I’ve long been a fan of E.J. Dionne, Jr., known for his many appearances on MSNBC. He’s one of those left-leaning intellectuals whose investments in a progressive agenda are sincere and arise from rigorous thinking and a robust understanding of American political history. It was thus with great excitement that I saw he had a new book, Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country. As a progressive in philosophy but a moderate in practice, I hoped that Dionne’s book would help to provide a pathway to those of us who wish to reconcile the oft-feuding wings of the Democratic Party.
Fortunately, he does exactly that, and this book should be required reading for every Democratic politician, voter, and activist, and the book somehow manages to be both a history of progressive politics in America and also a guide to the future.
As Dionne points out repeatedly, moderates and progressives have far more in common with one another than they do with a Republican Party that has moved so far right as to be an active danger to the proper functioning of our republic. Though Trump is the most visible and reprehensible exemplar of this phenomenon, it didn’t start with him. Indeed, the GOP’s lurch rightward was many decades in the making, though Barry Goldwater’s influence looms large in this account (Dionne has an entire book devoted to issue of the Republican Party’s descent into madness, aptly titled Where the Right Went Wrong). It’s important to point out, however, that Dionne doesn’t take potshots at conservatives. In fact, he gives them far more credit than most progressives do, and I’m sure he’ll raise more than a few eyebrows with his meticulous delineation of Nixon’s progressive accomplishments. He even outlines what a redeemed, and sane, conservative political party looks like, and it’s rather depressing that the image that he conjures is one that some people might remember from earlier decades but is now so unlike the contemporary Republican Party as to be a different creature entirely.
However, Dionne doesn’t see the world through rose-tinted glasses, and he recognizes that there are going to be quite a few difficult conversations as moderates and progressives contend with their real differences in terms of both policy and philosophy. In addition to his history of conservatism and its downfall, he also dissects the presidencies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Though both were widely considered to be successful presidents — and both certainly did the best that they could, considering the fact that they were left enormous messes by the administrations that preceded them and faced significant obstruction from Congress — they also refused to challenge the fundamental changes imposed by the Reagan administration and its drastic remaking of American government. Like many other Democrats of their time, they were willing to adhere to the “common sense” that Regan and his ilk had constituted in their own image.
What needs to happen, Dionne argues, is a historical leap forward, and Democrats would do well, he argues, to look to the past, to figures like FDR and Lyndon Johnson, both of whom were able to pursue progressive agendas and saw significant policy achievements on their watch. To do so, moderates need to recognize that progressives and their aspirations — policy plans like the Green New Deal, Medicare For All and free college — are the engine of change in this country, that they provide a powerful energy that can power electoral victories rather than a millstone with which they have to contend. For their part, progressives also have to recognize that moderates are not the enemy, that they often have the best interests of the country (and their constituents) at heart, and that what plays well in one part of the country may not in another.
At the center of Code Red is Dionne’s belief that it is possible to forge a new political future in which “dignity” becomes a centerpiece of policy. This is, of course, the motivation behind much progressive legislation, which aims to create a nation in which everyone has the same opportunity to experience dignity, both in terms of economy and in terms of their identity. Indeed, I particularly appreciated the fact that Dionne doesn’t see the need to emphasize either economic issues or social identity, preferring instead to see them both as essential components of progressive politics (I especially loved the way that he systematically dismantled the arguments of those who would see “identity politics” thrown aside in favor of an emphasis on class issues, as if class is not an identity in and of itself and as if it doesn’t intersect with numerous other axes of identity).
What’s more, Dionne doesn’t shy away from the term “patriotism,” and his defense of it is one of the most inspiring parts of the book. From his point of view, embracing patriotism can provide the left with a motivating philosophy and ethic. I’m sure that this might not sit terribly well with some on the left, for whom the term is forever tainted from its use by conservatives to bludgeon the left during the Bush years but, as he points out, it can be a useful motivating tool, reminding voters of what progressives stand for and why they are the ones who are best positioned to provide an optimistic leadership for America.
Dionne is one of those intellectuals who wears his learning lightly. Though the book is rigorously and meticulously researched, Dionne never allows us to get bogged down. In fact, I’m rather astounded at just how much he manages to cram into what is a rather small book. Reading it, was also pleasantly surprised by how optimistic I felt when I was finished. There are times, particularly in these dark days, when it feels as if the Democratic Party is on the brink of tearing itself apart. Dionne reminds us, in the way that only he can, that there are many coalitions left to be built and that, if we but have the will and the energy to do so, we can bring about a better future for this country.

