Responding to the Right: Brief Replies to 25 Conservative Arguments

“Everyone has a responsibility to hear the other side out carefully in order to determine whether their own beliefs are, in fact, defensible,” according to this insightful guide to debunking conservative arguments. Current Affairs editor-in-chief Robinson (Why You Should Be a Socialist) draws on the work of theorist Albert Hirschman to identify three underlying premises of conservative arguments—proposed reforms will have “disastrous unintended consequences,” will fail to accomplish their goals, and will “undermine its own goals, jeopardizing the precious progress we have made so far”—and advises progressives not to assume that conservatives are stupid and not to accept faulty premises. He then outlines 25 specific conservative arguments and how to refute them. To counter the notion that “government is the problem, not the solution,” he suggests reminding conservatives of the many useful government functions (policing, firefighting, etc.) they support, and noting that other countries are able to provide healthcare and other services without the problems conservatives often predict. Elsewhere, Robinson advises readers on how to debunk the notions that white privilege doesn’t exist, immigration is harmful, abortion is murder, and more. Throughout, he highlights the importance of maintaining respect, patience, and empathy to keep apolitical individuals from being taken in by false right-wing claims. Progressives will savor this lucid handbook. (Feb.)