First published 2022
Andy Borowitz examines the decline of intelligence in American politics across five decades. He tracks this deterioration from Ronald Reagan's 1966 California gubernatorial campaign through Donald Trump's presidency. The satirist argues that politicians have become increasingly hostile to knowledge while mass media rewards performance over substance. Borowitz covers Reagan, Dan Quayle, George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, and Trump alongside numerous congresspersons, senators, and governors who lowered intellectual standards. He demonstrates how the era of constant news cycles and social media enabled the election of leaders whose basic ignorance poses genuine dangers. The book aims to provoke both laughter at these politicians' absurd behavior and tears over the disasters they created. Borowitz calls this the culmination of a trend where ignorance became a political asset rather than a liability. He concludes with optimism, arguing that historical change remains possible if citizens act decisively to reverse course.
Genres: satire, american, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary
Setting: America, California
Period: 1966, 2010s
320 pages · Hardcover · Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster