Confessions of a Former Dittohead

Everyone knows a dittohead. In addition to being devoted listeners of Rush Limbaugh, they’re also loud, judgmental, and sure they’re always right. One of the most common phrases you’ll hear them use is “if you only understood politics you’d be a Republican.” And from abortion to gay marriage to national defense to fiscal policy, Rush details for them how it only works the Republican way.

Confessions of a Former Dittohead is the true story of how one average American turned away from the lies and distortions of Rush Limbaugh and the Republican Party to become a Liberal Democrat. Originally a diary on the popular website Daily Kos, this amazing book follows red-stater Jim Derych on a personal journey from the heart of conservative darkness to the light of liberalism, as he shares his observations and techniques with a progressive audience in the hopes of winning the battle over what George Lakoff describes as “framing.”

In addition to showing how the accumulated experiences of his life—a friend who had an abortion, a gay college roommate, his time spent in the Young Republicans—turned him away from the Republican Party, Confessions also discusses the major political and social issues of our day—abortion, gay marriage, social security, evolution—in order to show how “dittoheads” think, and what liberals and progressives can do to change that thinking.

An incredible personal and political story, Confessions of a Former Dittohead is the most important political book of the year.

Jim Derych lives and works in Tennessee.