61 reviews now up on Amazon, plus a bunch more on Goodreads (Although I do not intend to post all reviews, No “Friend” reviews received – this book has been written very covertly. Not even my Wife and Kids have read the book. My Pen name has no “Friends”. I have had brief communication with one reviewer.)
Sabrina Williams
“It is possibly the funnest book with an agenda ever published.”
Editor, Reviewer BreeniBooks
Nationally syndicated radio show host
“A brilliant book, complete with clickable details to verify the author’s veracity.”
“recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2001 Award for Excellence in Documentary Journalism”
Editor Mediachannel.org
But Pat is an elephant with more than one trunk. He is a man of ideas and convictions and has taken them seriously enough to write long and hard about his values and vision. He’s not intimidated by “party think” and doesn’t believe in empty slogans and vitriolic rhetoric. I hope he won’t take offense at my calling him thoughtful and brave—willing to put his ideas out there, knowing that in some quarters he will be denounced just for deviating a few degrees from the conventional “wisdom” by who are twisting their Party into a pale imitation of what it once was. Read this book and admire him for having the guts to write it, get it out there.
A disillusioned conservative delivers a spirited critique of the Republican Party’s deterioration since George W. Bush’s presidency.
Readers might expect a punchy argument from a book entitled “Stupidparty,” and debut-author Andendall provides exactly that. Acknowledging off the bat that such a title might serve as a signal to readers that what follows is “contentious,” he explains that the terminology was introduced into the political lexicon in 2013 in a speech given by the Republican governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal. Whatever the attribution, this isn’t a book for those in search of rhetorical moderation or gentle understatement. Andendall describes himself as a disaffected conservative frustrated by what he describes as the Republican Party’s precipitous decline in basic rationality as they consistently embrace unsupported myth over settled fact. “How can such an alternate myth-driven reality occur?” he wonders. The book is exhaustively researched by a political junkie: Andendall manages to cover everything from voter fraud and global warming to Keynesian economics and creationism. The pugnacious prose is accompanied by a series of visual aids, which include satirical cartoons, humorous pie charts and a puzzle about the “Stupidparty.” The author, however, often chooses entertainment value over sustained argument: The first two chapters are essentially lists of quotes, sans context or explanation, meant to allow wayward Republicans to incriminate themselves. Often hilarious, the actual analysis provided can be very astute; for instance, with genuine empirical rigor and élan, Chapter 11 (“Environmental Stewardship = Better Capitalism”) dissects the problem of disenfranchised farmers as a political constituency. Yet it’s hard for such a rollicking ride not to sometimes turn strident.
Reviewed by John Senger July 24, 2014
With wit and cynicism, Andendall turns a critical eye on the Republican Party, contributing important insight to an ongoing political debate.
Stupidparty: Math V. Myth: Unmasking the Destructive Forces Eroding American Democracy, from its title to its format, is a curious experience. Patrick M. Andendall, author of this colorful, well-designed, and fun e-book, has assembled a coherent fact-filled guide to how he believes the Republican Party became the “Stupid Party” and how this has dire consequences for politics in this country. Andendall says up front that the book is meant to be read as an e-book, although it is also available in print format. He has included, along with numerous graphs, pictures, and drawings, nearly fifteen hundred color-coded hyperlinks: blue for attribution of material, olive green to allow readers to more thoroughly investigate material, and rusty red that flags items included to add humor to otherwise dreadfully serious material.
The writer, by his own declaration, is a conservative who is appalled at what has happened to what he sees as the once responsible Republican Party. He has written this book not to destroy the party but to save it. He says that one-third of the party is still intelligent and capable of critical thinking. He appeals to this minority to step in and thwart what he sees as the destructive tendencies of the majority who now deny facts, science, and conventional wisdom. He says: “I have long since decided to avoid using the term ‘Republican Party’—because today’s Republican Party is an insult to the very essence of what the Republican Party should be.”
