Democrats and Republicans - Rhetoric and Reality: Comparing the Voters in Statistics and Anecdotes

Democrats and Republicans - Rhetoric and Reality: Comparing the Voters in Statistics and Anecdotes is an informative, fair, and constructive book that can broaden your understanding of people who make up the two parties. Also, it's pretty good if you just need some ammo for that next encounter with your brother-in-law.

Who are the Democrats and Republicans, really? Drawing on authoritative nationwide surveys plus a wide range of quips and quotes, the author outlines the beliefs of Democrats vs. Republicans, and illustrates differences between the two groups through details of lifestyles, ethics, intelligence, and achievements in a multitude of charts and statistics. A recognized whistleblower who identified $2BN in false Social Security claims, the author pokes fun while poking holes in our prejudices about both national parties. The book uses a blend of humor, hard facts, and insightful anecdotes, and in the collage that emerges, readers find a surprising portrait of both the voters and the legislators.

Are Democrats more tolerant than Republicans? Are they more intelligent? Who spends more time at work and who spends more time watching TV? Why are Republicans happier? Who benefits more from Social Security? All of these questions, and many more, are answered in Democrats and Republicans ¬‒ Rhetoric and Reality, using authoritative survey evidence and statistics to compare the conduct and achievements of the Democratic and Republican constituencies.

Many of the findings are surprising. For example, Democrats and Republicans have different tendencies with regard to trust, self-esteem, "apparent intelligence," political knowledge, mental health, happiness, work hours, charity, and even body mass index. These general differences are quantifiable and statistically significant.

Although the book is aimed at the popular market, it has all of the supporting references and statistical significance of an academic work. The author principally relied on data from the General Social Survey and the American National Election Studies, rounded out by surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, the Gallup Organization, the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, Harris Interactive, and other organizations. Interspersed among the findings are quotations from pundits, politicians, philosophers, celebrities, fruitcakes, etc. Although some of this rhetoric is strident, the book's overall tone is objective — a refreshing alternative to the bombastic polemics we often see in modern political works.

At its core, this book serves as a bridge for understanding the shared humanity between Democrats and Republicans. While it highlights key differences, it also points out areas where common ground exists. The author’s insights inspire readers to think beyond party lines and foster dialogue that moves beyond stereotypes.

Joseph Fried is an MBA and a practicing CPA specializing in governmental auditing, the audit of nonprofit organizations, and the peer review of other CPA firms. He is an expert in Social Security policy, and the waste, fraud, and abuse that are reflected in all facets of the program. He is also author of How Social Security Picks Your Pocket, A Story of Waste, Fraud and Inequities (Algora Publishing, 2003).

Fried serves as director of the Public Program Testing Organization (PPTO), an Ohio-based nonprofit organization that seeks to identify and eliminate waste in the governmental and nonprofit sectors. Working on behalf of the PPTO, Mr. Fried determined that several Texas school districts were illegally giving workers Social Security coverage in a scheme that will cause the government to pay over $2 billion to ineligible beneficiaries. The Office of Inspector General investigated these allegations and confirmed their accuracy and validity in a report issued in 2007.