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6 reviews for:
Traitor: A History of American Betrayal from Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump
David Rothkopf
3.99 AVERAGE
6 reviews for:
Traitor: A History of American Betrayal from Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump
David Rothkopf
3.99 AVERAGE
Great and horrible. Good historical placement and analysis - if you are used to Rothkopf's other great books, and listen in to the DSR, you'll still appreciate this book and learn lots. If you don't know the other books or the DSR - what's wrong with you?!?! (Start w/ Running the World, and go get the podcasts.)
I would like to thank NetGalley and the author David Rothkopf for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book tries to determine whether the actions of US President Donald Trump can be considered acts of treason. Although strictly speaking by constitutional definition they appear not to be, through another perspective they may well be. The author makes comparison to historically similar situations to make the case that Trump’s actions are indeed acts of treason.
The author tries to help us understand not only why today’s situation is different than similar incidents in the country’s history but why it is more dangerous than perhaps any other the nation has faced, other than the civil war, and what, if anything, history suggests we can do about it.
The material has been well researched and the arguments are persuasive. Unfortunately, in the current deeply divided state of the public in the US half of the audience will love this book and the other half will hate it and consider it deeply misguided. Truth and facts are currently heavily undervalued. So much the pity. The author is to be commended for making a good effort.
This book tries to determine whether the actions of US President Donald Trump can be considered acts of treason. Although strictly speaking by constitutional definition they appear not to be, through another perspective they may well be. The author makes comparison to historically similar situations to make the case that Trump’s actions are indeed acts of treason.
The author tries to help us understand not only why today’s situation is different than similar incidents in the country’s history but why it is more dangerous than perhaps any other the nation has faced, other than the civil war, and what, if anything, history suggests we can do about it.
The material has been well researched and the arguments are persuasive. Unfortunately, in the current deeply divided state of the public in the US half of the audience will love this book and the other half will hate it and consider it deeply misguided. Truth and facts are currently heavily undervalued. So much the pity. The author is to be commended for making a good effort.
dark
informative
reflective
Maybe I'm biased as a huge fan of David Rothkopf's Deep State Radio podcast, but I found this to be really insightful and informative. It does an excellent job at its stated objective of placing the Trump administration's lawbreaking and betrayals of public trust in historical perspective. My only complaint is that at times I felt it was a bit rushed, and that there were parts that could have been tightened up or clarified. However, I think this book was at its strongest in the last 40 pages or so, where it really throws down the gauntlet and lays out a compelling, no-BS case about Trump's betrayals and Trumpism's dangers.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I have decided to embark on a mission to read a number of books on subjects that will be of great importance to the upcoming 2020 US Presidential Election. Many of these will focus on actors intricately involved in the process, in hopes that I can understand them better and, perhaps, educate others with the power to cast a ballot. I am, as always, open to serious recommendations from anyone who has a book I might like to include in the process.
This is Book #5 in my 2020 US Election Preparation Challenge.
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, David Rothkopf, St. Martin’s Press, and Thomas Dunne Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
The hurling of invectives towards the current President of the United States is surely nothing new, though the degree to which it is done seems to have reached new highs of late. David Rothkopf, former editor of Foreign Affairs, takes things even further by calling POTUS a traitor, as he sifts through some of the actions undertaken in the lead-up to the 2016 election and into the presidency. Rothkopf seeks not only to offer this, but presents a book in which he compares Donald Trump’s actions to others in American history who have been given the moniker ‘traitor’ to see how The Donald matches up. What arises in the analysis is both interesting and, at times, a tad unnerving. Still, it does leave the reader with a great deal about which to think!
Rothkopf pulls no punches and dives right in, exploring how some targeted George Washington as a traitor before the ink reporting his first inaugural message had dried. He was seen as too soft when it came to appeasing a declared enemy, though nothing came of it, even as impeachment was suggested by some. The actions of Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee during the Civil War were also highly traitorous, turning against the Republic and seeking to tear out apart for racial means caused significant wounds to America and left it in tatters, before an assassination plunged a dagger into any hope of a smooth reunification. While Rothkopf does not make direct parallels between the unrest that continued to simmer and the issues with the new social movements today, there is a faint call that this might be the case. The onset of the Cold War brought a new and sinister enemy out, namely the Russians. As Rothkopf argues, this led to a new round of traitors who sought to appeal to the enemy and sell America short. There are some strong ties between those who were discovered, tried, and convicted with the current president, though it would seem that many within the Trump inner circle refuse to see the parallels, hiding behind their own sentiment that this is all fabricated. However, while all these traitors differ from Trump in the role they played within the country, there is a section of the book that brings it all home, tying Trump in with his fellow traitorous presidents who stared down the barrel of impeachment.
