Want a NOOK? Explore Now
For those who like their politics blunt, raw, and uncompromising comes Get Opinionated—a guide to the issues you care about:
Environmentalism
Taxes and Public Wealth
Health Care
The War on Drugs
Reproductive Rights and Access
GLBTQ Rights
The War on Terror
The Culture Wars
Get Opinionated will help you find your political voice and galvanize you into action—or at least help you understand which issues you care about—or which ones most piss you off—and why.
Introduction 8
A Tour Through Your Various Political Types 15
Chapter 1 You Don't Have to be a Stinky Hippie to Be an Environmentalist 37
The Dirty Little Secret of Living Green: It's Fun
The Other Dirty Little Secret of Living Green: It's Not Enough
Atkins: An Environmental Disaster
Grow Your Own Way: Gardening for Food, Gardening against Global Warming
Action: "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" Reaches Its Sexiness Peak
Chapter 2 Read a Book, or at Least a Blog: The Pitfalls of Learning Politics from TV 59
"Fair and Balanced," My Ass
Knowing Who to Vote for Shouldn't Require Sixty Hours of Research
Who Says a Liberal Can't Get the Ratings?
Action: Don't Turn the TV Off—Turn Yourself On
Chapter 3 Who Gets What, When: Taxes and Public Wealth 77
I Come Not to Bury the Bureaucrat, but to Praise Her
We're All Socialists. And Capitalists. Both. No, Really.
"Privatization" Is Code for "Steal the Public's Money"
The Rich Love Big Government…for Themselves
Action: Consciousness Raising Isn't Just for Identity Politics
Chapter 4 Because Everyone Gets Sick at Some Point: Health Care 105
Free Market Health Care Is Writing a Check for the Pleasure of Being Told to Fuck Off
Pay for Your Neighbor's Ounce of Prevention (and Save Yourself a Pound of Cure)
Universal Health Care and Putting the Farmers' Market Near You
Action: You Can Do More Than Cross Your Fingers and Hope You Don't Get Sick
Chapter 5 Toilet, Meet Money: The War on Drugs 121
Me? Drugs? Never. I Get High on Opinions.
The Permanent Nonvoting Underclass
Action: Fighting on the Local Level
Chapter 6 In the Bedroom: Reproductive Rights and Access 133
Only One Side of the Abortion Debate Wants You to Get Laid
Birth Control Pills for a Cleaner Planet and a Better Economy
Action: Giving, Talking, and Outing Pro-Lifers
Chapter 7 Getting Past Will & Grace: GLBTQ Rights 151
Fundies Got One Thing Right: Gay Marriage Threatens "Traditional" Marriage
The Homosexual Agenda Is Playing at My House
Even If They Find the Cause, Do We Want a Cure?
Action: Come Our, Regardless of Your Orientation
Chapter 8 Don't Fear Leaving Your House: The War on Terror 167
Terrorists: The New Communists
Our Newest Excuse Not to Take Care of Business at Home
Airport Security: Drama-Queen Behavior to Keep Us in Line
Action: Don't Assume Democrats Are Our Friends
Chapter 9 A "Reality-Based Community": Liberals Should Support Science and Rationality 187
If Science Is So Rational, How Can It Be Political?
Shots Before You're Sick Don't Seem Right
Jesus and/or Your Star Sign Want You to Be a Millionaire
Global Warming Is Not Controversial
Action: Become a Political Skeptic and Science Promoter
Chapter 10 Or Maybe The Color Purple: The Red State/Blue State Divide 207
Shooting Beer Cans for Freedom
True Patriots Eat Gravy
Welfare Undermines Our Jesus Recruitment
Action: Turn Your Red State Blue
Chapter 11 Jesus Vs. Democracy: The Culture Wars and Church/State Separation 225
Getting Teenagers Pregnant for God: Abstinence-Only Education
Tithing Has Nothing on the Government Teat: Faith-Based Funding
This Place Sucks, and We Want a Rapture
Praying at School: The Cheapest Status Symbol
Action: Promoting a Secular Society Isn't Anti-Religion
About the Author 249
Acknowledgments 250
Overview
For those who like their politics blunt, raw, and uncompromising comes Get Opinionated—a guide to the issues you care about:
Environmentalism
Taxes and Public Wealth
...