Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues

Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues
Average customer rating:

best field guide for grassroots organizing

A Great Guide for Progressives

The BEST Nuts & Bolts Book on Progressive Campaigning!!!

This book is fantastic

Progressive Democrats unite, Stand up and fight...using this book!

Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues
Wellstone Action
Manufacturer: University Of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0816646651

Book Description

During the past four years, political activism has grown to a level that has not been seen in the United States since the Vietnam War. Tensions over the war in Iraq and the presidential election motivated hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the political fence to take to the streets. Politics the Wellstone Way offers a comprehensive set of strategies to help progressives channel that energy into winning issue-based and electoral campaigns.

Wellstone Action is a nonprofit organization dedicated to continuing Paul and Sheila Wellstone’s fight for progressive change and economic justice by teaching effective political action skills to people across the country. Politics the Wellstone Way is a workshop in book form, providing the detailed framework needed to jump-start a new generation of activists plus plenty of helpful tools for old pros, including articulating a strong message, base building, field organizing, budgeting, fundraising, scheduling, getting out the vote, and grassroots advocacy and lobbying, illustrated by practical and inspirational examples.

From the school board all the way to the White House, Politics the Wellstone Way instructs people on becoming better organizers, candidates, campaign workers, and citizen activists, empowering them to make their voices heard.

Wellstone Action was established by the Wellstones’ two surviving sons, David and Mark. The main vehicle for this ongoing work is Camp Wellstone, a weekend training program that Wellstone Action leads regularly in locations across the country. Jeff Blodgett, Paul Wellstone’s longtime campaign manager, is the executive director of Wellstone Action. For more information visit www.wellstoneaction.org.

Customer Reviews:

best field guide for grassroots organizing.......2006-08-07

I teach politics and grassroots organizing and have reviewed many similar books. Politics the Wellstone Way is hands down the absolute best book in this genre I have seen. Paul Wellstone was an organizing genious and developed a special talent for combining electoral politics and grassroots organizing with effective policy work. Bill Lofy and the other staffers at Wellstone Action have beautifully captured the wisdom and skills Wellstone was able to accumulate in over 30 years in grassroots organizing and electoral campaigning. I highly recommend it for progressive who wants to learn how to win elections and win in issue organizing for progressive issues. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning how to rebuild democracy in America.

A Great Guide for Progressives.......2006-05-21

This book is designed to be a practical campaign manual for progressive grassroots candidates and organizations in both the context of candidate races, and issue campaigns.

The book is based on the Wellstone campaigns for US Senate in Minnesota, which were highly successful and great models for "people power" campaigns. The media strategies used in the first campaign, against Rudy Boschwitz, were classic examples of what I call "guerilla campaigning," in that they used innovative approaches to get the biggest bang for the buck, and gain earned media. Now most campaigns from both parties do the same sort of thing, but at the time, in 1990, it was incredibly innovative.

Of course, the Wellstone campaigns were animated by Paul Wellstone, an incredibly charismatic and tenacious fighter in the political wars. For a less dynamic candidate, it is hard to say if the organization would have been as successful. Still, the lesson is that a strong, smart organization is the key to victory for outfinanced progressive candidates, and this book is designed to help build such organizations.

The book does lose some of its effectiveness for the smaller campaign, unfortunately. It is geared to provide a model for statewide and congressional races. Most smaller campaigns, such as those for state legislature, will not be able to do what is described in this book, for want of personnel or funds. Even so, the book gives terrific pointers for organization, strategy, and tactics considerations.

The BEST Nuts & Bolts Book on Progressive Campaigning!!!.......2006-01-09

Until recently, I wasn't able to attend a Camp Wellstone, so I did the next best thing, and purchased this book. It does an excellent job of laying out the basic knowledge needed in a progressive campaign. Very useful in electoral campaigning as well as issue based campaigns. A MUST READ for anyone involved in (or trying to join) an electoral or issue campaign. I have since purchased many books on elections, but this was the first, and in my opinion, the best overall book in my campaigning library.

This book is a basic nuts & bolts read. A very good primer and starter book on elections. READ THIS FIRST and then move on to the Faucheux and Shea type books if you are looking for a more in-depth education on campaigning and elections.

I proudly give POLITICS THE WELLSTONE WAY five stars!

This book is fantastic.......2005-12-29

As a past Camp Wellstone attendee, I wasn't sure whether I would find this book to be a rehash of the ideas and strategies taught in the wonderful training weekend. But I was inspired all over again by Politics the Wellstone Way. It articulates the best of progressive values and the winning, practical way to live them in the sphere of politics. Paul Wellstone's legacy and memory live on strongly in progressive politics, and I think Wellstone Action is doing a wonderful job of making that legacy fruitful. I attended Camp Wellstone not really knowing how I would use the training, but it has proved valuable in ways I didn't expect. I have been recommending this book to people as the next best thing.

Progressive Democrats unite, Stand up and fight...using this book!.......2005-10-10

This book is a tribute to the late Senator Paul Wellstone (D MN) and his wife Shelia, who died in a plane accident. Before his untimely demise, Wellstone was one of the most dynamic examples that liberalism was not dead in the Democratic Party and was not dead in America either.

I loved his floor speeches and sponsored legislation because they intentionally sought an America where people truly were united. He believed in and genuinely loved the American people.

This book, influenced by the workshop series Mark and David Wellstone started to honor their parents, explains how everybody and anybody can become a more effective progressive activist. The best cause in the world looses visibility when organizers cannot get their message out to the public or even figure out how to field organize.

Since even experienced activists can become overwhelmed with all of the tasks we need to do in tight races, having the basic steps laid out was also helpful for us. Another major strength of the book is that it is for novice politicos and veteran organizers alike. The more, the merrier!

Most of all, this book stresses the Wellstone way was and is connecting with people. The right only holds seats because their candidates spin to 'common people' but we do not have to put on such false airs. We can represent the common people because we are them.

The Patron Saint of Desperate Situations

Average customer rating:

The Professor hits a home run
Book better than the blurbs by far!
Exciting, Thrilling, A bright new voice!
A good choice for a good read!
Solid, Entertaining

The Patron Saint of Desperate Situations
John Harrigan "Until I met Sonia; I never questioned the plane crash that killed Paul Wellstone."
Manufacturer: Bridge Books Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0964256819
Release Date: 2007-02-28

Product Description

An immigrant single mom from Brazil, Sonia, is stalked by men she thinks killed the progressive U. S. Senator Paul Wellstone in 2002. Spurned by the police, she seeks help from Jake, a reserved businessman who shares none of her beliefs about Wellstone but who falls for her Latin charms. Soon the two of them are fleeing for their lives across the frosty landscape of Minnesota, and Sonia needs all the guidance her patron saint can give.

Customer Reviews:

The Professor hits a home run.......2007-10-09

John Harrigan was one of my political science professors at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. I read many of John's text books and articles. When he told me about his fiction project, I was intrigued. I bought John's book and read it over the Columbus Day weekend. What a treat. As with Garrison Keillor and David McCollough, I heard John's voice as I read the book. The twists and turns of the plot kept me at edge as I couldn't put the book down. I even imagined a movie along the same lines as a Grisham novel. I cannot wait to read another of John Harrigan's novels. Great job, John!

