Foxes in the Henhouse : How the Republicans Stole the South and the Heartland and What the Democrats Must Do to Run 'em Out

by Steve Jarding; Dave Mudcat Saunders; Bob Kerrey

• ISBN13: 9780743286510
• ISBN10: 0743286510
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-03-28
• Publisher: Touchstone

Summary

Like a newly discovered treasure map offering a path to buried riches, Foxes in the Henhouse is a hard-hitting political blueprint for how the Democrats can win again in the South and rural America. The authors document the Republicans' rise in the

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	v
Foreword	xv
Senator Bob Kerrey
Introduction	xxi
Part One A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON AND SOME SCANDALOUS FACTS	1	(74)
How in the Hell Did This Happen?	3	(14)
Those Were the Days, My Friend: The Rise of the South and the Heartland (And the Cynical Strategy That Brought Them Down)	17	(28)
The Rise of the South and the Heartland	21	(12)
The Calculated Dismantling of the South and the Heartland	33	(12)
The Result: Foxes in the Henhouse	45	(30)
The Numbers	46	(25)
The GOP Is Not Even Taking Care of Its Own	71	(1)
The Bottom Line	72	(3)
Part Two THE ROAD TO POLITICAL RECOVERY	75	(70)
Getting to Know the Culture of Rural America	77	(28)
Goin' to the Races	82	(7)
The Music Campaign	89	(5)
Game Day	94	(4)
The Sportsman	98	(7)
Five Simple Lessons	105	(40)
Lesson 1: Learn How to Count	106	(10)
Lesson 2: Define Yourself and Define Your Opponent . . .	116	(4)
Lesson 3: Show Some Passion!	120	(3)
Lesson 4: When Someone Assassinates Your Character, Retaliate!	123	(16)
Lesson 5: Talk to People Where They Live . . .	139	(6)
Part Three REPUBLICAN LIES AND HOW TO COUNTER THEM	145	(130)
Lie 1: Republicans Are the Party of Family Values and God	147	(24)
God in Politics--Let's Be Honest	148	(5)
When Republicans Use the Bible to Justify Their Positions, They Are Playing with Fire	153	(4)
Republicans Versus Democrats on Family Values	157	(14)
Lie 2: Republicans Are the Party of Fiscal Conservatism	171	(20)
Democrats and Fiscal Responsibility: The Truth Will Set You Free	172	(10)
A Democratic Agenda to Recapture the Fiscal Conservative Mantra	182	(3)
Agenda for Fairness and for America's Economic Rebirth . . .	185	(2)
The Republicans' Contract with America--Revisited	187	(4)
Lie 3: Republicans Are the Party of Patriotism and National Defense	191	(32)
If Deferments Were Medals They'd All Be Generals	191	(8)
George W. Bush as Commander in Chief: Throw Him a Life Jacket	199	(4)
Republicans' Record on Defense and Veterans' Issues	203	(12)
Republican Leadership--It Reads Like a Guest List . . .	215	(8)
Lie 4: Republicans Are the Party for Hunters, Anglers, and Outdoor Enthusiasts	223	(52)
Just the Facts, Please	223	(6)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Results of 2001 Survey	229	(16)
A Democratic Agenda on Guns, Hunting, Fishing, and Other Outdoor Issues	245	(3)
Bush and the Republicans: An Unprecedented Assault on Our Air, Land, and Water . . .	248	(10)
The NRA--Now Republican Altogether	258	(17)
Epilogue	275	(8)
Foxes in the Henhouse 2006 Absolute Arrogant Asses Awards	283

Excerpts

Chapter 1 HOW IN THE HELLDID THIS HAPPEN? November 1, 2004.Election eve in the world's greatest democracy... Let's make sure we got this right: America was in a brutal, nasty war in Iraq, a war that its president, George W. Bush, had convinced Congress and the nation to enter -- under false pretenses. Although the threat of "weapons of mass destruction" served as the justification for America's starting the war, no weapons of mass destruction were ever found. America's fighting men and women lacked body armor and sufficient troop numbers. Over 1,100 Americans had been killed in Iraq --mostof themafterBush declared "mission accomplished" there. There was no end in sight. There was no real international coalition helping the United States, and there sure as hell wouldn't be any willing guinea pigs should Bush be reelected. The war was costing the country $200 billion a year. On top of that, the guy who was responsible for 3,000 deaths on American soil on September 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden, was running free and seeing his terrorist empiregrowexponentially. At one point in the campaign, President Bush inexplicably said he didn't give bin Laden much thought anymore. Polls showed that America's esteem in the world community had never been lower and that voters' stomach for the war was tenuous at best. America's economy was shaky as hell. Unemployment was high -- particularly in states considered swing states. For the first timeeversince records had been kept, this president hadlostjobs. Over 3 million Americans had become unemployed under George W. Bush. Jobs that Bush was creating were, for the most part, service industry jobs at one-quarter the pay of the jobs lost -- and they offered no benefits. Forty-four million Americans lacked health insurance -- 4 million of them added since George Bush had taken office. Thirteen percent of Americans, a total of 36 million people, were in poverty. Let's repeat that one -- 13 percent, or 36 million, of Americans were in poverty, one-third of those children. More than 1.5 million people watched their income fall below the poverty line on W's watch. As a consequence of misguided and suspect tax cuts, the greatest redistribution of wealth from the middle class to the wealthiest Americans in history had taken place in less than four years. There was a projected $7.5 trillion debt, after Bush had inherited a $2 trillion surplus from the Democrat Bill Clinton. More money had been spent in debt under George W. Bush than under any other president in American history. Think of that. But it was actually worse: In his first four years as president, George W. Bush had spent more money in debt than all previous American presidentscombined.America's deficit spending spree sat at a whopping $412 billion for fiscal year 2004 alone. Interest rates were threatening to explode. Storm clouds were gathering. This dismal record and all its attendant uncertainty occurred with Bush entrenched in the White House and Republicans firmly in control of both houses of Congress. Democrats were hungry, and smarter than ever. They shortened their 2004 presidential primary calendar to ensure an early nominee to compete with what would be the incumbent's money advantage. They generated millions of new activists and donors of the Internet variety. They were unified in their disdain for W and careful not to beat the hell out of each other in the primaries. It worked. The Massachusetts senator and war hero John Kerry secured the nomination barely three weeks into the primary campaign season. Fallen Democratic pretenders jumped into his open arms. Kerry started raising money faster than Republican lobbyists pillage Indian gaming funds. Millions and millions rolled in. Kerry didn't even get burned by not taking the federal campaign spending "match!" He was more than competitive with Bush. His online