In nearly every facet of this book, Andendall’s capable wit is front and center. Beginning with chapter 2, “Thoughts of the Founding Fathers,” the writer offers quotes not from Jefferson, Madison, or Monroe, but founders of the “Stupid Party.” Thus, there are quotes from people like Rush Limbaugh on feminism:“Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society.” Or, Ronald Reagan on economic history: “Fascism was really the basis for the New Deal.” A similar approach is given to such topics as gun control, Fox News, abortion, and religion in politics.
Throughout Stupidparty, the graphics, illustrations, and cartoons are outstanding, colorful, and make it so much easier to digest the often complex information. Andendall should be applauded for his attempt to make a serious point: the American political system needs functioning political parties, and, with the way the Republican Party is currently operating, America does not have that.
Important decisions need to be made for both the welfare of the people of this country and for the people of the rest of the world. The author argues for strong, vital political debate of these important issues, a debate that will be made possible by abandoning the “Stupid Party” and returning to a party capable of adult behavior: “Only then can we all come together and engage in intelligent debate—yes, plenty of different ideas but ideas based upon Math, Science, Justice, and Knowledge.” In his own style, Andendall has made a significant contribution to beginning that debate.
http://selfpublishersshowcase.com/
To date, I’ve only reviewed fiction, so it was a refreshing change to review something of an altogether different bent. I’m no stranger to politics: I’ve actively participated in elections in the UK in the past, and I have a Master’s degree in politics and international relations. This can be a double-edged sword when reviewing such a book, as you tend to either disagree vehemently with the opinion of the author; or conversely, wholeheartedly support them. On the whole, I tend to agree with the author, but that is no great hardship: to read the book and then deny the all too clear facts placed before you, should instantly render you ineligible for public office.
Stupid Party: Math Versus Myth sets out to demonstrate how the Republican Party in the United States bears no resemblance to its original objectives, and can be more accurately described (by the Republican Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal in 2013) as the Stupid Party.
Andendall is not your typical Republican-basher (to coin a phrase). He went to High School in the United Kingdom, and has been a strong supporter of the Republican Party in the United States. It is for this very reason that Andendall feels so strongly that the Republican Party is now a pale reflection of itself, driven by emotional polemic to the extreme right of the political spectrum. Math Versus Myth makes it evident exactly how and why the Republican Party has now become the Stupid Party, as it has been swayed and taken over by paranoid myth.
Andendall supports his argument well, with numerous references to external sources that can be clicked on to discover more from the web. Statistics are also used to great effect, successfully demonstrating how the Stupid Party is actively attacking those who would not support their views through anti-education, anti-voter policies. With education comes the ability to analyse and dissect the Stupid Party rhetoric, ripping apart the weak theories that bind their policies together. Similarly, as the political franchise has widened to include women and black voters, so support for the Stupid Party has waned.
For each policy espoused or rejected by the Stupid Party, be it Obamacare, education, gender and race equality, healthcare, taxation, or climate change, Andendall sets out the facts, well supported by evidence and references to counter the inevitably false statements made within the Republican Party and by its presidential nominees.
This is not a peer-reviewed academic book, and it is not intended to be. It is the rejection by a former supporter of a party that was originally formed to support the idea of Liberty and abhor slavery, yet now is intent on suppressing the rights of those who are not white, affluent and evangelically religious. Where typical academic tomes would send you to sleep, Stupid Party: Man Versus Myth pushes you to find out more, to confirm the author’s statements and to ultimately call on the Republican Party to end its association with the polemic of factual inaccuracy and idiocy.
Andendall began with a mission: to dispel the myths created by the Stupid Party and he accomplishes that with factual vigour.
Four stars
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Stupidparty Math v. Myth: Unmasking the Destructive Forces Eroding American Democracy (Paperback)
I received this book free for the purposes of review but despite that considerable kindness I’m absolutely candid about it below.
As is evident, this book is of a decidedly political bent. It is helpful to know that the author is a conservative and expresses very conservative views but does so in opposition to what is currently the majority Republican party. As a fiscal conservative and social liberal, I found myself agreeing vehemently with much of what this book had to say.