Book better than the blurbs by far!.......2007-08-31

Being familiar with how covers come to be attached to a book, I seldom judge a book by its cover. I will, however occasionally be enticed or turned off by the blurbs that accompany the book - on the back cover or inside the front. Merely reading the back cover copy actually turned me away from this book initially. And that would have been a shame, because this is one very good book, in almost every category one could imagine. One other small niggle--it's categorized as fiction or detective and mystery story; it's certainly fiction, but I think it's much more of a suspense novel (with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure) than anything else.

It is very well-written, and the author obviously knows of what he writes! The story is told in first person by the male protagonist, Jake (J. P.) Morgan, who is very sensitive towards the opinions and thoughts of the females he encounters in the telling of the tale.

Jake is a financial planner in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. One of his clients is Lars Johanson, a professor at Northland College of Arts and Sciences. After having invited Jake to a reception there, Lars doesn't appear, a somewhat surprising turn of affairs. However, one of his colleagues is there, and makes a startling conquest of Jake before he even realizes what has happened to him.

The beautiful Brazilian-born (but now U.S. citizen) Sonia Lindquist, teaches Art History at the school, but also works for a local gallery, specializing in art from South America. She is divorced (as is Jake) and has a young son, Rodrigo, who suffers from Williams Syndrome, which causes physical and mental problems, non-life-threatening, but difficult, nonetheless.

At the reception, Sonia tangles verbally with a new local philanthropist, a Mr. Radezewell, who promptly insults the memory and reputation of the very liberal U. S. Senator Paul Wellstone, who had recently died in a plane crash.

Jake falls hard for Sonia, and at first she reciprocates his feelings, but he, too, has a past that comes back to bite him--he's an alcoholic. He's been dry for five years, but can promise her no more than `one day at a time'. She wants more than that.

The day after the reception, Jake receives a note from Lars, directing him to a storage locker at the Mall of America, and asking Jake to secure the contents until Lars can explain. The contents consist of a million dollars in apparently unmarked and untraceable bills. After yet another day of hearing nothing from Lars, Jake heads to Lars' cabin in the north, and finds his mutilated body.

Almost immediately thereafter, Jake and Sonia find themselves being stalked, and banding together, they set out to find the missing items and decide the purpose of the money.

Here is where the suspense begins to build, as they must find ways and means to continue their search while staying alive. Rodrigo is sent to his grandparents in Rio, while Jake and Sonia discover the underbelly of American society in which money will buy nearly anything, including false IDs, untraceable guns and various other nefarious items.

It's a crackling good story that always makes sense. Every now and then, a marvelous fragment of a sentence grabs you and won't let go. For example: on page 229, `when cultures mix, exciting things happen.' and from page 247 `he ran into the bullet'.

As Jake and Sonia stumble around searching for the solution to the problem, she calls it a `jaytoo', or workaround. What a wonderful title that would have made. Totally unique, too. The Jaytoo.

Woven throughout are wonderful references to older Broadway musicals, old songs and the entertainers who made them famous. It adds a great amount of character delineation as Jake explains, and she struggles to understand, given their differences in age and ethnic background.. The story also provides an excellent introduction to Williams Syndrome, for those of us without previous knowledge of the symptoms and effects, as well as an insider's view of alcoholism and the constant struggle to get through just `one day at a time'.

I do take exception to his minor grumble about Title Nine, however; men had it their way for 20 or more centuries. Certainly, we women should have at least part of one!

Fabulous book - I recommend it highly! In fact, I do hope Mr. Harrigan writes more of them.

Exciting, Thrilling, A bright new voice!.......2007-05-22

It is with great pleasure that I finished reading John Harrigan's The Patron Saint of Desperate Situations with a huge smile on my face. The book had me on the edge of my seat. I simply could not put it down. Patron Saint marks the arrival of a bright new voice in suspense fiction.

Sonia and Jake meet by chance. They have no idea that their lives are entertwined in a way neither of them can control. As they both realise the kind of problem they are in, their desperate situations only seem to get heavier and heavier, to the point where they soon become the suspects of a murder investigation.

The thing to appreciate about this novel is how vivid and real the characters are. Sonia is flawed and so real she nearly crawls out of the page. Harrigan also has a great voice when it comes to writing dialogue. It is very real, very engaging.

Although I would have liked it if the two ongoing narratives verged more, I have to admit that this one really had me thinking. I can't wait to see what Harrigan has in store for us next.

A good choice for a good read!.......2007-05-16

A conspiracy. Romance. Lots of local color. And fast paced.
First novelist John Harrigan debuts with a "The Patron Saint of Desperate Situations" and a welcome it is. The conspiracy concerns the death of liberal Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone. The romance is between our narrator, a successful professional financial adviser (and recovering alcoholic) named J.P. Morgan (Right! But he prefers to be called Jake) who meets early on Sonia, a Brazilian ex-patriot, divorcee, and mother of a young boy. Set entirely in Minnesota, and more particularly the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul), Harrigan flavors the novel with plenty of local spots, niceties, and stories that lend deeply to the landscape and atmosphere of his story.
As this is a compelling story of murder and mayhem (to go along with the romance), Harrigan treats us to a plot that moves along at breakneck speed. The death of Sen. Wellstone, however, merely overhadowis the storyline. A suspicious death of Jake's best friend, with what appears to be connecting links to Wellstone turns into more than that. And because the friend had left notes (and possibly more) with Jake, the real murderers will stop at nothing to retrieve the incriminating evidence the friend possessed. From this point on, the pace only accelerates and by the time the conclusion hits us, the climactic scene is almost Hamlet-esque (with all those bodies lying around in Act V!).
"Patron Saint" is a good read. Harrigan spices the narrative with tidbits of art history, jazz, and even some dining delights. Here's to Harrigan's second novel! [...]

Solid, Entertaining.......2007-05-05

Disclaimer - I received a copy from the author who asked for a review (thanks, John). Reading is a holistic experience encompassing elements like title, cover, font, characters, plot, mood, language and dislogue. In this case I mentally gave an A+ to the title (perfect) but an F to the cover. It shrieks "Harlequin", a put off for many readers. Then there is the plot - can it capture the attention of the average reader? In this case, the answer would have to be "No".

A Google search on "Wellstone murder" got 118,000 hits. In Conpiracy Land, assassination chatter is downright normal with residents firmly convinced ("inside sources...") that evildoers caused the accident by a host of nefarious means - EMP, long-range sensors, inside payoffs. The problem is that outside Minnesota he was unknown. His legacy is (sadly) that tacky funeral cum political rally. He waxed more Populist than hard Leftist and his colleagues put up with his pantry of unpopular causes, humorously suggesting they were as much a matter of publicity as conviction.

Anyhoo, his plane crashed and Sonia, our Brazilian bombshell, is convinced that it was an iside job after overhearing comments by a business man. Caricature is a hallmark of mysteries (we like regularity) so there's the evil rich guy, the liberal crusader, the noble foreign outsider with a handicapped child, the befuddled male who is drawn in despite himself, the odl friend who betrays, etc. Some romantic actions made no sense - Sonia's anger at her rescue (twice) because our hero shot someone. Why leave him now after danger has passed? And worse, why return at the end so that we could have a "and they all lived happily ever after" conclusion?

The twin tales never really merged. A quirky investigation into a possible assassination would have been a good thriler on its own. So would a story about stopping a powerful businessman and his machinations to develop virgin land for greedy purposes. Their linkage was tenuous at best and seemed forced. The other problem was authenticity - parts of the story (the Minnesota parts) rang true, others sounded like classic Novelese, that filler language seen in mysteries. The second half was a huge improvment with the chase scenes, romance, final confrontation and at last, the discovery of the REAL secret. At the end, all the characters recede into the background, forgotten, except for the young boy. Rodrigo's childlike innocence remains with the reader, haunting, asking for more.

Average customer rating:

Intelligent examination of the problems of immortality
Leaves a little to be desired
Adolescent Angst in the Queendom of Sol
Basically fun along with some food for thought
Alarmingly Readable!

The Wellstone
Wil Mccarthy
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Lost in Transmission
The Collapsium
To Crush the Moon
Hacking Matter: Levitating Chairs, Quantum Mirages, and the Infinite Weirdness of Programmable Atoms
Bloom

ASIN: 0553584464
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Book Description

In his Nebula Award–nominated novel The Collapsium, acclaimed author Wil McCarthy introduced a richly imagined future of boundless possibility, where poverty, war, and even death are banished forever. Only now that world’s exquisite perfection propels one restless young man toward the ultimate challenge.

The Wellstone

For the children of immortal parents, growing up can be hard to do. A prince will forever be a prince--leaving no chance for Bascal Edward de Towaji Lutui to inherit his parents’ throne. So what is an angry young blue blood to do? Punch a hole in the shadow he’s been living in by rallying his equally disgruntled companions to make an improbable spaceship, busting out of the so-called summer camp in which their parents have stowed them and making a daring escape across the vastness of space. Ne’er-do-well Conrad Mursk is just along for the joyride--until he realizes this is no typical display of teenage angst. The children are rising up in an honest-to-gods revolution. And, boyo, things are going to get raw.

Customer Reviews:

Intelligent examination of the problems of immortality .......2006-05-23

The Wellstone is the sequel to Wil McCarthy's The Collapsium, set some time later. Tech called fax filters has led to practical immortality (or immorbidity), which is a problem for the children. What will they do when they grow up? Their parents aren't about to vacate their jobs, for the most part. Some of these kids turn delinquent as a result -- or perhaps they would have been that way in any case. A number of kids are being disciplined by confinement to Camp Friendly, a "summer camp" located on a tiny "planette". One of these kids is the POV character, a young engineer named Conrad Mursk. Another is the Crown Prince Bascal, the son of Bruno de Towaji (hero of The Collapsium) and the Queen. Bascal is extremely talented, a noted poet and a born leader, and he is very rebellious, as well as very spoiled. He incites the boys to an act of sabotage -- they escape via fax to Denver and release a dangerous substance that turns programmable matter to junk. They are soon captured, and Bascal's furious parents return them to Camp Friendly, with even stricter confinement (no working Fax gates).

But Bascal is not to be thwarted. With Conrad's sometimes reluctant help, with the help of a semi-accidental recruit, a teenaged girl named Xmary who was arrested by mistake in the earlier incident, and with the continued help of Bascal's less intelligent henchmen, he hatches another audacious plot. They use the properties of programmable matter to create "homemade" solar sailship from the planette, and they head for the nearest working Fax gate. But a surprise awaits them there ...

I thought this even a better book than The Collapsium. It lacks the previous book's almost insouciant inventiveness -- the "Tom Swift" nature I referred to above. But the characters are done better, in particular Conrad himself, and Bascal as seen by onrad. Bascal is an interesting creation -- a nice mixture of admirable and dangerous characteristics. Conrad and Xmary are nicely handled positive characters -- their frustration at heir lot as children in a world with no room for them as dults is well portrayed. The book remains inventive, and often funny, with a dark undertone (reinforced by a downright grim prologue and epilogue) that lends a certain (forgive me!) gravitas to the theme.

Leaves a little to be desired.......2004-05-11

I was perhaps expecting something...different after reading the first book of the series (COLLAPSIUM). It was a tale of adult intrigue, romance, science fiction and an exploration of how longevity affects our society. The totally inappropriate title (WELLSTONE) suggest a foray into the wondrous possibilities of this miraculous material but alas we are left with a young male coming of age story.

This is not to say that the plot is bad or that the action is not authentic. As the father of two teenage boys, the author nails it on the head with his descriptions of group rivalry, efforts to be liked, the innner thoughts of teenagers, their moods and quick jealousies and inability to control their mouth or their actions. But it needed to be more than this. The one outstanding device was the use of Conrad, the reflective lad who never tried to fool himself although he did manage to fool others. The opening and the closing featuring the matured young man (who for some reason changed his name) are like bookends, enclosing a wild tale of rides to the heavens, group pranks and enough angst to build a wellstone cathedral.

Perhaps this was only a preliminary tale for the next in the series. Hopefully the boys will have matured and their actions will be more attuned to adult conduct. This is a good - though not great - read.

Adolescent Angst in the Queendom of Sol.......2003-10-24

The Wellstone is the second novel in The Queendom of Sol series, following The Collapsium. In the previous volume, Bruno foils a plot to destroy Sol, is crowned King of Sol, and replaces the fragmented and compromised Iscog with the Nescog, based on Sykes' designs for the Solar Collapsiter Ring. Of more importance, that which was lost was found, and he marries the recovered Tamra.

In this novel, a few decades have passed since the marriage; King Bruno and Queen Tamatra have a son, Prince Bascal. A born leader, he is most often found leading his companions into trouble. His parents have sent him to Camp Friendly on a miniature planet in the Kuiper Belt and he takes over the camp, terrifying the director and counselors, and then breaks out to return to Earth.

The prince has come back to Earth to start a revolution (which is a surprise to his fourteen male companions). They gather upstairs in a cafe outside Denver and start partying. The prince gains the confidence of a local girl, Xiomara Li Weng, and aspires to attain access through her to a network of young people in the Denver area. He is planning to trash the Queendom or, at least, the wellstone in it.

As the group is becoming organized, the Constabulary appears and place the escaped youngsters under arrest. At least, the cops think that they have all the escapees, but they fail to notice that one of the arrested boys is really a girl, Xmary, and so Feck is still at large. The revolution continues.

This story is told from the point-of-view of Conrad Mursk, one of the prince's companions. Conrad (as Radmer) is also the protaganist of the framing story, wherein he travels to a miniature planet to retrieve Bruno de Towaji to correct a problem with the "squeezed" Luna. The framing story occurs much later than the central tale, so far in the future that Bruno's thoughts have worn deep paths through his brain. For some reason, the facsimile machines and the collapsiter web no longer function, so Radmer has to fly through space in a brass ball, using chemical explosives to propel the craft and manual navigation to guide it; he almost misses the king's planetoid, whereupon he would have been lost in space forever.

