Beyond Red and Blue

<b>Why Americans do not divide neatly into red and blue or right and left but form coalitions across party lines on hot-button issues ranging from immigration to same-sex marriage.</b><p>On any given night cable TV news will tell us how polarized American politics is: Republicans are from Mars Democrats are from Canada. But in fact writes Peter Wenz in <i>Beyond Red and Blue</i> Americans do not divide neatly into two ideological camps of red/blue Republican/Democrat right/left. In real life as Wenz shows different ideologies can converge on certain issues; people from the right and left can support the same policy for different reasons. Thus for example libertarian-leaning Republicans can oppose the Patriot Act's encroachment on personal freedom and social conservatives can support gay marriage on the grounds that it strengthens the institution of marriage.</p><p>Wenz maps out twelve political philosophies--ranging from theocracy and free-market conservatism to feminism and cosmopolitanism--on which Americans draw when taking political positions. He then turns his focus to some of America's most controversial issues and shows how ideologically diverse coalitions can emerge on such hot-button topics as extending life by artificial means the war on drugs the war on terrorism affirmative action abortion same-sex marriage health care immigration and globalization.</p><p>Awareness of these twelve political philosophies Wenz argues can help activists enlist allies citizens better understand politics and elections and all of us define our own political identities.</p>