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18 reviews for:
The Conservative Heart: How to Build a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America
Arthur C. Brooks
3.63 AVERAGE
18 reviews for:
The Conservative Heart: How to Build a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America
Arthur C. Brooks
3.63 AVERAGE
I was listening to an old New York Times Book Review podcast today and this book was featured along with an interview with the author.
Full disclosure: I have not read this book and frankly, won't. One of his main points is that conservatives' treatment of the poor is misunderstood. In other words, conservatives want to help the poor, but they just don't use the right words. Interesting. I guess Mr. Brooks just ignores vote after vote at all levels of government by Republicans against policies supporting the poor. He also states in this interview
Also, he claims that 70% of the Federal budget on Medicare. How is that possible when 2015 spending on Medicare and health was .02% of the total budget? This is the typical lie that conservatives promote that so-called "entitlements" are bleeding the country dry, while completely ignoring bloated military spending. Most "entitlements" are supported by contributions from employees and employers (or single proprietors).
So, no interest in reading a bunch of lies I've heard elsewhere.
One interesting fact: the author was previously a professional French horn player. He should stick to music.
Full disclosure: I have not read this book and frankly, won't. One of his main points is that conservatives' treatment of the poor is misunderstood. In other words, conservatives want to help the poor, but they just don't use the right words. Interesting. I guess Mr. Brooks just ignores vote after vote at all levels of government by Republicans against policies supporting the poor. He also states in this interview
Also, he claims that 70% of the Federal budget on Medicare. How is that possible when 2015 spending on Medicare and health was .02% of the total budget? This is the typical lie that conservatives promote that so-called "entitlements" are bleeding the country dry, while completely ignoring bloated military spending. Most "entitlements" are supported by contributions from employees and employers (or single proprietors).
So, no interest in reading a bunch of lies I've heard elsewhere.
One interesting fact: the author was previously a professional French horn player. He should stick to music.
A pretty worthwhile read for more liberal folks like myself who want a simplified perspective of conservative ideals. Brooks has some nice ideas, but boy, does he fall flat on his face when predicting conservative strategy for the 2016 election. Hindsight is 20/20, though, and otherwise the complaints with the book are few other than simple ideological disagreements.
A very easy read, the author outlines the key principles of a compassionate conservative approach to building a fairer and more prosperous America. I was hoping this book would be more layered, and take into account family structures and childcare and differing levels of mental health when it comes to work opportunities, but it really stayed pretty surface in the analysis.
Expect a lot of over-generalizations towards liberalism, a lot of Obama-hating, and you might not be as shocked at the "us vs them" discourse as I was. I may have rated this higher if I didn't have higher expectations.
Expect a lot of over-generalizations towards liberalism, a lot of Obama-hating, and you might not be as shocked at the "us vs them" discourse as I was. I may have rated this higher if I didn't have higher expectations.
The Conservative Heat explores how conservatives can appear more generous in todays America when the average person sees conservatives as rich white guys who only care about the economy when that is not true. Near the beginning of the book, Brooks says one of conservatisms ideas is to “avoid attachment while enjoying abundance.” I really liked that because it shows why conservatives stand behind the policies that we do when they seem to not be helpful for the poor and marginalized. This book also explains how conservatives are more generous than liberals, as well as how conservatives ideologies have helped the poor out of poverty. This book is a good read for someone who is interested in exploring the good sides of conservatism and why we need it in America.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I wouldn’t mind reading more of Mr. Brooks work. I liked his spirit and I would love it if the Republican Party followed his prescriptions here and if they did that and dropped the politics of contempt embodied by Trump, maybe we could get something done.
I wouldn’t mind reading more of Mr. Brooks work. I liked his spirit and I would love it if the Republican Party followed his prescriptions here and if they did that and dropped the politics of contempt embodied by Trump, maybe we could get something done.
Recommended for liberals who want to read sound conservative argument. Recommended to moderate conservatives who want to know how to talk about politics with moderate liberals.
I didn't agree with everything he said, and some times what he did say rankled, but Brooks has presented his argument in a way that is palatable, that does not turn off the reader with resentment and vitriol.
4 stars for the way he presented his argument, not necessarily the argument itself (though it is in many ways sound.)
I didn't agree with everything he said, and some times what he did say rankled, but Brooks has presented his argument in a way that is palatable, that does not turn off the reader with resentment and vitriol.
4 stars for the way he presented his argument, not necessarily the argument itself (though it is in many ways sound.)