This story is about the generation gap and immorbidity in the Queendom of Sol. The prince is a royal personage who may never reign, for his parents will potentially live forever. Moreover, his parents have been elected to the positions of Queen and King, so he might not be selected as King even if they abdicate.

Like many seventeen year olds, Bascal is trying to find his place in society and in life itself, but he sees no future in it for himself and his friends. Of course, his parents don't fully understand his complaints and the arguments have gone on so long that everybody is frustrated. The prince is ready to just start breaking things.

This novel is not quite dystopian, but it does illustrate the other side of material paradise. The basic premise is much like Heinlein's Beyond This Horizon, that material plenty and long life are not enough. Once mankind's physical needs are met and even luxuries are available to all people, what will each individual do to fill their lives? Most people have a need to achieve, but only a few individuals have the ability to create new things. What do the less talented people do to make their lives meaningful? If they cannot create, do they destroy things? This theme has been used before, but it worth repeating.

The framing story is interesting, yet confusing. Maybe it will lead to the next installment in this series.

Recommended for McCarthy fans and anyone else who enjoys hard science fiction about technologically advanced societies inhabited by realistic characters.

Basically fun along with some food for thought.......2003-06-07

I really liked THE COLLAPSIUM, but this sequel is even more fun and leaves me hoping for more. The ending is open enough for another sequel.

While THE COLLAPSIUM had a "Tom Swift" type quality, this one is a boy's adventure story retold for adults. While satirically light hearted, it does have a disturbing underlying theme reminding me of THE LORD OF THE FLIES.

This adventure is quite independent of THE COLLAPSIUM and just as enjoyable whether or not you've read the earlier book.

The conflict between the main two characters fuels the book. Like THE COLLAPSIUM, the themes of immortality and of cloning duplicate selves are thoroughly examined, especially in light of the psychological effect on human nature. This time, it's the effect on young people being raised with expectations of immortality that's spotlighted.

Highly recommended to all science-fiction fans, and to those periphally interested in the genre.

Alarmingly Readable!.......2003-03-14

I think this book would stand well on its own, but it is equally amazing as a sequel to The Collapsium, which seemed impossible to top. I rarely have the feeling that I can't put a book down, but this one kept me up all night and home from work the next day. The realism and depth of this society, and its fascinating uses of technology such as programmable matter and solar/laser sails, do not stop the book from being both funny and moving at the same time. What is it really like to be immortal, in an immortal society where every need is fulfilled? McCarthy's answers are surprising but ring true. Wow.

American Assassination: The Strange Death Of Senator Paul Wellstone

Average customer rating:

Questions Begging for Answers
Research for more
As author I agree with A. Abruzzese's criticism
A Strange Death Indeed
Bully Boys Don't Like It

American Assassination: The Strange Death Of Senator Paul Wellstone
Four Arrows , and James H. Fetzer
Manufacturer: Vox Pop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0975276301

Book Description

Senator Paul Wellstone was, "the first 1960s radical elected to the U.S. Senate." In Senate Race 2002, the White House made defeating Wellstone priority #1. Karl Rove hand-picked arch Republican Norm Coleman to run against him. Despite massive funding, Coleman was trailing the popular Wellstone two weeks before election day.

Then, tragedy struck. On the morning of October 25th, 2002, Wellstone was killed after a mysterious communication cut-out and crash of his small aircraft. He died alongside his wife Sheila, their daughter Marcia, three staff members, and two pilots, while trying to land at Minnesota's Eveleth airfield. CNN's Wolf Blitzer insisted to his reporter at the scene that foul weather was the lethal factor in the crash, despite the statements to the contrary from the CNN correspondent. To this day, the public tends to blame the weather.

Ph.D. Professors James Fetzer and Don "Four Arrows" Jacobs present the harrowing truth. The plane was exceptionally airworthy. The weather didn't bring down Senator Wellstone. Nor were the two pilots incompetent, as the report of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would eventually claim.

The facts point elsewhere. The FBI arrived at the remote rural crash scene less than two hours after the crash. Could they have known about it in advance? The FBI forbade the ambulance and fire teams to take photos. Even the AP photographer on hand was intimidated, delayed and then highly monitored. For some reason, a member of the U.S. Capitol Police Dignitary Protection Division was also present.

Why did the FBI state that they were treating the site as a "crime scene" although there were "no indications of any criminal activity"? How could the FBI so very swiftly conclude and state publicly, before NTSB arrived, that there was "no evidence of terrorism" involved? Why did the NTSB search for a "black box" for a day and a half and then conclude that there hadn't been one, after all?

AMERICAN ASSASSINATION confirms the worst fears of a nation. Senator Paul Wellstone was murdered.

Both authors are decorated university professors. A Native American, Four Arrows (a.k.a. Dr. Don Jacobs) teaches educational leadership and is a staunch critic of US foreign policy. Dr. Jim Fetzer is a published expert on U.S. political assassinations and the logic of science.

Although no one can prove exactly what happened in the events leading to Wellstone's death, these two Ph.D.s point out the official story's inconsistencies and deliberate omissions. With a methodical argument, they present evidence of an official cover-up, a compelling motive for Wellstone's assassination and advance a more likely explanation for how Senator Wellstone's plane was taken down. Their findings include new evidence and alternative hypotheses that were never considered by the NTSB:

• There was never any distress call from the pilots. Communication was somehow cut off shortly before the crash.

• NTSB's Carol Carmody handled the Wellstone case. A former CIA official, Carmody is a damage-control expert who handled the NTSB's investigation of the suspicious aircraft crash of Democratic Senatorial candidate Mel Carnahan, exactly two years earlier.

• NTSB is legally mandated to take jurisdiction over a crash scene, yet it allowed the FBI to control the scene--and then neglected to cite the FBI's involvement in presence in the NTSB's final report.

• Some witnesses heard the engines cutting out, a phenomenon not consistent with a stall.

• Others reported odd cell-phone and garage-door phenomena that were taking place about the same time the plane lost both communications and control.

• The NTSB's own simulations, which replicated properties like those of King Air A-100s under similar conditions, were unable to bring the plane down—even when conducted under abnormally slow speeds!

• One of the members who actually signed the report, Richard Healing, admitted that they really had no idea what had caused the plane to crash.

Since becoming active in this issue, local residents have contacted Professor Fetzer and related strange electronic interference in the area at the time of the crash. One experienced an odd cell-phone phenomenon with a form of static he had never heard before. Its auditory pattern appears to be similar to that of "electro-magnetic pulse" (EMP) weapons recently developed by the Pentagon to jam the computer-assisted controls of enemy aircraft.

Reports of garage doors that mysteriously opened in the immediate vicinity are surfacing. And radar images from the time of the plane crashes of Senator Carnahan and of Senator Wellstone are suggestive of EMP imprints. These weapons not only jam a plane's electronics but also disable its radio communications.

In the wake of the crash, 69% of Minnesoteans blamed a "GOP Conspiracy" for Wellstone's death. This book makes the case that, in this case, at least, the people had it right.