Generally in these reviews I try to give a breakdown of good and bad elements but this book doesn’t lend itself well to such analysis. The simple truth is that the book fills a very specific niche and has a very consistent point and if you happen to want to know more about that point then it’s great and if you don’t, well then you’ll think it sucks. The fundamental argument seems to be that extremism has hijacked the Republican party and turned it into something that it shouldn’t be. To give it a name, the “StupidParty”
The structure of the book is very granular. It tackles several dozen political topics and goes after them in detail using direct quotations, statistics and analysis to demonstrate just how stupid the StupidParty has become. Therefore this is not a book to be tackled in a few sittings but rather one to thumb through from time to time when in the proper mood. The content is at times dense but never fails to be informative and invocative of positive head-nodding.
In summary, this book has a single point which it pounds repeatedly and incessantly with great precision and consistency. If you’re on the pointy end of the author’s critique, well, I doubt it’s going to change your mind but for those that might be more in the middle it will give you hope that maybe, just maybe, it’s possible to craft a Republican party that won’t make you just shake your head and walk away.
Andendall’s book will like become a controversial one (we can hope) in that it examines the decline and slippage of the Republican Party (thanks to the Tea Party constituency and other boorish factors/blunders by very public figures) into what Andendall has labeled the Stupidparty.
What happens in this hilarious diatribe of the current sludge that surrounds the shoes of the Republican Party is a series of statements made by real people in real time and in real places that confuse facts with myths and quote absurd numbers in `data’ that in the context of this book are show to be preposterous. It is brimming over with cartoons, photographs, graphs, maps, data comparisons and quotes that serve to crystallize the author’s points. He is careful to document everything in the book with readily accessible source information that is easily clickable.
Andendall takes on Stupidparty information on the denial of the environmental crisis, the gun lovers, religious malapropisms, the disparity in the rich /poor division, the misquotes about numerous obvious misconceptions, racism, Obama as a Muslim/’below average intelligence’ immigrant, Fox News and how it alters truth to sell ads (`Fox viewers are less informed than people who watch no news’), and on and on. Oddly, Addendall is a conservative and a member of the Republican Party and is bemoaning the fact that his Party has well earned the moniker Stupidparty. He seems to be pleading for intelligence and common sense and observation of reality facts in an attempt to bring the party back to credibility. Hilarious book that will send many people on that side of the gully into fits. Grady Harp, September 14
Economist, college instructor and independent novelist
The StupidParty: Math v Myth, written by pseudonymous Patrick M. Andendall, is by far the best political book I’ve ever read, devastating and complete in its attack on the modern Republican Party. Andendall, following the example of Louisiana Governor Bobbie Jindal and other Republicans, calls it the Stupid Party. And he has compiled an exhaustive compendium of reasons to justify the renaming.
Andendall’s introduction traces the genesis of the Stupid Party from its conception in 1980 (with the emergence of the Reagan administration) to its birth with the victory of George W. Bush in the dubious election of 2000. But the Stupid Party really “blossoms” in the 2010 elections and the reaction against Barack Obama. In Chapter One, titled “It’s Not Me, It’s Them,” Andendall has an assortment of quotes of Republican celebrities referring to the stupidity of the Republican Party. So even many Republicans see how the Party has diverged from common sense reality.
How has it diverged? Consider Chapter 10: “Do You Really Get to Have an Opinion on Climate Change (or could Joe Barton Really be that Stupid Party…or is something else going on?)
Joe Barton, you may recall, is the guy who apologized to BP because they were being “shaken down” for money to help clean up the disastrous 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Barton also managed to squander public funds trying to pillory climate scientist Michael Mann on the basis of already discredited claims made by Canadian blogger Steve McIntyre and economist Ross McKitrick.