Another great book from Dionne: well researched, well and passionately argued and written.
As the 2020 election has progressed, it also has become maybe more relevant and worth reading - Biden was hardly the first choice of the most progressive wing of the Democrats. Dionne, a long-time writer and pundit on US progressive politics (and incisive, accessible commentator on the American right), offers a lot of food for thought for anyone navigating life in Trump's America.
Recommended.

Code Red is a call for moderate and progressive Democrats to come together and take back the government in 2020. Written by award-winning journalist E.J. Dionne, Jr., Code Red breaks through partisan noise by analyzing how the Republican and Democratic parties became what they are today. Dionne digs into things from America's semi-distant past like the New Deal and Ronald Reagan's trickle-down economy to more modern-day politics like the Iraq War and the 2008 Financial Crisis. Interestingly, Dionne shows readers how influential America's major political happenings are on today's political atmosphere and how moderate and progressive Democrats can rally together for the future.

Code Red was incredibly insightful and brought a lot of things to my attention that I never considered before. While it read a bit like a textbook at times, it was a pretty engaging read. One of the most interesting pieces in this book is about how far right the Republican party has gone versus how little left the Democratic party has gone - even pointing out things like how FDR and Bill Clinton's healthcare policies were more progressive than Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. While I didn't agree with everything Dionne writes, I did get a lot out of this book!

For the most part, I felt this book was both educational and inspirational. I highly recommend Code Red to Democrats who are feeling discouraged, at a loss, and unsure of which direction the country is going. While this book brings addresses the sad, hard facts surrounding the current President and Republican party, it also brings readers together under a common interest: take back our country. Dionne's overall message is that moderate and progressive Democrats can create a coalition strong enough that brings recovery and renewal to America, which, I think, a lot of readers will see after reading this book. I want to leave this review with the last sentence of Code Red: "This generation's task is to restore progress - to get the country moving again by demonstrating anew our nation's capacity for self-correction, social reconstruction, and democratic self-government."

CODE RED is both a political science treatise and an historical overview of the actions of administrations, both Democratic and Republican, that have led the United States to the debacle we are facing today. As I was reading, I reflected several times on the fact that even five years ago I would have given this book, and any like it, a pass. At that time I was a voter but not overly concerned about politics per se. I had some strong feelings about specific actions of government, but I didn't feel the need to spend time studying the issues or going out to protest. Since the leadup to the 2016 election, the subsequent Electoral College win, and all that has transpired since the inauguration, I find myself devouring books that purport to explain the chaos or provide coherent accounts of obscured events.

E. J. Dionne, Jr. is one of my favorite guests on prime time MSNBC. He is erudite and always brings his journalistic analysis to the table. Having once studied a bit of journalism myself, I am aware of the tenets of the discipline's basic who, what, where, when, and sometimes why process that separate reporting from editorializing. Dionne seems to always put reporting above his opinion even in the fraught world of cable news. Even in opinion pieces, he manages to look at both sides with a certain amount of dispassionateness.

Although Chapter 1 seems to be aimed at political scientists and other such wonks, there are some valuable gems for the average voting citizen, or perhaps even more so for the non-voting citizen that needs to become informed. In other words, the numbers are thoughtfully explained.

I find it rewarding to have opinions that I formed over the years proven true. Dionne examines the ways in which the Reagan, Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama administrations aided the current administration's rise to power. As an information technology support specialist, I had one overriding tenet by which I did my job… 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' in reading CODE RED, I understand more fully that our government and politics are 'broke' and in dire need of fixing. The status quo is not working for too many Americans, most notably the economy, and this has led to a breakdown between Washington policies and kitchen table realities. Understanding and repairing the many inequities will require a united front on the part of Democrats who will need to finally understand that liberals and progressives are really working toward a single goal. The goal of the Democratic Party is the betterment of life for all Americans. That includes affordable health insurance, an infrastructure in good repair, an immigration policy that treats those who are already here with dignity and respect while providing a path to citizenship, and transparency and decency in government.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to try and understand how we got to this space as a nation. There are places you may find yourself confounded by the presentation of polling numbers and statistics, but I can emphasize enough that the text before and after such sections are readable and do much to explain those conundrums facing the American electorate today.

A good time capsule but I didn’t think there was really much in the way of solutions here. For the target audience there isn’t a whole lot of new material here.