I picked this book up at the Beaverbrook Branch library, along with several others, the day before it closed to promote social distancing, hoping to gain some insight into the fiasco of the 2016 American election. The author, a prolific American political satirist, and former editor of National Lampoon, wrote most of the short essays as that election approached. He employs clever sarcasm, wit, humour, and cynicism to mock all of the candidates for office from both parties. As a self-proclaimed libertarian, his most biting characterizations are reserved for liberal and progressive candidates on the so-called left of the political spectrum. He clearly has a talent for detecting inconsistencies, banality and silliness in the process of political campaigning. His Glossary of Punditese Words and Phrases with Their Meanings Given in English is a witty, but cynical, guide to interpretation of mainstream political writing.
I appreciated the witty turn of phrases and insights for about the first half of the book, but they gradually became stale, and then grating. It is not clear when he is offering serious commentary and when he is just showing off his talent for lampooning everyone and everything about American political life. It is also not clear what makes him an authority on anything, other than his self-assertion of expertise. Much of the commentary degenerates into silly slapstick comedic dismissal of serious issues that deserve to be debated with more gravitas. For example, he denigrates proposed plans for universal health care with supposedly careful economic calculations that fail to take into account off-setting savings and the success in other jurisdictions where it actually works reasonably well.
As I read on, the overriding impression I developed was of an arrogant know-it-all who considers himself to be an expert on everything from politics, economics, and health care to criminal justice. He seems to even think he is an expert haberdasher, critiquing the wardrobes of all the candidates debating serious issues.
The inconsistencies in his own assertions, the increasing pressure of speech, his flight of ideas and the non sequiturs made me wonder, as I tried to put the random rants in chronological order, if when and when he had stopped taking his lithium.
There are a few good quotes. “Consistency is not a hallmark of American politics, but exceptions are made when the constant is stupidity.”
“Elites are self-righteous, self-regarding, self-serving and smug.” An accurate description of the author.
I cannot recommend this book to anyone, unless you are in desperate need of memorable barbed put-downs to use in some debate.
The Passionate Reader 