Eric Alterman – författare

Liberalism stands proudly at the center of American politics and culture. Driven by passion for social justice, tempered by respect for the difficulty of change, liberals have struggled to end economic inequality, racial discrimination, and political repression. Liberals have fueled their cause with the promise of American life and visions of national greatness, seeking to transform the White House; the halls of Congress, the courts, the worlds of entertainment, law, media, and the course of public opinion. Bestselling author, journalist, and historian Eric Alterman, together with historian Kevin Mattson, traces the history of liberal ideals through the lives and struggles of fascinating personalities. The Cause tells the remarkable story of politicians, intellectuals, visionaries, activists, and public personalities battling for the heart and soul of the nation.

The first full-scale treatment of postwar liberalism, The Cause offers an epic saga driven by stories of grand aspirations, principled ambitions, tragic flaws, and the ironies of history of the people who fought for America to live up to the highest ideals of its history.

Thanks to the machinations of the right, there is no dirtier word in American politics today than “liberal.” Yet public opinion polls consistently show that the majority of Americans hold liberal views on everything from health care to foreign policy.

In this feisty, accessible primer, Eric Alterman sets out to restore liberalism to its rightful honored place as the politics of America’s everyday citizens. In a crisply argued and extensively documented counterattack on right-wing spin and misinformation, Alterman briskly disposes of such canards as “Liberals Hate God” and “Liberals Are Soft on Terrorism,” reclaiming liberalism from the false definitions foisted upon it.

Why We’re Liberals is the perfect book for all of those ready to fight back against the conservative mud-slinging machine and claim their voice in the political debate.