Besides accurately laying out the actual science behind global warming, Andendall details the funding of Barton, and Fred Upton, who once had reasonable views on the environment, but now is pretty much an enemy of environmental regulation. Chapter 10 is replete with stupid quotes from Republican Congresscritters. It may be that the Republicans are stupid about climate change, but they’re clearly rewarded for being that way.
Chapter 11: Environmental Stewardship = Better Capitalism continues the environmental theme. In this chapter, Andendall explains how big money/big agriculture has crowded out the family farms and, with them, traditional rural concern for the environment. He sees this as an example of asset stripping by corporate powers, leaving rural people with fewer, worse paying jobs and a polluted environment. Indeed, asset stripping is a feature in much of the economic activity enabled by big-money friendly Republican policies.
Andendall takes the Stupidparty to task for its obvious appeals to racism. That’s shooting fish in a barrel, of course. But it’s good to be reminded of the wave of racist statements, cartoons, and Photoshopped images that have issued from Republican officials and pundits over the years, particularly since the election of President Obama. Let’s not forget birtherism – the bizarre claim that the President was born in Kenya and that his birth certificate is forged. Chapter 12: “In the Company of Racism” will be very useful during the election campaign, during which Republicans will be doing their best to appear to be responsible, open minded Americans.
How about Republican religion? Andendall goes there. Chapter 13 is titled “Confused about Religion. Andendall doesn’t believe that religion as practiced by the American right wing is particularly similar to the teachings of Jesus. And he makes a useful comparison by showing in a series of charts the inverse relationship between education levels and religiosity compared across US states.
For what is essentially a political philippic, Andendall probably gets a little too enthusiastic when he goes after the Mormons, Santorum style Catholics, and the “faux Christian” evangelical media stars. Note that I’m not saying he’s wrong. In fact, his critiques are devastating and on target. It’s just that those religious groups include a lot of people that Andendall might want to persuade to switch parties.
I give him credit for tackling that issue, though. If people want to assert religious values as a basis for policy, religious values become open to debate.
Of course, the greatest damage done by Republican policy is economic in nature. They insist on their own bizarre economics, in which they insist that a period of slow growth and high unemployment should be met by fiscal austerity because – deficit. But “deficits don’t matter” when their party holds the White House. Their campaign against science is discouraging American leadership in science and actually driving scientists out of the country. Their determination to keep women in their place is constricting the development of human capital as women are kept from realizing their full potential. In fact, if we continue to follow those policies, the US will lose its status as a first world nation.
Andendall spends much –most-of his book documenting the way Stupidparty policies hurt us economically, so I can’t detail them all here.
But anyone who needs a primer on American politics should read this book. And remember when they go to vote.
– Amanda Reuter “everyone can take something valuable away from Math v. Myth.”
Well written, witty, insightful and intelligent without being condescending. Stupidparty takes a great “behind the scenes” look at our political environment, past, present and future. Mr. Andendall definitely did his research while writing this book. No matter what side of the political fence you stand on, everyone can take something valuable away from Math v. Myth.
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– Frederick Frigo ” I think that no matter what one’s political beliefs are, this book has a place.”
Stupidparty provides a detailed and intelligently written view of the current political landscape in America. Specifically the book focuses on the Republican Party, or rather what the great past leaders of the party wanted it to be and what it has actually become. The author dives right in to the facts of the situation and gets to business outlining what went wrong, when it started and what needs to be done to put things back on course. He doesn’t pull punches and, for the most part, he avoids supporting his arguments with opinion, relying on facts throughout the book to make his points.
My political views have shifted somewhat as things evolved, situations changed and leadership passed hands from party to party. As the author smartly points out: “…we still recognize that the United States must have at least two parties.” There will be times when one thing is appropriate, such as lowering taxes, and other times when the exact opposite is the correct course of action. Having at least two parties to constantly provide a counterpoint to each other is what allows American citizens to listen to each side and then speak with our collective voices with what we feel must be done.
I enjoyed this book and found the intelligence of its author very refreshing. I think that no matter what one’s political beliefs are, this book has a place. Even if you vehemently disagree with everything the author has to say, it still gives one much to consider.
