One of America's foremost historians looks at the state of American democracy and the influence of the Catholic Church. How is it possible for minorities to rule majorities? An answer can be found by looking at both George Bush's Republican Party and the Catholic Church. "Bush's Fringe Government" is an inquiry into how an extremely conservative fringe in these organizations, although in the minority, have a disproportionate influence on a broad range of issues, and use their influence to govern the majority. By exploring the ways in which the election of Pope Benedict XVI has increased the influence of very conservative Catholics in the Vatican, Garry Wills offers a lucid and striking explanation of the political coalition between Catholics and evangelicals -- a partnership that has been instrumental in electing Republicans in the United States and keeping conservative issues in the forefront of American political discourse. Juxtaposing Karl Rove and the Bush administration's political strategy to that of conservatives in the Catholic Church, Wills' examination of extremist fringe elements is a major piece of political analysis by one of our most highly regarded commentators.
