Too Dumb to Fail

How the GOP Betrayed the Reagan Revolution to Win Elections (and How It Can Reclaim Its Conservative Roots)

De: Matt K. Lewis

Narrado por: Matt K. Lewis

From a leading voice among young conservatives, an impassioned argument that to stay relevant the Republican Party must look beyond short-term electoral gains and re-commit to historic conservative values.

In 1963 Richard Hofstadter published his landmark book Anti-Intellectualism in American Life. Today, Matt Lewis argues, America's inclination toward simplicity and stupidity is stronger than ever, and its greatest victim is the Republican Party. Lewis, a respected conservative columnist and frequent guest on MSNBC's Morning Joe, eviscerates the phenomenon of candidates with a "no experience required" mentality and tea party "patriots" who possess bluster but few core beliefs.

Lewis traces the conservative movement's roots, from Edmund Burke to William F. Buckley, and from Goldwater's loss to Reagan's landslide victory. He highlights visionary thinkers who understood nuance and deep ideology and changed the course of the nation. As we approach the 2016 presidential election, Lewis has an urgent message for fellow conservatives: embrace wisdom, humility, qualifications, and inclusion -- or face extinction.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Lewis is a product of the conservative counterestablishment as reinvented by the Internet revolution... Lewis' knockabout style is a relief.... [He] argues that conservatives must recover the enthusiasm for ideas they had in the Reagan era."—New York Times Book Review (cover review)

"I've been reading Matt for a long time. He's always incisive and thoughtful and this book is both. Anyone who cares about the future of the Republican party should read it."—Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal columnist

"Matt K. Lewis takes the most unconventional possible approach to Washington journalism: he's completely honest all the time. Not everyone likes him for it, but that's their problem. Like Matt himself, this book is cheerful, smart and insightful as hell. Buy two copies."—Tucker Carlson, editor-in-chief of The Daily Caller, co-host of FOX & Friends Weekend

"Matt K. Lewis has fought in the trenches of some of our hottest political battles, occupying a unique position at the intersection of conservative politics and the popular culture. He brings a rare perspective to everything he writes about, and manages to look at what everyone else is looking at and see what no one sees."—Yuval Levin, editor of National Affairs

"Matt K. Lewis has written an insightful book about the roots of the conservative movement-and just how far Washington Republicans have diverged from that proud past. Too Dumb to Fail is a major achievement from one of conservatism's most important voices, and it could not come at a more critical time."—Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC's Morning Joe

"Matt K. Lewis is one of the sharpest and most principled political commentators of our day. Too Dumb to Fail is a lively and fascinating read for any person confounded by the state of today's Republican Party. Lewis provides some much-needed tough love as well as a clear way forward for the GOP. If Republicans are smart, they'll make this book mandatory reading."—Kirsten Powers, New York Times-bestselling author of The Silencing

"Very few books about politics get my 'must read' stamp, but Matt Lewis' is one of them. Every conservative feeling as though the movement has collapsed, every Republican despairing of ever winning the White House, every independent who has no idea what to do or whom to support, should read this book immediately."—Hugh Hewitt, host of The Hugh Hewitt Show

"Too Dumb to Fail traces the evolution of conservative philosophy from Aristotle to Burke to the present in a clear and readable way that reminds us why conservatives need big ideas--and why America needs conservatism."—Arthur C. Brooks, President, American Enterprise Institute

E.J. Dionne wrote a similar book; buy that one.

Would you try another book from Matt K. Lewis and/or Matt K. Lewis?

I would not likely buy another book from Matt K. Lewis. I feel as though he cherry picked a few sources and was keen to omitfacts on a variety of topics; Southern Strategy, Climate Gate, Right Wing Media Influence, etc. Most of his arguments go like this, "Some believe that Republicans are anti-intellectual; but I know five guys are Republicans and they are very intellectual."

Did Too Dumb to Fail inspire you to do anything?

It inspired me to read a better book about the conservative movement; E.J. Dionne's recent book titled, "How the Right Went Wrong."

Any additional comments?

I feel that he wanted his audience to feel he was being objective; yet paid no credence in doing so. Every time he'd mention a Democratic position or belief, he'd add a smug, snarky statement that misrepresented those positions. Again, read "How the Right Went Wrong" by EJ Dionne; it has much better and more in-depth research into the conservative movement. Lewis just scratched the surface and omitted a lot of the darker history of the Republican party.

A great book for the conservative

Would you consider the audio edition of Too Dumb to Fail to be better than the print version?

I would.

What did you like best about this story?

The information about certain events I never knew before.

What about Matt K. Lewis’s performance did you like?

Everything The man's an excellent narrator.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

How the Time For Choosing speech that made Ronald Reagan's political career came to be.

Any additional comments?

A must-have for any political fans, and conservatives in general.

Intriguing Book and Subject

Intriguing Book. Matt does an exceptional job narrating. Can’t wait for the next book to come out.

Informative...wish he hadnt read it himself

A good wat to get a better perspective on conservative views, history and future.

From a Former Republican, a Decent Read

I grew up in a Reagan household. I was registered Republican for the vast majority of my adult life. I consider myself one left by the GOP going stupid. so m So I'm a large audience for this book. The book is well written and does what I think is a great job in demonstrating that conservatives don't need to be the stupid party. The author does an excellent job at explaining how conservatives have gotten sucked into a cycle of trying to run on just "vibes." He also does a quality job on where the party could grow. I disagree with a lot of the politics of the author. And I think at times he takes needles jabs at "the Left" just to score points. But I feel like we could have an actual conversation about compromising on the issues at large today.

Opposing viewpoint

So as a liberal atheist Democrat, I occasionally like to expose myself to the opposition viewpoint in order to broaden my appreciation of my conservative friends and their opinions. Matt Lewis does an excellent job articulating the conservative worldview (particularly from an evangelical perspective). He also displays keen insight into the challenges facing the Republican Party in particular, and the conservative movement in general, in an era of social media, constant news headlines, partisan news outlets, and the plethora of talking heads on both sides of the aisle. While I certainly don't agree with Mr. Lewis on much, I do appreciate his candor, and expect that the Republican establishment would benefit from a hard look in the mirror. This book is that mirror.

One of the Best!

Definitely one of the best books on what has happened and happening to the Republican party.

loved this book

Even a casual political observer or pop culture lover will tear through this book. Read it.