In appendices to AMERICAN ASSASSINATION, Paul Wellstone's courageous stands against the rich and powerful continue to inspire us. It presents highlights from Wellstone's platform and includes his important speech, "On Iraq."

His opposition to the Bush administration helps the reader to understand why the Senator was a likely target for assassination. When the reader meets Wellstone in his own words, his vision is kept alive and lives on in each of us.

Customer Reviews:

Questions Begging for Answers.......2006-11-07

The number of light plane crashes involving key House and Senate members is chilling. The author details several fatal crashes that tipped the balance (or prevented a change in) the House or Senate. Many questions raised about the pilots, the lackluster NTSB investigation, and almost immediate FBI presence, certainly adds up to enough for a skilled
investigative journalist to explore; the official investigations are
obvious rubber stamps. If someone told you that one of these pilots had
been a fight trainer for a 9/11 hijacker, you would not believe it...but
the book clearly documents this as a fact, which can easily be confirmed
by anyone. Where are you, Sixty Minutes? The details of the crash, which
is always attributed to snow, are far more complex, as the weather was
actually not a problem. The authors postulate EMP interference with the
aircraft, which is something I was only vaguely aware of, but it is a
difficult charge to prove. I was most puzzled at the odd connection
between a 9/11 hijacker and the co-pilot...a very strange connection that
I've never seen mentioned in mainstream media, yet is very well documented here. Overall, the book made me aware that there IS a puzzle worth investigating, and a book worth reading.

Research for more.......2006-06-29

This book for me was very good. There seems to be some "connecting of the dots" with other topics during a certain administration and other 'strange occurences'. Not a conspiracty theorist, but some things are more than obvious.

As author I agree with A. Abruzzese's criticism .......2006-06-15

I am Four Arrows, the lead author of this book.(See also my newest text from the Univesity of Texas, "Unlearning the Language of Conquest: Scholars Expose Anti-Indianism in America).
I recently read Abruzzese's review and find it to be fairly on target, in spite of its negativity. I'm at least happy he recommended that people read it "as a starting point," for this is all we intended it to be. We express state that the questions, inconsistencies and logic of our arguments should be sufficient for a more in-depth investigation.
As for the book being too short, our motive for writing this book was to get it published before the 2004 presidential elections in hopes that it would at least offer a prima facia case sufficient to raise the kind of questions that MIGHT dissuade people to vote for Bush. We only had a few short months to turn the "new evidence" that sparked our writing the book to get in published in time. Perhaps such hopes were unwarranted in spite of rigged elections and an relatively apathetic, hegemonized public, but it was our long-shot hope nonetheless.
In our book we have some substantial "evidence" from interviews and analysis, but mostly we simply show enough inconsistencies and provide enough motive to make a good enough case to stimulate further investigation, which we ALMOST got from Senator Barbara Boxer, who has a copy of the book.
I agree that some of the language about JFK comparisons and "scientific rigor" were unnecessary, but three people being involved with the content, such things, as unfortunate as they might have been to our message, might be persuasive for other readers. In any case, the bottom line is there needs to be further investigations and on this Abruzzese agrees.
In our new book from Elsevier, "The Hidden History of 9/11," I think this reviewer would find more "evidence" but still realize that it as well is a call for more investigation.
For example, how can "we" continue to ignore all of the testimony relating to bombs going off in the WTC or to the physics of falling buildings?
At any rate, it is past time to allow a fear of being a "conspiracy theorist" keep us from discussing the probability that our corporation, military and government institutions have reached a point where assassinations, false flag operations and rigged elections must be taken seriously as a fact of life.
Four Arrows, aka Don Trent Jacobs

A Strange Death Indeed.......2005-11-17

"American Assassination: The Strange Death of Senator Paul Wellstone" expands the report filed by the NTSB with the information received from eyewitnesses, U.S. government log files, local government reports and interviews with people related to those who died in the crash. Using this information and deductive reasoning/logic to sort through the gathered evidence, the authors display their conclusion: Wellstone, his family and friends, and the pilots were killed through sabotage. Conspiracy theories generally don't hold my interest too long unless there's proof, but I found this book to be well-written and strong in the use of logic. The book was extremely interesting to me, as I had suspected that the Senator's death by plane crash (another plane crash death) to be very peculiar, to a very suspicious degree. Read the book with an open mind, and see what kind of death you believe this to be.

Bully Boys Don't Like It.......2005-10-28

America has its share of facist wannabes who in this case, write negative reviews of this and other similar books (often without even reading them) in order to debunk any progressive thought that may arise within the general public. Exposure to a variety of thought is anathema to these people. While these would-be brownshirts are being hoodwinked by the corporate propagandists that they follow without question, those same corporate interests are busy conducting a slaughter of civilians in Iraq in order to secure access to the world's supply of oil, as well as murdering an inspirational progressive politician like Paul Wellstone.

Unllike many of the "reviewers" of this book, I've actually read it, and what is offered here seems entirely plausible.
Having lived through the previous assassinations of both Kennedys, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X., among others, the apparent fact that wealthy, right-wing, corporate interests in this country sometimes kill their perceived enemies comes as no surprise to me. Unfortunately, it does happen here. Read the book for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Paul Wellstone: The Life of a Passionate Progressive

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An Excellent Story
A Tribute to a Life Short but Well Lived
Northfield's Own
Brillant

Paul Wellstone: The Life of a Passionate Progressive
Bill Lofy
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Professor Wellstone Goes to Washington: The Inside Story of a Grassroots U.S. Senate Campaign

ASIN: 0472031198

Book Description

"Paul Wellstone, we miss you. Few politicians, especially these days, are as willing to stand up and speak the truth as Wellstone was. In this era of flaccid rhetoric and pre-approved sound bites, he had the rare ability to ignite a fire in his audiences. Bill Lofy's excellent biography rekindles that fire and reminds us just how much politicians of Wellstone's honesty, character, and spine are needed---now more than ever. This book should inspire a new generation of voters and political leaders alike."
---Arianna Huffington, columnist and editor of HuffingtonPost.com

"This book captures the vibrant spirit of my friend Paul Wellstone---the fierce commitment to justice that defined his life, and that shapes his enduring legacy."
---U.S. Senator Russ Feingold

"Paul Wellstone was a great leader because he fused progressive idealism with a stubbornly pragmatic politics. Bill Lofy's book captures that dual commitment in his story of Wellstone's life, and also shows us the extraordinary human appeal that Wellstone emanated in his relationships with people in all walks of life. This book is an engaging read that also tells us a lot about the political practice to which we should aspire."
---Frances Fox Piven, author of The War at Home

"This vividly written book captures the life and personal qualities of the late Senator Paul Wellstone. In so doing it provides an illuminating gloss on Max Weber's seminal exposition of the political vocation. It is a jewel of a book."
-Fred Greenstein, Princeton University

Bill Lofy's fast-paced and readable biography tells the inspirational story of one of the most compelling figures in the history of American politics---Senator Paul Wellstone.

Yet Lofy's book is more than just the chronicle of Wellstone's life and political career; it's also an indispensable guide to what ails political life today. Readers politically inclined or not will find in its pages a handbook to the uncertain and often treacherous business of politics and a stirring example for living a courageous and honest life---whether as public servant or private individual.

