Al Franken

I read this slowly on my Kindle app, starting before Franken resigned from the Senate and finishing it after, and my big takeaway is that I wish he hadn't resigned, because we need him, or someone like him, or many someones like him in government.

The book covers his early years, with a whirlwind tour of his formative years, a few chapters on his comedy career (including some nice behind-the-scenes looks at "Saturday Night Live"), then following with his entry into politics, and finally, his show more time in the Senate. What I most want is a follow-up that includes his resignation and how he feels about the current state of the US.

The insights into how government works, or doesn't, and his opinions of his fellow senators are worth the price, alone. This is a funny, serious, snarky, wise, and important book. I highly recommend it. show less

Let's begin by stating what this book isn't. If you're looking for a laugh-a-minute memoir, this won't quite fit the bill. Some readers might conclude that Franken has tempered his humor a bit for this literary work, just as he did upon his arrival on Capitol Hill. Still, his wry humor and comedic spin provides more than enough chuckles as the author recounts his budding career as a senator. Franken provides behind-the-scenes insights into congressional tug-of-wars involving everything from show more healthcare reform and campaign finance reform, to climate change and media consolidation. One of the most interesting sections of the book is served up right at the start as Franken traces his roots in comedy, his adventures on Saturday Night Live and his transition from a comedian to an elected official. show less

It is terribly important that the most trusted figures in American politics right now are comedians: Al Franken, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert. It is important that our newest president has only ever actually been professionally successful as a television character.

Don't get me wrong: I don't think actors, performers, and certainly not writers are somehow less valid as elected officials. While the primary business of senators and congress people is lawmaking, I recognize that they themselves show more don't (possibly ever anymore) write the laws; federal laws are written by interested parties, think tanks, and congressional staff. So it isn't necessary to be a lawyer in order to shape laws. What is necessary: I think a broad, general interest is good; literacy is useful; the ability to listen is huge; one has to judge sources, because I'm sure there's never less than two sides to any issue, and all of them purport to have data backing them up, of which some must be less valid or useful than others; a willingness to admit ignorance and to learn is key, because no one is an expert in everything, and hastily-formed judgements are unlikely to result in successful solutions to complex problems. And of course, one has to be able to work with many difficult people, but that's true of all work, isn't it? That list of qualities leaves previous work experience pretty open.

It's important that our emperor is naked, and that as many people as possible are pointing at the bare ass he's waggling at us, and laughing. It's not possible to bring him down by arguing with him or fact-checking him: he's a shameless liar, he just makes shit up, most of his shtick is just childish insults. You can't argue with him. He doesn't believe in the idea of a fair fight. But you can point and laugh: he has no defense against mockery.

Franken is a mensch. I would give that man an organ I can't spare, secure in the knowledge that he would use it only for good. He is everything one could hope for in an elected representative, just once I would like to vote for someone who was so progressive and also so pragmatic. Harvard has gone up in my esteem by being Franken's alma mater. If you've never read any of Franken's political books you're in for a treat.

Library copy show less

Reading this book reminds me that you can both be a good and competent politician (which is quite an accomplishment) and still fail to further meaningful work. In particular, what I'm speaking to here is that, although Franken has pushed forward a number of perfectly fine bills, such as on therapeutic dogs for veterans, he hasn't made any real progress on the climate change front, despite the fact that he reiterated the existential importance of this numerous times throughout the text. One show more poignant simile people use to illustrate a lack of prioritization: "like reorganizing the deck chairs on the Titanic."

You might say I'm being unfair to him; "even senators aren't gods." Maybe. But I don't think so. We all have a responsibility to put ourselves to a highest and best use, as discerned by reflecting on our values and vocation. I don't think Franken has yet found this vocation in his life as a politician.

One missing component seems to involve his insecurities surrounding his primary asset—his sense of humor. These are weird times. Trump's election should have dispelled any sense of normality. And yet, for whatever reason, Franken still seems to feel that he needs to "uphold the honor of the office." I think that's pompous, conservative, and irresponsible. Franken should be using whatever tools are at his disposal to accomplish his aims—first a foremost, a biting sense of humor, which he should be deploying without remorse.

I'd like to add that I don't think everyone should believe global warming is our most pressing issue—I don't. But Franken said he does, and I find it disappointing that his actions as an elected leader don't reflect this sentiment. This sort of inconsistency leads to impotence.

Additionally, I was also disappointed by Fraken's partisanship: "democrats are good, republicans are bad." This false dichotomy lacks the nuanced understanding that both parties dominantly fall within an extremist ideology known "neoliberalism." That this kind of political analysis wasn't once brought up during the pages of this text speaks to Franken's naïveté. He didn't really even talk about about Bernie (although this would just be the easiest point of entry for such a discussion, and not mandatory). He's not seeing the forest for the trees in the realm of social theory.

Look, maybe progressives find a book like this cathartic during these difficult times, and that's fine. But we can't stop there, and our senators definitely can't stop there. Now is a time for grand vision, stalwart resolve, and decisive action. show less