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– Michael Clymer “The author leaves opinion at the door and provides the reader with fact and evidence to support his arguments.”
I normally pass by political books, because they are almost always just so full of opinion and argument that the important subjects get bogged down, under appreciated, or just ignored all together. That isn’t the case with this book, however. The author leaves opinion at the door and provides the reader with fact and evidence to support his arguments. While I didn’t agree with all of his conclusions, I still enjoyed his book and took out of it a few new things to think about.
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– Steven Decker “The author did a great job with the layout, making it a smooth and easy read from cover to cover.”
The broad scope of the author’s book is pretty impressive to say the least. There is a great deal discussed in these pages but it isn’t overly complicated. The author did a great job with the layout, making it a smooth and easy read from cover to cover. Mr. Andendall covers dozens of people, both in and out of the Republican party, and dozens of different times and situations. All of which is presented very well.
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– Charles Sergio “The entire book was well written and to the point, and I have recommended it to my friends and family.”
Unfortunately, in any society where wealth and money is the key indicator of success in life, greed and corruption will be prevalent. It’s unavoidable as people will always want money, and they will always want even more money than they had yesterday. It doesn’t matter if the money is needed, or if it will never even be spent, people will always want more.
This is even truer in politics. There are two people that fuel this corruption: The people that want something accomplished (corporations), and the people that can get those things done (politicians). The corporations understand that in order to make money they must spend money and this is money that the politicians readily accept in order to push bills or pass laws that help the corporation in question.
Corruption is one subject that this book takes a good look at. It covers some specific examples where the corruption involved was blatant and others where it was very clever and subtle. But it is always there, be assured. I enjoyed the author’s take on this, as well as his other subjects. The entire book was well written and to the point, and I have recommended it to my friends and family.
– George Barvitch “unique look into the current political environment.”
Patrick Andendall gives us an interesting and unique look into the current political environment. His view on the Bible, famous politicians, both past and present, and news pundits, among other things, provides an entertaining viewpoint regardless of whether or not you agree with that he has to say.
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– Micah Moshe “A+ job, Mr. Andendall….. Mr. Andendall very clearly had all of his ducks in a row when he put this book together.”
I always get a kick out of these kinds of books and this one was no different. What was different, however, was that I actually got something more out of Stupidparty.
Normally when I pick up a book with a political subject it is entrenched with amusing conspiracy theories and little, if any, real facts or evidence. This book was actually a refreshing change from that and wasn’t what I was expecting. Mr. Andendall very clearly had all of his ducks in a row when he put this book together. His facts are nicely laid out and presented to the reader in a clear and concise manner and for the most part he sticks to those facts. A+ job, Mr. Andendall.
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– Jenna Marion ” It was extremely informative and entertaining,”
This book was very impressively done. Certainly far more impressively than I would have expected. Each chapter is jammed full of facts, charts, numbers, graphs and details. Oh, and the occasional comic, which I think very nicely broke up the stream of data the author is bringing to the reader. It was extremely informative and entertaining, which isn’t something that is easy to do when discussing the subject of choice.
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– Galen Lourde “but in this case Math v. Myth most certainly earns five stars for being so smartly written and so amazingly organized and put together.”
Math v. Myth is a fantastic book written by someone that obviously actually has a clue. It’s about time someone with sense came forward and put down on paper exactly what the heck is wrong with things today and what needs to be done right now to fix it. Patrick Andendall informs the public of what should be obvious but isn’t, and does so in a way that can’t be refuted or ignored.
I almost never look favorably on a book like this, but in this case Math v. Myth most certainly earns five stars for being so smartly written and so amazingly organized and put together.
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– Craig Fergie “even challenged one or two of my long held opinions. Well done to the author.”
My political views tend to vary from topic to topic and I would really like to say that I didn’t care for this book since much of what the author is for I am against and vice versa. But even with that being the case, I still found this book very educational and even challenged one or two of my long held opinions. Well done to the author.
