Political Reform

From the former secretary of defense and author of the acclaimed #1 best-selling memoir Duty, a characteristically direct, informed, and urgent assessment of why big institutions are failing us and how smart, committed leadership can effect real improvement regardless of scale.

Locked In is a revelatory investigation into the root causes of mass incarceration by one of the most exciting scholars in the country. Having spent 15 years studying the data on imprisonment, John Pfaff takes apart the reigning consensus created by Michelle Alexander and other reformers, revealing that the most widely accepted explanations - the failed War on Drugs, draconian sentencing laws, an increasing reliance on private prisons - tell us much less than we think.

American democracy is at an impasse. After years of zero-sum partisan trench warfare, our political institutions are deteriorating. Our norms are collapsing. Democrats and Republicans no longer merely argue; they cut off contact with each other. In short, the two-party system is breaking our democracy, and driving us all crazy.

In 2014, Shane Bauer was hired for nine dollars an hour to work as an entry-level prison guard at a private prison in Winnfield, Louisiana. An award-winning investigative journalist, he used his real name. Four months later, his employment came to an abrupt end. But he had seen enough and wrote an exposé about his experiences that won a National Magazine Award. In American Prison, Bauer weaves a much deeper reckoning with his experiences together with a thoroughly researched history of for-profit prisons in America from their origins in the decades before the Civil War.

In this short, searing book, Auster traces centuries of America’s use and abuse of guns, through the colonial prehistory of the Republic, armed conflict against the native population, the forced enslavement of millions, and the mass shootings that dominate the current news cycle. He examines the embattled gun-control and anti-gun-control camps, frames gun violence as a public health issue, and investigates the details of one horrific incident including the perpetrator’s unchecked purchase of the gun he used and the suffering of a bystander-turned-hero.

A vivid sketch of White House work in an age of resistance. Perfectly timed to the unfolding of the most consequential Presidential administration in decades, this narrative by a former West Wing aide provides a brisk portrayal of the professional demands and personal pressures of service in the White House. The story is told in three quite different and intertwined styles: There is the absorbing transcript of an intimate conversation in which two historians quiz the author about his experiences in Washington. A string of lucid documentary chapters chronicle events at the highest levels of ...

This book outlines the problems with our democracy. It shows how to fix them.

Has American democracy's long, ambitious run come to an end? Possibly yes. As William G. Howell and Terry M. Moe argue in this trenchant new analysis of modern politics, the United States faces a historic crisis that threatens our system of self-government - and if democracy is to be saved, the causes of the crisis must be understood and defused.

We the People CAN Drain the Swamp. November 8, 2016 will be remembered as an electoral earthquake. Washington, DC is bracing for the most fundamental challenge to the status quo since Franklin Roosevelt assumed the presidency in 1933. Donald Trump, against all odds, upended the Bush, Clinton, and Obama political machines. Now comes the ultimate challenge: Will President Trump tear down the Special Interest State that has dominated Washington for decades? 'Disrupt Politics' makes the case for fundamental reform. It exposes how Washington works. It presents an action plan for a peaceful ...

Using campus social justice movements as an entry point, Leigh Patel shows how the struggles in higher education often directly challenged the tension between narratives of education as a pathway to improvement and the structural reality of settler colonialism that creates and protects wealth for a select few.

Buying the Vote analyzes the rise and decline of campaign finance reform by tracking the evolution of both the ways in which presidential campaigns have been funded since the late nineteenth century. Through close examinations of major Supreme Court decisions, Mutch shows how the Court has fashioned a new and profoundly inegalitarian definition of American democracy.

Journey to a World Led by Integrity In an era marked by political disillusionment, rampant corruption, and a growing distrust in leadership, "Beyond Tyranny: Creating a World Led by Integrity" emerges as a clarion call for change. This transformative eBook invites readers on a profound journey that challenges the very foundations of governance and explores the essential qualities of ethical leadership. A Vision for Authentic Leadership Imagine a world where leaders are universally respected for their wisdom and compassion—where the highest offices are filled not by those who seek power ...

In an age of sweeping global change and unprecedented challenges, democratic systems are under strain like never before. Democracy in Distress: A Citizen’s Guide to the New Political Reality is an essential handbook for those who believe in the power of informed, engaged citizens to protect and strengthen democracy. This comprehensive guide dives deep into the mechanics of democratic governance, from the role of checks and balances and the importance of transparency to the vital impact of electoral integrity and active citizenship. Drawing from real-world examples and case studies around ...

Girolamo Savonarola—his name evokes images of fiery sermons, relentless reform, and a city gripped by revolution. If you’ve ever wondered how one man, armed with nothing but his faith and words, could shake the foundations of Renaissance Florence, this book is your answer. • Discover the rise of a prophet who dared to defy the Medici, the Pope, and the cultural excesses of his time. • Uncover the passionate conviction that led to the infamous Bonfire of the Vanities, an event that forever altered the course of history. • Witness Savonarola’s fierce battle against corruption and ...

Over the past several years, Jonathan Kozol has visited nearly 60 public schools. Virtually everywhere, he finds that conditions have grown worse for inner-city children in the 15 years since federal courts began dismantling the landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. First, a state of nearly absolute apartheid now prevails in thousands of our schools. The segregation of Black children has reverted to a level that the nation has not seen since 1968.

In this searing and deeply researched examination of the promises and realities of racial integration, award-winning Washington Post journalist Laura Meckler aims to uncover where the problem lies and to shed light on what’s being done to move forward—in housing, in education, and in the promise of shared community.

The Mexican American War has ended, but in a California divided between two nations, Anglo squatters continue to antagonize citizens of Mexican descent by making claims on their land. Against this charged backdrop, the lives of the Alamar family - the rightful owners of a San Diego ranch - become politically, economically, and romantically entwined with a family of New England settlers, the Darrells. Inspired by experiences in her own life, Ruiz de Burton insightfully captured a troubling time in American history - a period of intense corruption, greed, racism, and classism.

Judicial decisions assessing the constitutional rights of students in the nation’s public schools have consistently generated bitter controversy. The Schoolhouse Gate gives a fresh, lucid, and provocative account of the historic legal battles waged over education and illuminates contemporary disputes that continue to fracture the nation.

On December 16, 2019, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary House of Representatives, and the full Committee on the Judiciary released an updated version of the Impeachment Report. Now officially titled Impeachment of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, Report of the Committee on the Judiciary House of Representatives, this document serves as the latest government-issued report from the Democrat-led House.

For a short time after his divorce, Donald Burlington was not only the President of the United States, but also the most eligible bachelor in the world, not a title he wanted to keep. At a much-needed weekend retreat at Camp David, things heat up between him and his trusted assistant, Nicole, even though they both know their relationship is a potential weakness and political nightmare for the administration. They hope to be able to hide their budding relationship from the White House staff, the media, and the American public—but will they be exposed and eaten alive? Back in DC, President ...