Interview with the Author of The Constitution-- I'm Not Kidding and Other Tales of Liberal Folly

Today Pundit Press is proud to present interview number 56 in our ongoing series. Today we're interviewing writer Curtice Mang, who is the author of The Constitution-- I'm Not Kidding and Other Tales of Liberal Folly. Mang skewers the Left with humor with their own words and actions.

1. When and why did you decide to write The Constitution: I'm Not Kidding and
Other Tales of Liberal Folly?

The book grew out of a letter to the editor I wrote to my local paper as the Obamacare legislation was passing through Congress. The letter I wrote compared the number of pages in my paperback copy of the Federalist Papers (449 pages) that also included a copy of the Constitution, including all amendments (a mere 20 pages) to theObamacare legislation, which came in at over 2,000 pages. Some of the liberalresponses to the letter were funny and even downright silly, albeit unintentionally so. One incredulous responder argued that the Obamacare bill was so much larger because it was double-spaced. Honest! I’m not making that up.

Another responder claimed that the bill was so lengthy because of the complexity of healthcare in modern America. What? It’s more complex than creating an entirely new form of government, one unlike any other, from scratch? He was serious, but I thought he was hilarious.

So, I thought I’d document some of the hypocrisy and intellectual shortcomings of modern liberal thought, but do it in a humorous way. Fortunately, the left regularly provides a wealth of material. Although, with the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Anthony Weiner around, sometimes real life simply beats parody. Out of all that, a book was born.

2. What have been some of conservatives' biggest mistakes in taking on the
Democrats?

First, when Republicans try to be Democrat-lite, they will always pay the price.When it comes to spending other people’s money, the Democrats are the champs.The Republicans mostly dwell in the minor leagues. The Republicans cannot and should not compete with Democrats in giving away “free” stuff, employing earmarks and disdaining fiscal discipline. When they try we get the 2006 and 2008 elections where they looked a lot like the Charlotte Bobcats, losers of 59 of 66 games last NBA season.

If the Democrats are going to sell the nanny state to voters, they will offer up Mary Poppins. The Republicans can’t respond with Mary Poppins, minus the flying umbrella. They should instead say a good word about mom and dad. It’s cheaper, smarter and better. But, speaking of Mary Poppins, that whole spoonful of sugar with your medicine would incur the wrath of New York’s Mayor Bloomberg.

Next, Republicans often don’t respond forcefully enough to some of the more ludicrous statements that Democrats make. For instance, when Harry Reid (D-Caesar’s Palace) gets up on the Senate Floor and attacks Republicans for attempting to defund the National Endowment of the Humanities because it funds a cowboy poetry contest each year in Genoa, Nevada or declares that we can’t close any post offices because elderly people like getting junk mail, he ought to be laughed out
the door. I have plenty of other examples in my book and I’d be happy to let any Republican candidate use some of the jokes.

3. Who do you see winning in November?

Right now, I see the presidential race as a toss-up. Given the economy, unemployment rate, monumental debt, failed stimulus, Obamacare – which most of America still hates as much as, well, junk mail, one would think that Obama would be toast. That the race is so close at this point is disconcerting.

Having said that, even if Obama should win re-election, I don’t see him having any coattails for congressional races. In fact, many Democrats are acting like the Democratic convention is an Amway presentation and looking for any excuse to avoid it. I expect many will have “previous engagements” when Obama makes campaign stops in their states. So, I look for Republicans to pick up seats in both the House and Senate.

4. What is your favorite part of your book?

That’s a tough question, but I will mention a couple of parts. I have a chapter in my book entitled, Joe Biden: The Mouth That Bored. In the chapter I highlight some of the goofier statements that have emanated from the mouth of Joe Biden and offer some suggestions of other things that we could hear coming from Biden or the Obama White House in the future. For example, in 2009, Biden was the most visible member of the Obama Administration touting the “Recovery Summer”. That didn’t go so well. I suggest that the White House will soon announce recovery tours for fall, winter, spring and summer and that the Obama Administration is in negotiations with Congress to add a fifth season, just to give itself more chances.

The last chapter of the book, Capitalism: Profits of Doom, is a little silly. Okay, a lot silly. It describes an ultimate cage fight between Adam Smith and Karl Marx. Spoiler alert - the good guy wins. And I got to use the word “dyspeptic’ in a sentence.

5. What role do you see the Tea Party having in the coming yeas?

It looks like the Tea Party will continue to provide the energy and accountability on the right. Of course, that means it will continue to be a source of derision by the left and the mainstream media. Any tragedy will be initially blamed on the Tea Party. Tea Party members have already been called terrorists for being advocates for smaller government. Look, there are lots of ways to tell the difference between the Tea Party and terrorists. Here is just one: the Tea Party picks up after itself, terrorists don’t.

A tragic shooting – blame the Tea Party. A plane or bus accident – must be the Tea Party. A hurricane - the Tea Party, of course. Power outage in India – ABC’s Brian Ross is surely searching Tea Party rosters for someone, anyone, with an Indian sounding surname.

6. Anything else you'd like to add?

In these difficult economic, debt-ridden, big government times, one can laugh or cry. Laughing is better. It doesn’t mean that the issues aren’t important, they are. Fortunately, the left provides ample material for people like me, who can lampoon its hypocrisy, illogic and (technical term alert) sheer goofiness.

My book contains plenty of instances of liberal mischief - the folly of overpowering big government, global warming hysteria, the silliness of extreme environmentalism and more. I poke fun at it all. The Constitution – I’m Not Kidding and Other Tales of Liberal Folly will be appreciated by any conservative with an active funny bone. It can be purchased at my website, www.mangwrites.com, where I also have some blog posts of recent liberal folly – the material is never-ending. My book is also available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

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