The ministry of truth: democracy, reality, and the republican's war on the recent past

"For as long as historical records have existed, people in positions of authority have tried to rewrite history to suit their purposes. The pattern has become tragically familiar: dictatorial powers use their editing pens to create myths, spread propaganda, justify decisions, erase opponents, and even dispose of crimes. Today, as Republican politics becomes increasingly radicalized, it's not surprising to see the party read from a similarly despotic script. Indeed, the party is taking dangerous, aggressive steps to rewrite history--and not just from generations past. Unable to put a positive spin on Trump-era scandals and fiascos, GOP voices and their allies have grown determined to rewrite the stories of the last few years, treating the recent past as an enemy to be overpowered, crushed, and conquered. The consequences for our future, in turn, are deadly. Extraordinarily timely and undeniably important, Steve Benen's new book tells the staggering chronicle of the Republican party's unsettling attempts at historical revisionism. It reveals not only how dependent they have grown on the tactic, but also how dangerous the consequences are if we allow the party to continue. The stakes, Benen argues, couldn't be higher: the future of democracy hinges on both our accurate understanding of events and the end of alternative narratives that challenge reality"--