There is no greater power that the people hold over their Commander-in-Chief than to impeach. As America is a representative democracy—and I am not going to offer a political science lecture here to explain all the terms—it is through members of Congress that the people’s voices are heard. Presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Donald Trump all faced investigations into their actions that could be deemed as traitorous, making the comparisons both apt and worth exploration. I acknowledge (as does Rothkopf) that Bill Clinton was also investigated, but find his lying less a traitorous act than a stupidity and attempt to hide his libidinous ways. Johnson sought to sow renewed distrust in the newly reunited Union and was punished for his crimes, only to have the vote fall short in the Senate. Nixon’s lies and deception proved to be too much for him and Congress as a whole, particularly as he continued to obfuscate the process inherent to weed out issues. This was the last time both parties could agree on something so egregious and would have acted accordingly. While the Articles of Impeachment were just as strong for Trump, it would seem that partisan politics blinded the people’s representatives, ignoring the traitorous actions of the sitting president and hoping that it would all go away in time for the electorate to return the Republicans to office this November. Rothkopf makes some strong arguments and comparisons between these three presidents and how the House of Representatives sought to brand them as traitors, even if there was a sense of partisanship. It’s up to the reader to decide if any of this holds water, though one cannot sweep it all under the rug and pretend it does not exist.
In the closing chapter, Rothkopf ties everything together with a set of broad pronouncements, ones that hold firm to the vilification of Trump as a traitor, while also spreading some of the blame around. He posits that it is not only the man at the centre who is the problem, but also those who serve as blind sycophants. While officials within the Administration ought to be doing their jobs, they choose to protect Trump and encourage his behaviour. The protective check of Congress is also lost—at least in the powerful Senate—when drunk partisanship supersedes protecting the people from a tyrannical leader. This not only poses to be a problem for now, but permits a precedent that could have long-lasting fallout. However, by then, things could be so dismantled that it would take years to fix them, long after many who sit and preen are dead. Rothkopf seeks not to paint a dystopian view of America, but feels compelled to act as a herald to what lies ahead, offering the elector the chance to stand up and have their voice heard, for what it is worth. It is not enough to cut the head off the Hydra, but requires getting to the core of the issue and stopping it, while baffling what led the country down this path so swiftly and completely. Therein lies the rub and it’s definitely something that will require some academic analysis by historians. A sobering book for any with the time to pay it some attention. Recommended to those who enjoy a look at history and modern politics, as well as the reader with the astute mind to synthesise the theses presented.
While it can sometimes be harder to read a book that comes out in his opening pages to offer such a strong and negative approach to its theses, I found that David Rothkopf tried his best to prove a point. Working backwards, from convicting Trump as a traitor and then showing how he compares with others in history proved to be less effective than letting history speak for itself and then comparing Trump to these actions thereafter. The first part of the book proved to be a little ‘toss it all on the wall and see what sticks’, but once the narrative got moving, I could see that a great deal of effort had gone in to proving a strong set of core arguments. Even as a believer in the traitor argument, I felt that certain parts were a little too ‘look at me’, even as they made total sense. This is one of those times when personal sentiments can blind a writer from trying to let their reader connect the dots, much like those on the other side try to ram ‘no collusion’ down the throats of many, rather than presenting some valid points and leaving it open to interpretation. While that is the case, the research done and presented in this book is second to none, serving to educate the reader throughout the highly detailed discussions. The chapters clearly presented the arguments sought and built on one another effectively, culminating in the analysis of the theses and providing a clear idea as to how bad things truly are at this point. On the verge of being academic in nature, the book is at least one that will likely appeal only to those whose passion for the discussion is high (I am one of these people), this does not lessen the work put into Rothkopf’s work. He pulls no punches and gladly flays many within the Republican Party, including Cabinet officials who are supposed to act for the country, but serve to protect Trump and suckle from the teat to keep themselves from being guillotined by The Donald. While it seems pretty clear that there have been some traitorous activities committed and that President Trump has knowingly done these things, it is up to the American public (and the hackers on both sides) to decide what happens next. One can only wonder what might happen in a legal and judicial arena, should Donald J. Trump leave office. But, that’s a story for another day and perhaps could be the focus of David Rothkopf’s next book!
Kudos, Mr. Rothkopf for providing readers with some great moments in history that elucidate traitorous activities. One can only hope your views are not drowned out as the election inches forward. With time running out, will there be a chance for more traitorous acts to take place?
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
This is Book #5 in my 2020 US Election Preparation Challenge.
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, David Rothkopf, St. Martin’s Press, and Thomas Dunne Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
The hurling of invectives towards the current President of the United States is surely nothing new, though the degree to which it is done seems to have reached new highs of late. David Rothkopf, former editor of Foreign Affairs, takes things even further by calling POTUS a traitor, as he sifts through some of the actions undertaken in the lead-up to the 2016 election and into the presidency. Rothkopf seeks not only to offer this, but presents a book in which he compares Donald Trump’s actions to others in American history who have been given the moniker ‘traitor’ to see how The Donald matches up. What arises in the analysis is both interesting and, at times, a tad unnerving. Still, it does leave the reader with a great deal about which to think!