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Story.......2006-04-18

This biography was one of the best I've read in a very long time. It wasn't overly long and drawn out, I read it in one sitting. Of course, I have great admiration for the subject, so I am biased, but the book would stand on its own merits. Sometimes a biography can get too bogged down in irrelevant details of the subject's life, but this definitely wasn't one of them.

A Tribute to a Life Short but Well Lived.......2005-11-16

Regardless of your views on either the left or the right, you have to appreciate the life that Paul Wellstone lived. From a kid in trouble to college professor to United States Senator is neither an easy nor a likely path. But that's what Paul Wellstone did.

In this book Bill Lofy, Communications Director of Wellstone Action, the organization created to carry on Paul and Sheila Wellstone's legacy after their death, writes a biography of his life. But more than that, this book provides some insight to the problems that beset political life today. The point of view of Mr. Lofy is, of course, progressive or liberal as we used to say. More than that, though, is the love that he shows to Paul Wellstone as a person, not just a politician.

Northfield's Own.......2005-10-13

What first started out as an article on the impact of Paul Wellstone's politics, Bill Lofy's Paul Wellstone: The Life of a Passionate Progressive transformed into a biography to be reckoned with. Starting with Paul's childhood and formative years to the day of his untimely departure, the book captures Paul's deep convictions and principles for social justice and progressive changes, which had forever altered the domestic politics landscape. One could double the biography as a platform for Paul's radical, oftentimes effective mechanism "...for the little guy versus the big guy." In a nutshell, Mr. Lofy succeeded in presenting Paul's bold resolve to espouse populist idealism in sharply divided American politics by foraying into academic politics and community activism and inevitably the Senate, as if he knew that, quoting the start of a chapter, "to be sure, mere passion, however genuinely felt is not enough." Presumably written on the behalf of many, this book is an embodiment of Paul's passion and integrity to remain genuine in the face of victories celebrated and failures embraced with dignity and humor. Resonating Paul's strength and vigor, the book offers lessons in life and leadership for everybody, regardless of affiliations. From the wresting mat to unorthodox campaign strategies, Paul's uncanny ability to rise in times of uncertainty inspired his constituents to "raise hell," like the book asserts Paul liked to say. However, that transpires the impulsivity Paul had acknowledged from time to time while remaining true to himself not to make decisions he did not believe in. In calculating courage in action, Paul showed us how, quoting Max Weber, he "...would not have attained the possible unless time and again he had reached out for the impossible." Conclusion can be made that the book is not just about Paul's impact on politics but also his passion for everybody. In the same vein, the book would share that when Paul visited a deaf awareness fair, he marveled at sign language and asked how to sign "beautiful." Like the book, that gesture of genuine appreciation for humanity Paul had so revered throughout his life could not be better exemplified.

Brillant.......2005-09-08

Bill Lofy's Paul Wellstone: The Life of a Passionate Progessive is a brillant book. Mr. Lofy has distilled the essence of Senator Wellstone and unequivocally demonstrates just why Wellstone was so special, why he changed peoples' lives and why he is so missed. This book is more than a recounting of the Senator's life. It also provides thoughtful and moving political analysis of Wellstone's work and achievements. Abraham Joshua Heschel, the noted Jewish philosopher, historian and social reformer, said shortly before his own death that we must "Know that every deed counts, that every word is power...Above all, remember that you must build your life as if it were a work of art." Paul Wellstone's life was such a work of art and Bill Lofy shows us why.

The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda (Minnesota)

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The Conscience of a Liberal
What a GREAT Book...
10 stars Buy for every Democrat elected or running for office and for yourself!
Absolute drivel!
Great Book!!!

The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda (Minnesota)
Paul David Wellstone
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Professor Wellstone Goes to Washington: The Inside Story of a Grassroots U.S. Senate Campaign

ASIN: 081664179X

Amazon.com

When senators think about running for president, they write books like The Conscience of a Liberal. Indeed, Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota thought about pursuing the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000, but ultimately backed off. Unfortunately, his death in an October 2002 plane crash ended both a promising political career and all speculation about where it might lead.

The first part of the book explains Wellstone's unlikely ascension to the Senate (he was once a college professor), and some of his campaign war stories are fun reading for political junkies. One of the most amusing passages describes how he once nearly clocked New York Republican Alfonse D'Amato over a disagreement: "When the train reached the Senate chamber, I jumped out and lunged forward, intending to catch D'Amato and deck him. My body was shaking with uncontrollable anger." Another senator held him back, and Wellstone calmed down.

The bulk of The Conscience of a Liberal, however, is given over to laying out a political agenda that includes universal health care, reversing welfare reforms, prekindergarten education, raising the minimum wage, and campaign-finance reform. He closes with a call for a new politics: "This is not a conservative America.... There is a huge leadership void in this country that the Democratic Party, emboldened by political courage and a commitment to the issues that made our party great, can fill." Sadly, one of the politicians who helped fill that void is now gone himself. Still, his ideas live on. --John J. Miller

Book Description

From his earliest childhood memories to the college classroom, from rural Minnesota farm fields and the defense of workers' rights to his 1990 election campaign promises of politics for the benefit of the people, The Conscience of a Liberal candidly discusses Wellstone's life experiences and the coming-of-age of his political views. What emerges is an intriguing inside look at Wellstone's crusade to assert an unabashedly liberal agenda.

From the moment he was elected, Wellstone has passionately articulated a path to economic and social justice for all citizens, justice not contingent on the size of a person's bank account or their political influence. A call for personal politics and deep commitment to beliefs, Wellstone's tenure as a U.S. senator has been a vigorous, at times outraged, and always active fight for support for farmers, working families, and other Minnesotans; for decent jobs, improved health care, a good education, and retirement security.

At once responding to the conservative hijacking of compassion as a political yardstick and explaining his own political record, Wellstone engagingly elucidates what contrasts conservative and liberal interests and, as always, rouses progressives to influence the future of American politics.

"Wellstone promised to be what Washingtonians always say their city desperately needs: a colorful character. No one was disappointed. He still considers himself an activist, and his book reads like the work of an activist." Wall Street Journal

"Wellstone relishes the role of the lonely hero taking on powerful bullies, and irritates his jaded colleagues with his stubborn stand on principles." Washington Monthly

"A call to arms aimed at politically like-minded Americans, time and again The Conscience of a Liberal argues that a grassroots movement of progressives can defy the odds." National Journal

Senator Paul Wellstone was a professor of political science at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, for twenty-one years before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1990.

Download Description

A true "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" story, this wise and heartfelt meditation explores the value of doing what you believe in, written by one of the most outspoken liberals in the United States Senate.

Customer Reviews:

The Conscience of a Liberal.......2006-08-18

I am disappointed in this book. I expected something more philosophical and/or well written. I admire Wellstone's work as a politician but find his writing rather mediocre. American history and politics are my meat and bread. This book does not meet my standards. I usually buy books since I'm a bookaholic, but i wish I had borrowed this from the library. It does not meet my standards.

