation of corporations, raising the inheritance tax, strict environmental regulations, children’s rights, consumer rights, and much, much more.
But do they actually live by these beliefs? Peter Schweizer decided to investigate in depth the private lives of some prominent liberals: politicians like the Clintons, Nancy Pelosi, the Kennedys, and Ralph Nader; commentators like Michael Moore, Al Franken, Noam Chomsky, and Cornel West; entertainers and philanthropists like Barbra Streisand and George Soros. Using everything from real estate transactions, IRS records, court depositions, and their own public statements, he sought to examine whether they really live by the principles they so confidently advocate.
What he found was a long list of glaring contradictions. Michael Moore denounces oil and defense contractors as war profiteers. He also claims to have no stock portfolio, yet he owns shares in Halliburton, Boeing, and Honeywell and does his postproduction film work in Canada to avoid paying union wages in the United States. Noam Chomsky opposes the very concept of private property and calls the Pentagon “the worst institution in human history,” yet he and his wife have made millions of dollars in contract work for the Department of Defense and own two luxurious homes. Barbra Streisand prides herself as an environmental activist, yet she owns shares in a notorious strip-mining company. Hillary Clinton supports the right of thirteen-year-old girls to have abortions without parental consent, yet she forbade thirteen-year-old Chelsea to pierce her ears and enrolled her in a school that would not distribute condoms to minors. Nancy Pelosi received the 2002 Cesar Chavez Award from the United Farm Workers, yet she and her husband own a Napa Valley vineyard that uses nonunion labor.
Schweizer’s conclusion is simple: liberalism in the end forces its adherents to become hypocrites. They adopt one pose in public, but when it comes to what matters most in their own lives—their property, their privacy, and their children—they jettison their liberal principles and embrace conservative ones. Schweizer thus exposes the contradiction at the core of liberalism: if these ideas don’t work for the very individuals who promote them, how can they work for the rest of us?
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1,003 of 1,328 people found the following review helpful:
By Wynton C. Hall (Bainbridge, GA United States)
This review is from: Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Hardcover)
The quality of investigative research in this book would make even Woodward and Bernstein proud. What's so difficult to understand is how the liberals he profiles have flown under the radar screen for so long. Why have reporters and television journalists not uncovered the explosive findings Schweizer uncovers? The answer, of course, is that reporters don't find what they aren't looking for. And it's sad, honestly, because the level of ideologically driven reporting has further eroded the fourth estate.
I agree with the previous reviewer; the Publishers Weekly review makes it obvious the reviewer a) chose not to read the book or b) was so ideologically driven as to ignore the explosive revelations made in this book. Even the references the reviewer makes are largely from the first chapter and the epilogue, which almost suggests they simply rifled through the pages and scanned the text.
In sum, this book's strength is that it deals in facts with serious evidence to back up its claims. Plus, it's a great read. Those profiled may be entitled to their own opinions, but, much to their chagrin, they're not entitled to their own facts.
Reporters and those profiled have some major explaining to do. This will become an instant conservative classic and raise some eyebrows from honest liberals as well.
513 of 719 people found the following review helpful:
By RON ENGLISH (Norman OK)
This review is from: Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Hardcover)
Many of those covered in this book are quick to point out the flaws in the people with whom they disagree,but somehow overlook the ugly in their own life or the lives of their fellow leftwing buddies. Strangly, we find that most of the mainstream media neglects covering the hypocrisy of their pets. So, special thanks to Peter Schweizer for this timely and most intesting book filled with hard to find facts about America's Liberal Darlings.
Many of the facts found here you probably suspected were true before you knew for sure, but, now you can know and have a look at them with their masks removed and their hypocrisy vivid under the spotlight of Peter's book. I am happy to see "Do As I Say (Not As I Do) : Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy" climb in sales.
138 of 165 people found the following review helpful:
By Tim Janson (Michigan)
This review is from: Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Hardcover)
I'll say it...conservatives can be hypocrites but at least they will admit it. I think that's the one thing that separates the left from the right sometimes. The left's smugness would never allow them to admit such a frailty and that is just what author Peter Schweizer hits on in this wildly entertaining and humorous book. Schwizer goes after the usual list of offenders including the Clintons, Al Franken, and Michael Moore. Moore is particularly grating as his lavish lifestyle is in direct contrast to his grandstanding champion of the common man title he's bestowed upon himself. Also noted is that Moore's own charitable foundation just happens to own a good deal of Halliburton stock! Horrors, Michael! For shame!
But all this isn't just one man's opinion. Schweizer has done his homework, gathering financial records, court documents, news reports, etc, he has come into this book with a lot of ammo. Moore isn't the only liberal investing privately in corporations they publicly whip. You'll read several accounts of rich liberals doing whatever it takes to avoid paying their own taxes while fueling the corporate engines with their investment dollars. And then there's ultra-liberal wacko Noam Chomsky who Schweizer reveals has made millions working for the government.
Oh and what about Hillary who thinks that girls as young as thirteen should be able to get abortions without their parent's consent even while her own daughter Chelsea was forbidden to get her ears pierced. And on it goes...Teddy Kennedy, Ralph Nader, Barbara Streisand...they all are revealed for the hypocrites that they are. Hey, nothing wrong with that...but at least admit it!
Fantastic!
Get A Copy Of "Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy (Paperback) By Peter Schweizer"
