McLarenblog

Title: Winner-Take-All Politics
Authors: Jacob S. Hacker & Paul Pierson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks
ISBN: 978-1-4165-8870-2
List price: $15 (paperback)

Following is a book review that is in progress and as such may change at any moment.

How I chose this book to read:
I must confess that although I buy a lot of books, I seldom find the time to read any book  more than part way through.  Not enough time and not enough sustained interest may be my affliction.  So it was simply surprising to myself when I picked up a book that I anticipated would be tossed into the party read pile but instead it remained in my hands and I am drawn to it like a very sweet jelly doughnut.   Let me step back a moment and tell you of my concerns that draws me to a particular book.  I have longed wondered what was going wrong with my country.  I am simply amazed that I live in the United States of America and not some back water third world country where I would be destined to scratch out a living and not experience the level of happiness that is a great part of this country and what I experience with my current life.  This country is not perfect and I get a deep feeling that some corrective action is needed.   There are a lot of issues hanging in my mind that I could not understand or the why behind a number of issues: the political morass in Washington, the GOP vs Democratic feud that is so ungentlemanly, the economic troubles that seem to draw this county down, my friends and students not able to find jobs and this list goes on and on.  Almost by accident I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble one day on my way to pay for the one book that I had in my hand.  I really do not know why I looked down and was drawn to the book Winner-Take-All Politics but I did.  I do not believe in predestination but picking that book up really got me to think of how lucky I was that I made that decision.  It is important because after reading just over half the book I realize that it stands as a possible game changer for this country.  I truly believe that this book’s true value is on par with Silent Spring, The Prince, and The Medium is the Message.  This book will only matter if enough people read it and reflect upon its lessons and act appropriately.

Book review:
We need to solve some important social and political problems in regard to the U.S.A. political process and to gain social results that improve this country.  We do have a personal responsibility to do what is right not just to ourselves but our family, our tribe, friends and everyone.   This book may help you to make the correct decisions.  It is based on a lot of research and covers a huge area of political landscape, almost exhaustive in its presentation and most impressive piece of writing.   The information comes at you at a mind numbing speed which may be why I liken it to eating a jelly doughnut, gives me a intellectual (not sugar) high.  I just love to immerse myself in truthful viewpoints as they are so darn hard to find.  It seems everyone wants to control your and my mind on important issues.  Everyone seems to be skewed to the point of being dishonest in their pronouncements.  I get a gut feeling that these writers found an array of important lessons and have laid the array out pretty well order that we can all follow the logic, follow the history, and may agree on where we are going if corrective action is not taken.  Most important to me is this seems to be a honest work.