Dog whistle politics How coded racial appeals have reinvented racism and wrecked the middle class

Lopez (White by Law) examines the intersections of declining economic opportunities and race affiliation as expressed by political parties. He defines "dog-whistle politics" as coded racial appeals that invite hostility toward a target group, a practice employed by both major parties but far more extensively by the Republican Party. Lopez discusses how some members of a middle class that benefited from the opportunities provided by a growing liberal federal governmental system have been swayed into polarized GOP voter groups, a deciding factor in many political contests. Beginning with Nixon's 1960 presidential campaign in the South, the book follows the evolution of coded racial appeals, including those of Bill Clinton to attract whites away from the GOP. Lopez offers a number of approaches that political parties, unions, civil rights groups, and progressives may consider incorporating into their political activities to offset dog-whistle politics, e.g., stick to a "positive liberal vision," identify those who are engaging in dog-whistle politics, and openly address issues of race. VERDICT Grounded in history rather than theory, this is recommended to readers engaged in today's political discourse.-Marcus Kieltyka, Central Washington Univ. Lib., Ellensburg (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.