(Reviewed by JD Jung)
“The object of a campaign is not to answer the other candidate’s attacks; it’s to make him answer yours. ”
As the first of the presidential debates draws nearer, chief strategist for the 1992 Clinton campaign, Paul Begala, advises Democrats how to run against this corrupt president and the Republican party that enables him.
He urges us to learn from this gloomy part of history, in order that we do not repeat it. Sound familiar? So what does he believe went wrong in the 2016 presidential election and what went right in the 2018 midterms? In 2016, The Democrats’ campaign was focused on Trump’s flaws and not on the lives of voters. Yes, Democrats can expose his lack of empathy and character, while still making the election about the welfare of the people.
In You’re Fired, Begala states the specific issue that Trump has botched, ignored, or intentionally damaged, and then suggests how Democrats should run on it. From health care to climate change, to opioid addiction, to the economy, Trump wants to give more power to corporations and less to consumers. But that’s only part of it.
Begala asks how can he drain the swamp when he is the “Typhoid Mary of corruption”? This is all within the context of improving people’s lives. Of course, the COVID-19 response is explained in detail: how the Obama Administration and US intelligence warned Trump about the coronavirus and how Trump fired pandemic experts and tried to cut the pandemic prevention budget of the CDC. Begala even tells us about how a large company in his home state of Texas was able to effectively handle the coronavirus epidemic while his state and the federal government were unable (or unwilling) to so. He also goes into foreign policy, voter suppression, income inequality, money in politics, and a possible workaround to the electoral college (the last of which is a longshot, in my opinion).
As Trump preaches division, we need to speak on issues that bring people together. This includes building coalitions between the working class, suburbs, and urban centers. Begala finally submits his ideas on National Service, which I think is a vital read, in itself. He shows how we can unite citizens and promote empathy for others.
What I particularly appreciate about You’re Fired is how Begala uses humor to address the specific point and how succinct his writing is. Even though it touts a page count of 368 pages, about half of the pages are his research notes.
For an enlightening look at politics and the current state of affairs, You’re Fired: The Perfect Guide to Beating Donald Trump is a must-read for all Americans.
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