Hijacking America

George Bush leaves the White House in January 2009 and the UnitedStates goes back to "normal", right? Wrong, arguesSusan George in this fascinating, thorough and often chillingaccount of the decades-long transformation of American society andpolitical culture. Using the four "Ms" - money,media, marketing, management--but above all with a keen senseof mission, the American secular and religious right has made its"long march through the institutions" and changed theway Americans think.

As the left went about its business in blissful ignorance,convinced that its policies, programmes and projects spoke forthemselves and would always prevail; the right's well-oiledmachine of foundations, lobbies, think-tanks, publications,political cadres, lawyers and activist organisations slowly andstrategically took over. A broad alliance of neo-liberals,neo-conservatives and the religious right successfully manufactureda new common sense, assaulted Enlightenment values and targeted thetop of society where culture is created and legitimized, becausethey knew that ideas have consequences--and not just in theUnited States.

Hijacking America is that rarity of a book, a thoroughlyresearched page-turner. Clearly and gracefully written, it willenthral the general reader while providing plenty of factualnourishment for the student of politics, culture, religion orinternational relations. And for all those who hope for a differentAmerica in the future, the first step is to hold the present one upto the light and understand how it got that way.