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Madison's sorrow : today's war on the founders and America's liberal ideal / Kevin C. O'Leary.

by O'Leary, Kevin C., author.

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New York : Pegasus Books, 2020.

Conservatism -- United States -- History.

Democracy -- United States -- History.

United States -- Politics and government.

9781643134345 (hardcover) :

1643134345 (hardcover)

xxxii, 314 pages, 16 unnumbered pages : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm

First Pegasus books cloth edition

Introduction: The birth of reactionary America -- John Locke invents America -- Our imperfect founders -- Illiberal challenge from the plantation elite -- Social Darwinism with a vengeance -- Why liberals love government: the progressive era -- The New Deal and reaction: the libertarian fallacy -- Rage against government: George Wallace -- Zealots in charge -- Donald J. Trump: revival of the Southern demagogue -- America's reactionary revolution -- Conclusion: Liberals answer back.

The story of America is the struggle between our liberal ideal and illiberal resistance. Donald Trump catalyzed a reactionary revolution by tapping into the dark, shadowy side of American democracy that embraces exclusion and inequality. Throughout American history these alarming impulses have come to the forefront of our culture--during the Civil War, the era of the Robber Barons, and the Civil Rights Movement--but have now come to fruition in the presidency of Donald Trump. Arguing that the contemporary Republican Party is waging a counterrevolution against the core beliefs of the nation, journalist and scholar Kevin C. O'Leary cracks open American history to reveal the essence of America's liberal heritage by critiquing the reactionary illiberal currents that periodically threaten American democracy. American politics is no longer an ongoing debate between liberals and conservatives because the new Republican Party embraces the feudal values of the Old World. While there are millions of conservatives in the population, the elected leadership of the GOP is deeply reactionary. Today's marriage of white-identity Southerners and their northern allies to moneyed libertarians is no run-of-the-mill political partnership. Instead, it is extraordinarily dangerous. Clearly, conservatives have lost their party. And without conservatives debating liberals in an intellectual, respectful manner to address the nation's problems, Madisonian democracy breaks down.

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