What a GREAT Book..........2006-04-29

I was a great admirer of Paul Wellstone ever since the fall of 1990. Although I have lived in Minnesota since 2001, in 1990 I was a college sophomore in another state who was writing a paper studying the 1990 elections. I follwed the 1990 Minnesota Senate race, and was pleasantly surprised when he went against the predominate "conventional wisdom" and scored an upset victory (he was the ONLY Democrat to defeat an incumbent that year).
For someone like me, who has been quite frankly sick and tired of the right-ward drift of the Democratic Party and the "play it safe" convetnional wisdom, Paul Wellstone was the antidote.
I enjoyed the autobiographical narrative of this book, it brought back a lot of memories. I enjoyed his frank discussion of the inner working of the US Senate, and I especially enjoyed the later chapters where he offered hope for a people-centered, progressive politics.

10 stars Buy for every Democrat elected or running for office and for yourself!.......2006-03-22

Great book that begins where he was in college and how he and his wife met and how they became the activists they were and what a real progressive is or at least should be. And that being a liberal is nothing to be ashamed of! Sadly the Senator died in 2002 just before he would have been reelected to the Senate. Some of us still believe it wasn't the innocent accident some say that killed him when the plane he was on went down.

Having said that let me rave about this book. I go to Chapter 9 titled A Winning Progressive Politics, where the author notes 'A progressive politics is a winning politics, as long as it is not organized in a way that is top-down and elitist. It must respect the capacity of ordinary citizens and focus on workaday majority issues. I have never understood arguments for the need for politicians to 'move to the center' to get elected. What is the operational definition of 'the center'? If what is meant is that you need to have more votes than your opponent, then I am all for being in the center. But this is too obvious. If what is meant by the center is the dominant mood of the populace -- the issues that are important issues to Americans and what they hope for--then I would again argue for the need to occupy the center. A politics that is not sensitive to the concerns and circumstance of peoples lives, a politics that does not speak to include people is an intellectually arrogant politics that deserves to fail.'

Page 206 of the same chapter 'Clearly, there is a forgotten American majority. It is precisely this America that our politics today fails to serve fully and fairly. This America faces major challenges: low wages, insufficient health care, nonexistent pension coverage (the majority if private sector workers have no pension coverage), daunting child care expenses, rising college expenses, and exorbitant housing costs. These Americans can't hire lobbyists. They can't fly senators and congressmen to resorts. They don't fill the campaign coffers of political candidates. Only when these Americans are given proportional voice in politics can we claim to live in a truly representative democracy.'

Page 208 'Not only do Democrats have too timid and downsized an agenda, we also have failed to confront conservatives on core value questions. I call the Republicans' philosophy the 'New Isolationism.' Not as in foreign affairs, but in human affairs. It is a 'Buddy, your're on your own' philosophy. If you are losing your family farm, if you can't afford prescription drugs, if you have no health insurance, if you are working forty hours a week but are still poor and unable to support your children, if you are a homeless Vietnam veteran struggling with mental problems, you're on your own. Whatever happened to 'There but for the grace if God go I'? Or 'Love they neighbor as thyself'? We need to replace isolationism with fellowship. We need to talk about community, about justice, about the goodness of America. People are ready for a politics that inspires them to be their best'.

Thus this book is rich with common sense honesty that I want more Democrats to read and follow, rather than the disoriented, weak kneed, stand for NOTHING nonsense the Democrats are giving us now. This book should be a must read for anyone who dislikes with a passion the special interest, elitist administration, congress and senate we now have.

Absolute drivel!.......2005-02-09

This is the type of feel good no meat and potatos thinking that permiates the liberal left. An agenda designed to fail from start to finish because the author refuses to accept the reality that regardless of what you do money does not solve problems, accountability does.

Great Book!!!.......2004-07-08

The late Paul Wellstone puts together a great story of how he became who he is...a liberal and proud of it. So often these days, we hear the word liberal used in the pejorative sense. That doesn't have to be. I prefer to think of liberals as "free thinkers," who don't happen to march in line like Limbaugh and Hannity...and don't forget Jessie Helms.

Wellstone was a great and HONEST politician. This world of Bill Clintons and Jack Ryans needs more honest politicians with the enthusiastic spirit of Wellstone!

TWO THUMBS UP!!

Book Description

An argument for media reform, It's the Media, Stupid explores the takeover of U.S. media by transnational conglomerates and shows how journalism, electoral politics, entertainment, and the arts have suffered.

Download Description

A rallying cry for effective media activism from two leaders of the movement.

Customer Reviews:

The media elite is a waste of taxpayer resources.......2006-04-27

Ever wonder why the rightwing fascists and fake liberals in both parties get away with destroying America? It's the media, stupid ! Yes, some rightwing lunatics will cry "Liberal media" while others will cry "conservative/corporate media" but folks, the media is nothing more than a puppet for anti-America government that exists in Washington D.C. . The book does take a strong swipe at the ever corrupt and dishonest media but the reader might still feel powerless as there are no truly working solutions except to quit watching the TV set. Then again, not watching the telly might give the American people more time to get to work and take back their country. Read this book and fight back !

one the list for worst assigned reading for a class ever.......2002-05-20

Personally,this book may be on the extreme side. Some of these suggestions might be nice, but many of them are unpractical. The media gives people what they want essentially, in order to make a change in it, it does not need to become an issue in political debate. It needs to become an issue in the hearts of people. People need to be educated enough to find for themselves what is the truth. If the people seek the truth, the media that provides it will be the most successful. Its a simple business, supply and demand.

compelling analysis.......2002-03-10

This indepth analysis should put an end to the myth of liberal bias in the media. As the Left has been saying for years, the media is only as liberal as the conservative corporations that own them. We seem to be tumbling towards a world in which everything is owned by a relatively few number of conjoined companies whose activities are reported on by a handful of aqenda-driven media giants all bent on diseminating a particular view of predigested news aimed at the lowest common denominator. There has to be another way although, like a previous reviewer, I'm not sure all the solutions in this book will work. I would also like to point out that 90% of National Public Radio's funding comes from donations made by listeners and from corporate underwriting. Only 10% of the NPR budget comes from the federal and state governments and all of that is in the form of grants used for specific programs (science, history, music, literature, etc).

Socialism Is Not the Cure.......2001-03-05

I have just finished this book for an Electronics Media class I am taking at USF.

Although I agree with most of the complaints that the authors expound about the problems with global corporations and the current state of the media today, I do not see their Socialist fixes as any kind of real solution. In fact, in many instances, they are just power grabs by the Left to get you to pay for their programs (ie National Public Radio and Public Television, which are dominated by the Left).

I agree with the concept of microradio stations to help spread media access around, but not their demand for government subsidies to help the "less fortunate" pay for their stations. They are not that expensive to buy and maintain.

I believe a more Libertarian approach to open media access would be more productive than the authors brand of Socialist "fixes"... which in the end would probably just lead to abuses by the Left.

But it is a good read from the point-of-view of defining all that is wrong with the current state of the media today and why it is out of control.

