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Cómo Sacar los Idiotas del Gobierno: El Guía Anti-política No Aburrido al Poder
Anyone can trash-talk politicians or bemoan the apathy of the electorate, but How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office explains how to silence that inner cynic and get active. For six months, a group of Latino, black, and other activists worked to develop strategies for positive change through the electoral process. Rather than taking to the streets, or "bombing the suburbs," these groups show how to "throw the bums out." This book tells the story of 19 cases of successful bum-bumping in the recent past. Examples include young Latino and American activists in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who helped swing a mayoral race and four city council seats; Richie Perez's work with the Justice for Youth Coalition and Prison Moratorium Project in halting construction of a youth prison in New York; and Bostonvote and Massvote's incredible work with low-income and immigrant communities to achieve massive spikes in voter turnout. Essays from 11 writers including Jackie Bray and Davey D share strategies for organizing young and marginalized voters to put progressive candidates in office. Included are lists of potentially close races and maps of key swing states and districts.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2004
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About the author
Adrienne Maree Brown
27 books2,787 followersadrienne maree brown is the author of Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds and the co-editor of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction from Social Justice Movements. She is the cohost of the How to Survive the End of the World and Octavia’s Parables podcasts. adrienne is rooted in Detroit.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 3, 2022
Review originally published May 2004
You would have to be in a coma to not to know it is an election year. Many are already fed up with the whole process and it is six months to November. Our library system recently purchased a book that may make you get off of your cynical duff and become a participant instead of just a bystander in the whole electoral process.
How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office: The Anti-Politics, Un-Boring Guide to Power is the book that may make you get involved in elections. Editors Adrienne Maree Brown and William Upski Wimsatt have put together a collection of first-person stories of people that have been underdogs in the political arena. The political contests vary from local city council races to college campus issues to congressional campaigns.
Included in this book are stories about how young people and marginalized voters such as LGBTQ+ people, punks, African-Americans, and Latinos banded together to make a winning difference in all types of elections. They like to point out how close the last presidential election was and that if just a few people had called all their friends in Florida the outcome of the 2000 presidential election could have been different.
There are many stories about how small minority groups were brought together to make a difference in such diverse campaigns as Paul Wellstone’s senate race, Boston and Chicago city contests, and even Tammy Baldwin’s campaign for Congress in the Madison area.
Most of the campaigns tell of grassroots types of organizations that phoned, knocked on doors, and went to local meetings and listened to voters. Many organized transportation to the polls on Election Day. The final section tells the major political parties that they need to show up at places young voters frequent, like concerts, and advertise during bar time on the radio when people this age might be in their cars and listening. Politicians need to market themselves to this demographic just like soda.
There are also brief interviews with the contributors that ask questions like: “Which candidate would be best in bed?” “What actor or public person would you like to see in a smack down with Ah-nold?” “What slept-on group of voters would you like to see organized?”
The book makes an appeal to young, uninvolved voters to get out, get organized, and make their votes count.
The only downside is the small print, but I guess young voters would not have a problem with that. But it is filled with campaign methods that have worked and how to apply them. Creating coalitions among diverse minorities seems to be the key to winning elections.
Find similar titles within our catalog.
You would have to be in a coma to not to know it is an election year. Many are already fed up with the whole process and it is six months to November. Our library system recently purchased a book that may make you get off of your cynical duff and become a participant instead of just a bystander in the whole electoral process.
How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office: The Anti-Politics, Un-Boring Guide to Power is the book that may make you get involved in elections. Editors Adrienne Maree Brown and William Upski Wimsatt have put together a collection of first-person stories of people that have been underdogs in the political arena. The political contests vary from local city council races to college campus issues to congressional campaigns.
Included in this book are stories about how young people and marginalized voters such as LGBTQ+ people, punks, African-Americans, and Latinos banded together to make a winning difference in all types of elections. They like to point out how close the last presidential election was and that if just a few people had called all their friends in Florida the outcome of the 2000 presidential election could have been different.
There are many stories about how small minority groups were brought together to make a difference in such diverse campaigns as Paul Wellstone’s senate race, Boston and Chicago city contests, and even Tammy Baldwin’s campaign for Congress in the Madison area.
Most of the campaigns tell of grassroots types of organizations that phoned, knocked on doors, and went to local meetings and listened to voters. Many organized transportation to the polls on Election Day. The final section tells the major political parties that they need to show up at places young voters frequent, like concerts, and advertise during bar time on the radio when people this age might be in their cars and listening. Politicians need to market themselves to this demographic just like soda.
There are also brief interviews with the contributors that ask questions like: “Which candidate would be best in bed?” “What actor or public person would you like to see in a smack down with Ah-nold?” “What slept-on group of voters would you like to see organized?”
The book makes an appeal to young, uninvolved voters to get out, get organized, and make their votes count.
The only downside is the small print, but I guess young voters would not have a problem with that. But it is filled with campaign methods that have worked and how to apply them. Creating coalitions among diverse minorities seems to be the key to winning elections.
Find similar titles within our catalog.
November 6, 2013
This book was awesome, I wish I would have read it sooner, but better late than never. I was perplexed at times to see some of the stories that people shared that I was like that can't be right, really here in the US that happened? Oh yes it did. It was so hopeful to see the barriers that certain people went through & how they managed to not only survive but come out on top. These stories that were shared were from all over the US & it shows how power to the people really does make a difference. I know this is not always the case but just to see how when things are stacked against you in every way you still manage to be victorious. Simply amazing & so encouraging. It was even a bigger pleasure to see that our own (Boston's) Felix Arroyo was part of the book & that hit home as a fellow hispanic. He prevailed & became the 1st Latino city councilor. It really doesn't matter what nationality or background you are, this book really speaks to the underdogs & their way to the top (so to speak). I like how it gives you a snippet of each person who wrote about their story, it's almost like there should be a sequel so I can find out what happens.
September 28, 2010
This is probably the most under-rated and useful book I've ever worked on. I hope more people read it -20 real life stories of young progressives winning and swinging elections. Complete with suspense and lessons learned.
May 14, 2009
An inspiring book about what young people (14-35) can do in terms of political organizing, when they get angry or passionate enough about a particular issue. I'm close to 50, and this has fired me up (even more than previously) to get involved in grass-roots organizing for all levels of elections. I'm also seriously considering running for our local school board within the next 5-7 years.
February 24, 2008
This book inspires the young, sexy, HipHop lovin, womyn of color embodying, transformative resisting, political progressive in me. Reading this book makes me feel like I have power to create social change through the realm of electoral politics-- Booya!
August 23, 2022
4.5/5 I loved reading different perspectives and stories about how voting matters and how young people can change outcomes! I neeeed an updated version of this book in recent years. That is my only request. Also, if you’re reading this, VOTE!
February 6, 2016
This was, meh, okay. It includes a lot of student stories about organizing their college communities and so on to get more minority recognition. They were fine as far as they went, but didn't give me the sense that they were coming up with ideas that would apply to the outside world. They don't seem to be engaging in what we really need -- governmental change OUTSIDE of college campuses.
March 22, 2007
if you want a more progressive country... read this book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews