I‘m glad Thom Hartmann exists, and I’m glad he’s
written Threshold: The Crisis of Western Culture. Hartmann’s
voice counters the Rush Limbaughs and the Lars Larsons of this
world—hopefully swaying soccer moms in swing states as it streams
out by the hour from his top 10-rated talk radio show.
On the frontlines of the propaganda war for Middle American
consciousness, I see why Hartmann’s voice needs to be broadcast in as
many formats as possible—hence the arrival of this, his 19th
book. Threshold provides ample material for winning debates
across the table at Denny’s with your right-wing relations. I
particularly enjoyed Hartmann’s observation that most CEOs need to be
sociopaths: Being in short supply, he argues, high-functioning
sociopaths are necessarily overpaid.
But while Hartmann’s manic progressive energy translates well into
radio format, reading his book one has the feeling of tuning into a
broadcast midway through. He argues so many things simultaneously that
it’s hard to keep track: global warming is scary, so is Darfur, so are
tax conservatives and corporations, and we’ve got to cooperate to avoid
the catastrophe they all represent. Also: Ancient Peruvian
civilizations can throw light on our current plight. So can mushrooms
and amoebas (seriously). And we’ve got to empower women! Obama!
It just wore me out. More structure and coherence would make me less
inclined to want to switch frequencies.