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America, the Owner's Manual: You Can Fight City Hall—and Win
by Senator Bob Graham Mr Chris HandIn 2016, Americans fed up with the political process vented that frustration with their votes. Republicans nominated for president a wealthy businessman and former reality show host best known on the campaign trail for his sharp rhetoric against immigration and foreign trade. Democrats nearly selected a self-described socialist who ran on a populist platform against the influence of big money in politics. While it is not surprising that Americans would channel their frustrations into votes for contenders who pledge to end business as usual, the truth is that we don’t have to pin our hopes for greater participation on any one candidate. All of us have a say—if we learn, master and practice the skills of effective citizenship. One of the biggest roadblocks to participation in democracy is the perception that privileged citizens and special interests command the levers of power and that everyday Americans can’t fight City Hall. That perception is undoubtedly why a 2015 Pew Charitable Trusts survey found that 74 percent of those Americans surveyed believed that most elected officials didn't care what people like them thought. Graham and Hand intend to change that conventional wisdom by showing citizens how to flex their citizenship muscles. They describe effective citizenship skills and provide tips from civic experts. Even more importantly, they offer numerous examples of everyday Americans who have used their skills to make democracy respond. The reader will see themselves in these examples of citizens who chose to be victorious participants rather than tranquil spectators in the arena of democracy. By the end of the book, you will have new confidence that citizen participation is the lifeblood of America -- and will be ready to make governments work for you, not the other way around.
America, the Owner's Manual: You Can Fight City Hall—and Win
by Senator Bob Graham Mr Chris HandIn 2016, Americans fed up with the political process vented that frustration with their votes. Republicans nominated for president a wealthy businessman and former reality show host best known on the campaign trail for his sharp rhetoric against immigration and foreign trade. Democrats nearly selected a self-described socialist who ran on a populist platform against the influence of big money in politics. While it is not surprising that Americans would channel their frustrations into votes for contenders who pledge to end business as usual, the truth is that we don’t have to pin our hopes for greater participation on any one candidate. All of us have a say—if we learn, master and practice the skills of effective citizenship. One of the biggest roadblocks to participation in democracy is the perception that privileged citizens and special interests command the levers of power and that everyday Americans can’t fight City Hall. That perception is undoubtedly why a 2015 Pew Charitable Trusts survey found that 74 percent of those Americans surveyed believed that most elected officials didn't care what people like them thought. Graham and Hand intend to change that conventional wisdom by showing citizens how to flex their citizenship muscles. They describe effective citizenship skills and provide tips from civic experts. Even more importantly, they offer numerous examples of everyday Americans who have used their skills to make democracy respond. The reader will see themselves in these examples of citizens who chose to be victorious participants rather than tranquil spectators in the arena of democracy. By the end of the book, you will have new confidence that citizen participation is the lifeblood of America -- and will be ready to make governments work for you, not the other way around.
America the Possible: Manifesto for a New Economy
by James Gustave SpethIn this third volume of his award-winning American Crisis series, James Gustave Speth makes his boldest and most ambitious contribution yet. He looks unsparingly at the sea of troubles in which the United States now finds itself, charts a course through the discouragement and despair commonly felt today, and envisions what he calls America the Possible, an attractive and plausible future that we can still realize. The book identifies a dozen features of the American political economy—the country's basic operating system—where transformative change is essential. It spells out the specific changes that are needed to move toward a new political economy—one in which the true priority is to sustain people and planet. Supported by a compelling "theory of change" that explains how system change can come to America, the book also presents a vision of political, social, and economic life in a renewed America. Speth envisions a future that will be well worth fighting for. In short, this is a book about the American future and the strong possibility that we yet have it in ourselves to use our freedom and our democracy in powerful ways to create something fine, a reborn America, for our children and grandchildren.
America, the UN and Decolonisation: Cold War Conflict in the Congo (LSE International Studies Series)
by John KentThis book examines the role of the UN in conflict resolution in Africa in the 1960s and its relation to the Cold War. Focussing on the Congo, this book shows how the preservation of the existing economic and social order in the Congo was a key element in the decolonisation process and the fighting of the Cold War. It links the international aspects of British, Belgian, Angolan and Central African Federation involvement with the roles of the US and UN in order to understand how supplies to and profits from the Congo were producing growing African problems. This large Central African country played a vital, if not fully understood role, in the Cold War and proved to be a fascinating example of complex African problems of decolonisation interacting with international forces, in ways that revealed a great deal about the problems inherent in colonialism and its end. This book will be of much interest to students of US foreign policy, the UN, Cold War history and international history in general.
America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire
by Clase G. RynUrged on by a powerful ideological and political movement, George W. Bush committed the United States to a quest for empire. American values and principles were universal, he asserted, and should guide the transformation of the world. Claes Ryn sees this drive for virtuous empire as the triumph of forces that in the last several decades acquired decisive influence in both the American parties, the foreign policy establishment, and the media.Public intellectuals like William Bennett, Charles Krauthammer, William Kristol, Michael Novak, Richard Perle, and Norman Podhoretz argued that the United States was an exceptional nation and should bring "democracy," "freedom," and "capitalism" to countries not yet enjoying them. Ryn finds the ideology of American empire strongly reminiscent of the French Jacobinism of the eighteenth century. He describes the drive for armed world hegemony as part of a larger ideological whole that both expresses and aggravates a crisis of democracy and, more generally, of American and Western civilization. America the Virtuous sees the new Jacobinism as symptomatic of America shedding an older sense of the need for restraints on power. Checks provided by the US Constitution have been greatly weakened with the erosion of traditional moral and other culture.
America the Vulnerable
by Joel BrennerA former top-level National Security Agency insider goes behind the headlines to explore America's next great battleground: digital security. An urgent wake-up call that identifies our foes; unveils their methods; and charts the dire consequences for government, business, and individuals. Shortly after 9/11, Joel Brenner entered the inner sanctum of American espionage, first as the inspector general of the National Security Agency, then as the head of counterintelligence for the director of national intelligence. He saw at close range the battleground on which our adversaries are now attacking us-cyberspace. We are at the mercy of a new generation of spies who operate remotely from China, the Middle East, Russia, even France, among many other places. These operatives have already shown their ability to penetrate our power plants, steal our latest submarine technology, rob our banks, and invade the Pentagon's secret communications systems. Incidents like the WikiLeaks posting of secret U. S. State Department cables hint at the urgency of this problem, but they hardly reveal its extent or its danger. Our government and corporations are a "glass house," all but transparent to our adversaries. Counterfeit computer chips have found their way into our fighter aircraft; the Chinese stole a new radar system that the navy spent billions to develop; our own soldiers used intentionally corrupted thumb drives to download classified intel from laptops in Iraq. And much more. Dispatches from the corporate world are just as dire. In 2008, hackers lifted customer files from the Royal Bank of Scotland and used them to withdraw $9 million in half an hour from ATMs in the United States, Britain, and Canada. If that was a traditional heist, it would be counted as one of the largest in history. Worldwide, corporations lose on average $5 million worth of intellectual property apiece annually, and big companies lose many times that. The structure and culture of the Internet favor spies over governments and corporations, and hackers over privacy, and we've done little to alter that balance. Brenner draws on his extraordinary background to show how to right this imbalance and bring to cyberspace the freedom, accountability, and security we expect elsewhere in our lives. In America the Vulnerable, Brenner offers a chilling and revelatory appraisal of the new faces of war and espionage-virtual battles with dangerous implications for government, business, and all of us. .
America the Vulnerable: Struggling to Secure the Homeland
by Stephen FlynnIn this powerful and urgently needed call to action, national security expert Stephen Flynn offers a startling portrait of the radical shortcomings in America's plan for homeland security. He describes a frightening scenario of what the next major terrorist attack might look like -- revealing the tragic loss of life and economic havoc it would leave in its wake, as well as the seismic political consequences it would have in Washington. Flynn also shows us how to prepare for such a disaster, outlining a bold yet practical plan for achieving security in a way that is safe and smart, effective and manageable.In this new world of heightened risk and fear, America the Vulnerable delivers a timely, forceful message that cannot be ignored.
America Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy
by Ivo H. Daalder James M. LindsayAnalysis of George W. Bush's foreign policy, specifically from the start of his administration to mid 2003.
America Unequal
by Sheldon Danziger; Peter GottschalkAmerica Unequal challenges the view, emphasized in the Republicans' "Contract with America," that restraining government social spending and cutting welfare should be our top domestic priorities. Instead, it proposes a set of policies that would reduce poverty by supplementing the earnings of low-wage workers and increasing the employment prospects of the jobless. Such demand-side policies, are essential for correcting a labor market that has been increasingly unable to absorb less-skilled and less-experienced workers.
America Votes 32: 2015-2016, Election Returns by State
by Rhodes CookAuthoritative, extensive in scope and meticulously researched, America Votes is a valuable resource that includes official, state-certified election returns for the presidential, House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections of 2015 and 2016. Including both primary and general election data, this volume is an essential acquisition for university, school, public, and professional libraries. <p><p> First published during the Eisenhower administration researchers have long depended on America Votes for its consistent and detailed presentation of election data from across disparate state election offices. Author Rhodes Cook brings to the volume years of election analysis experience and expertise in navigating the complicated U.S. electoral landscape. Features of the updated 32nd Edition include: <p> An introduction to the 2016 elections, including useful statistics and analysis of the Republican victories that cemented their control of the House and Senate <p> Primary and general election results for the 2016 congressional, gubernatorial and presidential elections <p> Congressional special elections from the 114th and 115th Congresses <p> Historical election returns for presidential, gubernatorial, and Senate races
America Votes 33: 2017-2018, Election Returns by State
by Rhodes CookAuthoritative, extensive in scope and meticulously researched, America Votes is a valuable resource that includes official, state-certified election returns for the presidential, House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections of 2017 and 2018. Including both primary and general election data, this volume is an essential acquisition for university, school, public, and professional libraries. First published during the Eisenhower administration researchers have long depended on America Votes for its consistent and detailed presentation of election data from across disparate state election offices. Author Rhodes Cook brings to the volume years of election analysis experience and expertise in navigating the complicated U.S. electoral landscape. Features of the updated 33rd Edition include: An introduction to the 2018 elections, including useful statistics and analysis of Trump's influence at the voting booth and the countered anticipation of a blue wave Primary and general election results for the 2018 congressional and gubernatorial elections Congressional special elections from the 115th and 116th Congresses Historical election returns for gubernatorial and Senate races
America Votes 33: 2017-2018, Election Returns by State
by Rhodes CookAuthoritative, extensive in scope and meticulously researched, America Votes is a valuable resource that includes official, state-certified election returns for the presidential, House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections of 2017 and 2018. Including both primary and general election data, this volume is an essential acquisition for university, school, public, and professional libraries. First published during the Eisenhower administration researchers have long depended on America Votes for its consistent and detailed presentation of election data from across disparate state election offices. Author Rhodes Cook brings to the volume years of election analysis experience and expertise in navigating the complicated U.S. electoral landscape. Features of the updated 33rd Edition include: An introduction to the 2018 elections, including useful statistics and analysis of Trump's influence at the voting booth and the countered anticipation of a blue wave Primary and general election results for the 2018 congressional and gubernatorial elections Congressional special elections from the 115th and 116th Congresses Historical election returns for gubernatorial and Senate races
America Votes 34: 2019-2020, Election Returns by State
by Rhodes CookFirst published during the Eisenhower administration, researchers have long depended on America Votes for its consistent and detailed presentation of election data from across disparate state election offices. America Votes (AV) is published biennially, and since the mid-1990s has been authored or co-authored by Rhodes Cook, who brings to the volume years of election analysis experience and expertise in navigating the complicated U.S. electoral landscape. The book contains an introduction and election coverage by Cook, which will be expanded this edition to capture new trends analysis, and is predominantly composed of election result tables. Organized by state, this edition of AV is a valuable resource that includes official, state-certified special, primary, and general election returns for the House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections of 2019 and 2020.
America Votes 34: 2019-2020, Election Returns by State
by Rhodes CookFirst published during the Eisenhower administration, researchers have long depended on America Votes for its consistent and detailed presentation of election data from across disparate state election offices. America Votes (AV) is published biennially, and since the mid-1990s has been authored or co-authored by Rhodes Cook, who brings to the volume years of election analysis experience and expertise in navigating the complicated U.S. electoral landscape. The book contains an introduction and election coverage by Cook, which will be expanded this edition to capture new trends analysis, and is predominantly composed of election result tables. Organized by state, this edition of AV is a valuable resource that includes official, state-certified special, primary, and general election returns for the House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections of 2019 and 2020.
America Votes 35: 2021-2022, Election Returns by State
by John Miles ColemanFirst published during the Eisenhower administration, researchers have long depended on America Votes for its consistent and detailed presentation of election data from across disparate state election offices. America Votes (AV) is published biennially, and contains an introduction and election coverage by the author, which captures new trends analysis, and is predominantly composed of election result tables. Organized by state, this edition of AV is a valuable resource that includes official, state-certified special, primary, and general election returns for the House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections of 2021 and 2022.
America Votes 35: 2021-2022, Election Returns by State
by John Miles ColemanFirst published during the Eisenhower administration, researchers have long depended on America Votes for its consistent and detailed presentation of election data from across disparate state election offices. America Votes (AV) is published biennially, and contains an introduction and election coverage by the author, which captures new trends analysis, and is predominantly composed of election result tables. Organized by state, this edition of AV is a valuable resource that includes official, state-certified special, primary, and general election returns for the House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections of 2021 and 2022.
America vs. Americans: How Capitalism Has Failed a Capitalist Nation and What We Can Do About It
by Eric WadeIn America vs. Americans, Eric Wade presents American Laborism, a revolutionary new economic system, where the greatest commodity isn&’t cash, it&’s work.Capitalism is broken. Despite its successes, capitalism gives us the largest wealth gap in American history, failing Social Security, a weak currency, and a looming threat of AI destroying our workforce. We need a new system—one built around people rather than capital. A system that values each person&’s unique contribution, ingenuity, and hard work—their labor. A system in which the greatest commodity isn&’t cash; it&’s work. And a system in which Americans at every level of society and government are working together. We need American Laborism, a revolutionary new system that presents a workable, low-tax form of capitalism for those who want it—and a dignified, healthy, happy, and fulfilled life for everyone else. Under American Laborism, if you&’re happy with the current capitalist system, great! Carry on—but you&’ll get to do it with a smaller government, fewer regulations, better-educated employees, and lower taxes. And if capitalism hasn&’t worked out as well for you, you get access to unlimited free education and training, guaranteed housing and food, and a sound asset-backed currency. Everybody wins! American Laborism isn&’t just a replacement for capitalism. It&’s an upgrade. Every American has the right to live a life of dignity, to contribute, and to ensure that their basic needs are respected by their society. American Laborism can improve the lives of every American by bringing the least among us up . . . without bringing anyone else down. It&’s time to heal our nation. It&’s time for American Laborism.
America, War and Power: Defining the State, 1775-2005 (War, History and Politics)
by Lawrence Sondhaus A. James FullerWritten by leading historians and political scientists, this collection of essays offers a broad and comprehensive coverage of the role of war in American history. Addressing the role of the armed force, and attitudes towards it, in shaping and defining the United States, the first four chapters reflect the perspectives of historians on this central question, from the time of the American Revolution to the US wars in Vietnam and Iraq. Chapters five and six offer the views of political scientists on the topic, one in light of the global systems theory, the other from the perspective of domestic opinion and governance. The concluding essay is written by historians Fred Anderson and Andrew Cayton, whose co-authored book The Dominion of War: Empire and Liberty in North America, 1500-2000 provided the common reading for the symposium which produced these essays. America, War and Power will be of much interest to students and scholars of US military history, US politics and military history and strategy in general.
The America We Deserve
by Donald TrumpThe essential, bestselling book that first defined President Donald Trump's political ideas.The America We Deserve is the essential book for anyone who wants to understand the core of Donald Trump's political thinking. In this book, written as he first considered running for president in 2000, Trump offers no-nonsense, populist, provocative, and dramatic solutions to issues that continue to resonate with voters today.In this book, Trump lays out a vision for America that is strong, optimistic, and founded on core Republican principles of self-reliance, limited governance, economic growth, and equitable taxation. Striking for its similarities to President Trump's current initiatives--but also fascinating in its differences--The America We Deserve reveals a man who is fully engaged with the nation and cares deeply about its future. Readers and voters will discover Trump's ideas on:*Foreign policy and relations with China, Russia, North Korea, and Israel*How to fix our broken and underperfoming education system*Reducing regulations on business to help create jobs and economic growth*A dramatic one-time tax on the super-wealthy to close the national debt and fuel tax cuts for the middle class*Immigration, crime, terrorism, and moreThe America We Deserve is essential reading for Trump-watchers, voters, Republicans, Democrats, and anyone interested in how Trump the businessman became Trump the president.
America! What’s My Name: The "Other" Poets Unfurl the Flag
by Frank X. WalkerA multi-cultural anthology of modern poetry.
America Works: Thoughts on an Exceptional U.S. Labor Market
by Richard B. FreemanThe U.S. labor market is the most laissez faire of any developed nation, with a weak social safety net and little government regulation compared to Europe or Japan. Some economists point to this hands-off approach as the source of America’s low unemployment and high per-capita income. But the stagnant living standards and rising economic insecurity many Americans now face take some of the luster off the U.S. model. In America Works, noted economist Richard Freeman reveals how U.S. policies have created a labor market remarkable both for its dynamism and its disparities. America Works takes readers on a grand tour of America’s exceptional labor market, comparing the economic institutions and performance of the United States to the economies of Europe and other wealthy countries. The U.S. economy has an impressive track record when it comes to job creation and productivity growth, but it isn’t so good at reducing poverty or raising the wages of the average worker. Despite huge gains in productivity, most Americans are hardly better off than they were a generation ago. The median wage is actually lower now than in the early 1970s, and the poverty rate in 2005 was higher than in 1969. So why have the benefits of productivity growth been distributed so unevenly? One reason is that unions have been steadily declining in membership. In Europe, labor laws extend collective bargaining settlements to non-unionized firms. Because wage agreements in America only apply to firms where workers are unionized, American managers have discouraged unionization drives more aggressively. In addition, globalization and immigration have placed growing competitive pressure on American workers. And boards of directors appointed by CEOs have raised executive pay to astronomical levels. Freeman addresses these problems with a variety of proposals designed to maintain the vigor of the U.S. economy while spreading more of its benefits to working Americans. To maintain America’s global competitive edge, Freeman calls for increased R&D spending and financial incentives for students pursuing graduate studies in science and engineering. To improve corporate governance, he advocates licensing individuals who serve on corporate boards. Freeman also makes the case for fostering worker associations outside of the confines of traditional unions and for establishing a federal agency to promote profit-sharing and employee ownership. Assessing the performance of the U.S. job market in light of other developed countries’ recent history highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the free market model. Written with authoritative knowledge and incisive wit, America Works provides a compelling plan for how we can make markets work better for all Americans. A Volume in the Russell Sage Foundation's Centennial Series
America, You Sexy Bitch: A Love Letter to Freedom
by Michael Black Meghan MccainIn the summer of 2011, McCain and Black embarked on a balls-out, cross-country tour. Along the way, they spoke to politicians, gun lovers, abortion-rights advocates and opponents, gay parents, flag burners, Muslims, poker players, Tea Partiers, Minutemen, veterans, teen moms, bikers, fast food workers, and a hooker or two. They toured the White House. They fired semiautomatic weapons. They stopped and ate at every Olive Garden along the way. But mostly they talked to each other about their differences, their similarities. It’s Chelsea Handler meets Hunter S. Thompson in a political cannonball run across America.
The American: A Middle Western Legend
by Howard FastThe #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Spartacus reimagines the life of John Peter Altgeld, a courageous politician and forgotten national hero. Though Abraham Lincoln is often considered the United States&’ most legendary politician, he wasn&’t the only country lawyer out of Illinois to change the face of the nation. John Peter Altgeld fought for Lincoln as a foot soldier in the Union Army, then followed in his footsteps from law to politics, eventually becoming governor of Illinois in 1896. Howard Fast&’s dazzling fictional account of Altgeld&’s life offers an inspirational example of a man who made great sacrifices for quintessentially American ideals. Inspired by Altgeld&’s social reforms, such as his fight against the dehumanizing economic injustice of the Gilded Age and his trailblazing implementation of some of the nation&’s first child labor laws, Fast celebrates the compelling life of an unsung American luminary. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
American: Beyond Our Grandest Notions
by Chris MatthewsFrom Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball and NBC's The Chris Matthews Show, and New York Times bestselling author of Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think, comes a definitive work on the lifeblood of America -- its enduring spirit. People have often wondered what makes America truly great. With a citizenry of vastly different races, religions, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds, what intangible bond unites and defines us as "Americans"? In his own inimitable style, Chris Matthews offers a portrait of a country born of contradictions. We are a people reluctant to fight, who become ferocious when threatened or attacked. We are a deeply practical nation, yet we stand as the world's great optimists. Inherently suspicious of governmental power, we still embrace our flag in times of danger. Fiercely independent, in love with freedom, and eager to face the future, we are like no other people on earth. Matthews asserts that our greatest strength is a set of distinct notions that comprise our national character. The self-made man. The reluctant warrior. The lone hero. We celebrate them in our popular culture and throughout our history, from 1776 to 9/11. In American, Matthews explores the best America stands for and portrays our country as a beacon for the modern world -- unafraid of challenges, moving ever forward, and ready and willing to prevail.
American Administrative Capacity: Decline, Decay, and Resilience
by M. Ernita Joaquin Thomas J. GreitensThis volume proposes a capacity-centered approach for understanding American bureaucracy. The administrative institutions that made the country a superpower turned out to be fragile under Donald Trump’s presidency. Laboring beneath systematic accusations of deep statism, combined with a market oriented federal administration, bureaucratic capacity manifested its decay in the public health and constitutional cataclysms of 2020, denting America’s global leadership and contributing to its own people’s suffering. The authors combine interviews with a historical examination of federal administrative reforms in the backdrop of the recent pandemic and electoral tumult to craft a developmental framework of the ebb and flow of capacity. While reforms, large and small, brought about professionalization and other benefits to federal administration, they also camouflaged a gradual erosion when anti-bureaucratic approaches became entrenched. A sclerotic, brittle condition in the government’s capacity to work efficiently and accountably arose over time, even as administrative power consolidated around the executive. That co-evolutionary dynamic made federal government ripe for the capacity bifurcation, delegitimization, and disinvestment witnessed over the last four years. As the system works out the long-term impacts of such a deconstruction, it also prompts a rethinking of capacity in more durable terms. Calling attention to a more comprehensive appreciation of the dynamics around administrative capacity, this volume argues for Congress, citizens, and the good government community to promote capacity rebuilding initiatives that have resilience at the core. As such, the book will be of interest to citizens, public reformers, civic leaders, scholars and students of public administration, policy, and public affairs.