Brief, but disconcerting, portrayal of the media.......2000-11-02

While all industries have undergone tremendous consolidations in the past decade, none of them have the impact on our culture and democracy as do the media giants. The delivery of targeted viewers and users to advertisers is the goal of the media giants, not the creation of an informed citizenry. In fact, the author demonstrates that considerable censorship is exercized to prevent views that question the corporate order as well as their own restricted information flows from reaching the public.

The author emphasizes that the corporate media system will have to be addressed before democracy stands a chance. But a real quandry exists. Usually an active citizenry requires good information to become energized - the kind that is needed from the very media in need of drastic reform. It is a most unpromising picture.

Progressive Pathway Volume 1: The Beginning Of The End 2008
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Progressive Pathway Volume 1: The Beginning Of The End 2008
Corbett M. Kroehler
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1419663283
Release Date: 2007-03-15

Book Description

Global warming is the greatest national threat America has faced since it defeated British armed forces in the War Of 1812 yet very little is being done about it. Why? For that matter, why is the United States the most enduring democracy in history? America is America and will remain the land of the free and the home of the brave for generations to come because of the brilliance, courage and wisdom of our Founding Fathers. How is it, then, that we have lost sight of their vision? Why do so few politicians act as their constituents would have them act? Corbett Kroehler is a lifetime member of the Sierra Club and the former chairman of the Sierra Club of Central Florida. He knows what must be done to stave off the disaster of global climate change and has determined that any practical solution inevitably begins in Congress. Read how he came to his conclusions and used his experiences as an environmentalist to launch his campaign for the United States House Of Representatives.

Professor Wellstone Goes to Washington: The Inside Story of a Grassroots U.S. Senate Campaign

Average customer rating:

a narrow view
Interesting & Multi-Faceted
An uplifting story of one man's campaign for US Senate.
An excellent inside story of a truly amazing campaign
Only a puff Piece

Professor Wellstone Goes to Washington: The Inside Story of a Grassroots U.S. Senate Campaign
Dennis J. McGrath , and Dane Smith
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Democracy for the Few
Struggle for Democracy, The (8th Edition) (MyPoliSciLab Series)
The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda (Minnesota)
Paul Wellstone: The Life of a Passionate Progressive
Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues

ASIN: 0816626634

Customer Reviews:

a narrow view.......2003-06-11

This book contains little perspective on Wellstone himself, a figure whom it is easy to love or hate.

It's mainly useful for recording certain facts surrounding the 1990 election and for a largely positive spin -- in a superficial and biased view -- of Paul Wellstone.

Interesting & Multi-Faceted.......1998-12-18

This book is interesting and worthwhile in two ways: first, because it does press Paul Wellstone's [fabulous] politics, and second, because it is a well written documentary of a fascinating campaign. Anyone interested in progressive politics or innovative campaigning is advised to read.

An uplifting story of one man's campaign for US Senate........1998-12-11

This is an excellent book that portrays what a politician should be. Plain and simple, if you like real politics, READ THIS BOOK!

An excellent inside story of a truly amazing campaign.......1998-08-10

As Paul Wellstone pursues a long-shot presidential bid in the year 2000, it is important to see how he pulled another upset- back in 1990, when no one ever thought he could win. This book shows how a progressive populist campaign can take on the powers-that-be, and win!!

Only a puff Piece.......1998-08-06

Again, the "politically correct" academic culture strikes! How could it overlook one of its own? It ignores Wellstone's total one-sidedness. The problem is that a University Press released what would have been fine as an unabashed campaign document sponsored by the subject's political party.

How the Rural Poor Got Power: Narrative of a Grass-Roots Organizer

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10 Star MUST read...

How the Rural Poor Got Power: Narrative of a Grass-Roots Organizer
Paul David Wellstone
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Social Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda (Minnesota)
Paul Wellstone: The Life of a Passionate Progressive
Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues
Professor Wellstone Goes to Washington: The Inside Story of a Grassroots U.S. Senate Campaign
The Assault on Reason

ASIN: 0816643830

Book Description

Before he was a senator, before he was a nationally known advocate for the disenfranchised and a tireless supporter of public policies to alleviate poverty, Paul Wellstone devoted his time and legendary energy to grassroots organizing. How the Rural Poor Got Power describes Wellstone's experiences as a political activist in rural Minnesota. Working with senior citizens, struggling farmers, and single mothers, Wellstone created a coalition to address transportation, access to health care, and welfare benefits issues. This narrative features interviews with citizens and shows Wellstone observing and participating in the ideals to which he devoted his life: helping poor people gain a political voice.

Paul Wellstone (1944-2002) was professor of political science at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and worked as a political organizer before being elected to the Senate in 1990. His untimely death in a plane crash during the 2002 election galvanized public interest in his vision for progressive politics. His work, ideas, and beliefs are described in The Conscience of a Liberal, available in paperback from the University of Minnesota Press.

Customer Reviews:

10 Star MUST read..........2006-03-22

This is one of three Paul Wellstone books I bought, and am I glad I did. The other two, which I am reading, and will review later are, The Conscience Of A Liberal and Politics the Wellstone Way. Each is a MUST read in my opinion. And here is why. Let me say that the author doesn't sugar coat what happened and he shows warts and all of those whom he worked for and how this helped people change and succeed.

In How the Rural Poor Got Power -Narrative of a Grass Roots Organizer the late Senator writes back in the 70's long before he ran and successfully was elected by the good people of the state of Minnesota. It begins in the early seventies in chapter 1 titled The Struggle for Recognition, in Rice County located directly south and adjacent to the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

He lays out in great detail the economics of the area, the make up of the area by age, marriage, unemployment and under employment etc., and how he helped the poor organize into a group called Organization for a Better Rice County and the hell, literally they had to go thru, the insults the powers that be thru at them and how they were beaten up so many times, but never ever gave up, and in the end, succeeded in so many ways.

How sad it was to read of so many hard working poor and WW2 veterans who lived in horrid housing, had no public assistance what so ever in the county and the mistreatment those who were qualified for medical assistance, like the family with the child with cancer who were given the run around and even targeted for harassment.

Or in Chapter 2 titled Welfare Rights of OBRC President Therese Van Zuilen who received notice from the welfare department that her family was no longer eligible for food commodities and medical assistance, because the welfare department had taken upon itself to price her home as more expensive than it was. And then how the same welfare department played fast and loose and attempted to deprive her of due process and how when she showed up the next day for the hearing, which under the law would have required a ten day notice of hearing, the state welfare official was annoyed by the situation and called a halt to the meeting.

The book is rich with a journal like lay out of how these people, step by step and some stumbles, succeeded starting at the local level and moving on up to the state house and Governor, to make Minnesota the progressive and humane state it became. And an example of how a state should care for those who simply need some assistance to keep from drowning. And these were not you conservative minded stereotypes of bum and lazy people, but the elderly who lived with no heat and often no indoor plumbing. Married couples who both worked and had to rent, but the many landlords in the county along with the bigger businesses, used scare tactics to keep good honest, patriotic citizens down.

Its a book that is as powerful and useful in 2006 as it was in the 1970's when first written, because its a call to arms, those who are disenfranchised and being held down by certain people in elected office and on certain media outlets who simply dislike with a passion the idea that society owes even crumbs to those in need. So much for being 'pro life'.

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