Rothkopf pulls no punches and dives right in, exploring how some targeted George Washington as a traitor before the ink reporting his first inaugural message had dried. He was seen as too soft when it came to appeasing a declared enemy, though nothing came of it, even as impeachment was suggested by some. The actions of Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee during the Civil War were also highly traitorous, turning against the Republic and seeking to tear out apart for racial means caused significant wounds to America and left it in tatters, before an assassination plunged a dagger into any hope of a smooth reunification. While Rothkopf does not make direct parallels between the unrest that continued to simmer and the issues with the new social movements today, there is a faint call that this might be the case. The onset of the Cold War brought a new and sinister enemy out, namely the Russians. As Rothkopf argues, this led to a new round of traitors who sought to appeal to the enemy and sell America short. There are some strong ties between those who were discovered, tried, and convicted with the current president, though it would seem that many within the Trump inner circle refuse to see the parallels, hiding behind their own sentiment that this is all fabricated. However, while all these traitors differ from Trump in the role they played within the country, there is a section of the book that brings it all home, tying Trump in with his fellow traitorous presidents who stared down the barrel of impeachment.
There is no greater power that the people hold over their Commander-in-Chief than to impeach. As America is a representative democracy—and I am not going to offer a political science lecture here to explain all the terms—it is through members of Congress that the people’s voices are heard. Presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Donald Trump all faced investigations into their actions that could be deemed as traitorous, making the comparisons both apt and worth exploration. I acknowledge (as does Rothkopf) that Bill Clinton was also investigated, but find his lying less a traitorous act than a stupidity and attempt to hide his libidinous ways. Johnson sought to sow renewed distrust in the newly reunited Union and was punished for his crimes, only to have the vote fall short in the Senate. Nixon’s lies and deception proved to be too much for him and Congress as a whole, particularly as he continued to obfuscate the process inherent to weed out issues. This was the last time both parties could agree on something so egregious and would have acted accordingly. While the Articles of Impeachment were just as strong for Trump, it would seem that partisan politics blinded the people’s representatives, ignoring the traitorous actions of the sitting president and hoping that it would all go away in time for the electorate to return the Republicans to office this November. Rothkopf makes some strong arguments and comparisons between these three presidents and how the House of Representatives sought to brand them as traitors, even if there was a sense of partisanship. It’s up to the reader to decide if any of this holds water, though one cannot sweep it all under the rug and pretend it does not exist.
In the closing chapter, Rothkopf ties everything together with a set of broad pronouncements, ones that hold firm to the vilification of Trump as a traitor, while also spreading some of the blame around. He posits that it is not only the man at the centre who is the problem, but also those who serve as blind sycophants. While officials within the Administration ought to be doing their jobs, they choose to protect Trump and encourage his behaviour. The protective check of Congress is also lost—at least in the powerful Senate—when drunk partisanship supersedes protecting the people from a tyrannical leader. This not only poses to be a problem for now, but permits a precedent that could have long-lasting fallout. However, by then, things could be so dismantled that it would take years to fix them, long after many who sit and preen are dead. Rothkopf seeks not to paint a dystopian view of America, but feels compelled to act as a herald to what lies ahead, offering the elector the chance to stand up and have their voice heard, for what it is worth. It is not enough to cut the head off the Hydra, but requires getting to the core of the issue and stopping it, while baffling what led the country down this path so swiftly and completely. Therein lies the rub and it’s definitely something that will require some academic analysis by historians. A sobering book for any with the time to pay it some attention. Recommended to those who enjoy a look at history and modern politics, as well as the reader with the astute mind to synthesise the theses presented.
While it can sometimes be harder to read a book that comes out in his opening pages to offer such a strong and negative approach to its theses, I found that David Rothkopf tried his best to prove a point. Working backwards, from convicting Trump as a traitor and then showing how he compares with others in history proved to be less effective than letting history speak for itself and then comparing Trump to these actions thereafter. The first part of the book proved to be a little ‘toss it all on the wall and see what sticks’, but once the narrative got moving, I could see that a great deal of effort had gone in to proving a strong set of core arguments. Even as a believer in the traitor argument, I felt that certain parts were a little too ‘look at me’, even as they made total sense. This is one of those times when personal sentiments can blind a writer from trying to let their reader connect the dots, much like those on the other side try to ram ‘no collusion’ down the throats of many, rather than presenting some valid points and leaving it open to interpretation. While that is the case, the research done and presented in this book is second to none, serving to educate the reader throughout the highly detailed discussions. The chapters clearly presented the arguments sought and built on one another effectively, culminating in the analysis of the theses and providing a clear idea as to how bad things truly are at this point. On the verge of being academic in nature, the book is at least one that will likely appeal only to those whose passion for the discussion is high (I am one of these people), this does not lessen the work put into Rothkopf’s work. He pulls no punches and gladly flays many within the Republican Party, including Cabinet officials who are supposed to act for the country, but serve to protect Trump and suckle from the teat to keep themselves from being guillotined by The Donald. While it seems pretty clear that there have been some traitorous activities committed and that President Trump has knowingly done these things, it is up to the American public (and the hackers on both sides) to decide what happens next. One can only wonder what might happen in a legal and judicial arena, should Donald J. Trump leave office. But, that’s a story for another day and perhaps could be the focus of David Rothkopf’s next book!
Kudos, Mr. Rothkopf for providing readers with some great moments in history that elucidate traitorous activities. One can only hope your views are not drowned out as the election inches forward. With time running out, will there be a chance for more traitorous acts to take place?
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons