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Loading... A letter to America (original 2008; edition 2008)by David Boren (Author)
Work InformationA Letter to America by David Boren (2008)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Written in 2008 but just as needed in 2018 as it would have been at the election of 2016 as well. I don't ever recall hearing about Boren before this, but this is a very well put together 'letter' and argument on behalf of the United States of America. Sadly, since it was written in 2008 much of what he has asked for and hoped would be changed (partianship, poor infrastructure, poor education, etc) has gotten even worse rather than better. All the reason more that this needs to be read. ( ) Former senator and current University of Oklahoma president David Boren has written a timely and very much worth-reading short book, A Letter to America (Univ. of OK Press). Boren, a strong centrist, takes a close look at the shabby shape of American politics and political discourse today and offers some meaningful advice which if followed might allow us to begin emerging from the hyper-partisan morass we've become engulfed in. Boren's policy ideas are largely uncontroversial - he makes the sort of common-sense suggestions that 90% of people could agree on immediately (and do, when asked in polls), but which don't get acted upon because the political process is too gummed up with partisan shenanigans. "Many of the solutions are obvious," he writes, "but each party is afraid to act because of the attacks they know will come from the other side to artfully press the emotional hot buttons of American voters" (p. 45). We all know we've got to come up with real ways to solve the major problems we face: entitlement solvency, energy reform, gigantic deficits, climate change and the negative global perceptions of America. But those tough issues and many more have fallen prey to the never-ending campaign cycle and the shrill-toned blather which currently passes for political debate. At just 110 pages, Boren's book is a very accessible, very succinct, and very clear exposition of the centrist worldview. I recommend it highly, and hope it will be widely read. His is a voice of reason when more of those are sorely needed. http://philobiblos.blogspot.com/2008/03/book-review-letter-to-america.html An excellent read from an author who writes with great clarity. I think he does a great job explaining what is wrong about America and it's impact on our status as a global superpower. He believes that major reforms are needed to restore our status or we will slide into the oblivion of many great nations before us. His solutions are sound. Unlike the author, I believe we are too late, too removed from our weaknesses, too arrogant as to our capabilities. And when it is finally discovered, becomes widely known, we will be the leader that was. I dearly hope my views are wrong. But the America of our forefathers is no more. no reviews | add a review
A powerful wake-up call to all Americans With only 6 percent of the world's population, how long will the United States remain a global superpower? The answer, David Boren tells us in A Letter to America, depends on asking ourselves tough questions. A powerful wake-up call to Americans, A Letter to America, forces us to take a bold, objective look at ourselves. In A Letter to America, Boren explains with unsparing clarity why the country is at a crossroads and why decisive action is urgently needed and offers us an ambitious, hopeful plan. What the country needs, Boren asserts, are major reforms to restore the ability of our political system to act responsibly. By relying on our shared values, we can replace cynicism with hope and strengthen our determination to build a better future. We must fashion a post-Cold War foreign policy that fits twenty-first-century realities--including multiple contending superpowers. We must adopt campaign finance reform that curbs the influence of special interests and restores political power to the voters. Universal health care coverage, budget deficit reduction, affordable higher education, and a more progressive tax structure will strengthen the middle class. Boren also describes how we can renew our emphasis on quality primary and secondary education, revitalize our spirit of community, and promote volunteerism. He urges the teaching of more American history and government, for without educated citizens our system cannot function and our rights will not be preserved. Unless we understand how we became great, we will not remain great. The plan Boren puts forward is optimistic and challenges Americans to look into the future, decide what we want to be and where we want to go, and then implement the policies and actions we need to take us there. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)320.60973Social sciences Political Science Political Science Policy formulation Biography And History North America United StatesLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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