US POLITICAL EXTREMISM: Former Capitol Hill staffer, political scholar, A.D. Ultman on big money & corruption in politics & his book, Animal Town, his warning about the rise of US extremist ideology

Inspired by George Orwell and intended for readers ages 12 and up, A.D. Ultman masterfully explains today's political landscape and cautions against extremism on all sides. Animal Town is a book made for the political moment but rooted in perennial wisdom-and could not be timelier message for the youth of America. Animal Town is a nuanced and sophisticated treatment of contemporary politics, grounded in the words and actions of American political and cultural leaders. It is related through the compelling story of a young jackrabbit's struggle to understand the nature of freedom, a weasel's quest for wealth and power, and the conflicting dogmas preached by a zealous fox and a radical gopher. In Animal Town's anthropomorphic world reminiscent of George Orwell's Animal Farm, predator and prey species of the American prairie have built a democratic, capitalist society where animals live together in harmony. Then, for the first time in memory, a predator kills a prey. The tragedy triggers a resurgence of species-based politics that threatens the very existence of Animal Town. Author A.D. Ultman grew up on a farm on the Great American Plains, surrounded by the species that populate Animal Town. He was educated at leading public universities on the East and West Coasts, studying cognitive science and political theory. He began his career as a U.S. Senate staffer and then spent eight years building and leading a successful corporate market research and consulting practice in Washington, DC. He resigned his position in 2017 to travel and study political systems around the world. Since then, he has been an independent writer and teacher. He holds a B.S. in psychology and political science and a M.A. in political science. Animal Town out January 18, 2021, https://animaltownbook.com/), is described as a prescient cautionary tale exposing the danger of far-right and far-left political extremism. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-aidan-byrne0/support