Voice of Reason: Why the Left and Right Are Wrong

263 Pages·2004·5.29 MB·English

by  Ronn Owens

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VOICE
of

REASON
Why the Left and Right Are Wrong

RONN OWENS

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ffirs.qxd 12/15/03 8:23 AM Page i

VOICE
of
REASON
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VOICE
of

REASON
Why the Left and Right Are Wrong

RONN OWENS

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ffirs.qxd 12/15/03 8:23 AM Page iv
Copyright © 2004 by Ronn Owens. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Owens, Ronn.
Voice of reason : why the Left and Right are wrong /Ronn Owens.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-471-48282-X (cloth : alk. paper)

1. Political participation—United States. 2. Political
culture—United States. 3. Right and left (Political science. I.
Title.
JK1764.O93 2004
306.2′0973—dc22
2003025144
Printed in the United States of America.
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For Jan, Sarah, and Laura
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Contents

Forewords by Bill Press and Sean Hannity ix
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xxi
About the Author xxiii
Chapter 1 Political Pragmatism Is No Oxymoron 1
Chapter 2 9/11 and the Great Divide 17
Chapter 3 If Both Extremes Are Equally Obnoxious, Then
Why Is the Far Right Far More Appealing? 43
Chapter 4 Here’s How to Win an Election 57
Chapter 5 Political Pragmatism and the California Recall 89
Chapter 6 Wedge Issues and the Middle Ground 131
Chapter 7 Political Correctness and Other Slam Dunks 155
Chapter 8 Common Sense Solutions to Everyday Issues 179
Chapter 9 Politics and Popular Culture 209
Chapter 10 Giving Voice to the Majority: A New
Dimension in Politics 225
Index 239
vii
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Forewords

(Left) (Right)
I I
must confess: I don’t hate ’ve been fortunate to count
George W. Bush. Sure, his Ronn Owens as a friend for a
policies suck. He’s rolled up number of years, despite our
the biggest deficit in history. political differences. I also
And, under false pretenses, he have a lot of respect for him as
rolled us into an unnecessary a broadcaster. He is the quin-
war in Iraq for which we’re tessential host, not because he
going to pay the price for a is intelligent—which he is—or
long time. because he is funny and articu-
Nevertheless, I still don’t late—which he also is—but
hate George W. Bush. He because he cares about what
doesn’t know any better. But I his listeners think. He respects
do hate Ronn Owens. For a and appreciates his audience
very good reason: Because and values their opinions re-
I’m jealous! gardless of how much he may
But I also love Ronn Owens. disagree with their particular
For a very good reason: Be- position on any given topic.
cause he’s so damned good. And Ronn’s listeners know
Like you, I’m a political how he feels about them. They
junkie and a talk radio fanatic. know that, every time he gets
Wherever I travel in the coun- behind the microphone, he will
try, I always tune into local tell them what he thinks, but he
ix
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x FOREWORDS
talk radio. Because I want to will never preach to them or
know what’s going on, what denigrate. He shares his opin-
the hot issues of the day are— ions (and he has a lot of them,
and what ordinary Americans like all great hosts), but he’s al-
think about them. To find that ways willing to share his audi-
out, there’s no better forum ence’s likes and dislikes with
than talk radio. equal grace and interest. They
The only problem is most know he never minces words
talk radio hosts sound the same. when it comes to any issue,
Since most station managers whether it’s Gray Davis’ recall,
are afraid to hire a liberal, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s elec-
most talk show hosts are right- tion, or Brad Pitt’s views on
wingers. And you can predict U.S. foreign policy.
exactly what they’re going Ronn also has a strong, intu-
to say. Either, like the oh-so- itive sense of right and wrong,
predictable Rush Limbaugh, and what should be right and
they blame everything from wrong in today’s volatile world.
Mad Cow Disease to the I don’t always agree with his
poor performance of NFL position on an issue—like his
quarterbacks on liberals. Or, support for a single national
like the ever-so-pompous Bill identity card—but I always
O’Reilly, they sound like believe that Ronn is telling
they’re just reading the daily me what he honestly believes,
talking points of the Republi- whether we agree or disagree.
can National Committee. “Isn’t For example, Ronn believes
George Bush wonderful? And the truth lies in the middle,
here’s why.” Listening to them, and it really lies on the conser-
I just want to throw up. vative right. Ronn will know
Unfortunately, there’s not the truth once he has experi-
one liberal talk show host syn- enced a Hannity Epiphany. As
dicated nationwide (so much my listeners know, the truth is
for complaints about the so- only known once you’ve been
called “liberal media”). But if “Hannitized” and Ronn needs a
there were one liberal voice on little “Hannitization.” The left
the dial, I must admit, he or may be sincere, but they’re
she would probably sound as sincerely wrong. I am amazed
slanted to the left as most other that so many liberals still don’t