Me and Paul Begala

I've noted in a few recent book reviews that they are aimed at a different audience, that there has been a generational shift in how political memoirs are written.  Well, turns out, it isn't just me.  Paul Begala reviewed Beck Dory-Stein's new book in the New York Times last week ("A White House Memoir That's Equal Parts C-Span and 'Sex and the City'," July 10, 2018).  Here's a quote:

Nowhere in George F. Kennan’s “Memoirs” does he recount how many times he drunkenly shagged someone named Jennifer. But that was then, this is now. Apparently T.M.I. now stands for Totes More Intimacy.

and another later on:

As a middle-aged man who’s still married to the woman he met when he was 19, I am likely not the target audience for this book. 

While I find this reassuring, since it leaves me comforted to be in such well-known company, it does add to a sense of thinking the world has passed me by.

Beach Reads IV: Archimedes Principle

Archimedes Principle by Jack English

Not many writers can create an engrossing thriller out of a story about an insurance company but Mr. English manages to do it well.  He throws in some science and law as well, just for fun, and a lot of auditing, which is much more suspenseful than you might think.  (Legal) pharmaceuticals also play a role.  The main action takes place in South Jersey and Philadelphia, and a further excursion out west to a mine.  There is also a cross-country road trip.  So, there is local interest and some semi-exotic locales for color.

The characters are realistic enough to be believable and fanciful enough to pull off the story.  The interactions among them keep the plot moving.  The villains are villain-y enough but not too villain-y, just the right amount of villainy.    Mr. English also strikes the right tone with his female characters – they are complex, realistic people without wearing an obvious “I’m a strong female character!” sign.  I would enjoy sitting down and talking with them and they are multi-dimensional enough to have a real conversation with.  The main character is saddled with the name Buckley Mills Forrester but still manages to keep the book on track.  While none of the characters is a detective by occupation it is something of a mystery story,

I like the action scenes too.  Unlike a lot of thrillers this one doesn’t have a lot of unnecessary violence.  If you read a story like this in the newspaper you would think it was fascinating, but still believable.  The book likewise keeps the reader’s attention and things like accounting and auditing rules, usually relegating to comic relief and parody, move the plot along.

I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this book but I did, and may read some of Mr. English’s other works as well.  This book, like most of his others, is only available as a Kindle title, not as a physical book, but reading it on my phone on the train was easy to do.

Beach Reads III: West Winging It

WestWinging It:  An Un-Presidential Memoir, by Pat Cunnane

Like Alyssa Mastromonaco’s book, this is a White House memoir from a young staffer in the Obama administration and is clearly intended for a young audience.  Cunnane worked in the Obama press office from 2010 to 2016.  He writes about his experiences there, for example, his role in having Obama on an episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.  If you have seen that video reading the planning that went into it, and the behind the scenes comments are really interesting.  His stories about learning the ropes in the various offices he worked in, and how communications staff interacted with the press are equally interesting.  Cunnane was also a writer on the television show “Designated Survivor,” which I watched regularly.

This is not so much a policy memoir as a look inside the often frantic, always in motion world inside the White House, and a good view of the current (or recent past) interplay between the press office and the press.  The balancing act of staying on good terms with the press and maintaining boundaries is tricky, indeed.  His descriptions of the physical layout of the office were also very illuminating.  Bo Obama (the former president’s photogenic dog) makes a cameo and office design plays an important role in it.  Some of the names of Cunnane’s colleagues are recognizable, others not so much (especially the ones whose last names are not provided).  We often see the big moments of a presidency on tv but seldom have a chance to see how those moments came together.  There are always many people in offices or open floor seating who put heart and soul into making those big moments happen.  It is refreshing to read about that aspect of politics and public service.

There are a few jarring notes, which are perhaps a result of generational changes in humor.  On page 185 he writes about Obama relaxing on overnight flights on Air Force One, wearing “Athletic zip-up sweatshirt (okay), unusually tight sweatpants (not okay), and, of course, sandals with white socks (really not okay).”  With all of Pete Souza’s photos of Obama I’m not sure we need that word picture.  I do not know if a comment on p. 119 is youthful humor or a reference to a MeToo moment; he writes about the difference between flying with the press on Air Force One and flying with the overflow press on a charter.  “My biggest worry on those [charter] flights was the hands-y middle-aged stewardesses who were a tad too attentive.”  The idea that a young staffer cannot fly on a press plane from one event to another without being molested is distressing indeed.

At some point in the future someone could read all of the Obama staffer books and put together, like a jigsaw puzzle, a rough image of how all the people and offices intersected and get several different views of the same event or strategy.  Anyone wishing to do that should hang on to a copy of this book as I’m sure it will be a linchpin in any such effort.  

Cunnane is from a political family and his mother currently holds elective office in Pennsylvania.  He discusses his family interest in politics and it is clear he grew up in a very loving and supportive household.  This is an interesting book for anyone in politics but especially for those interested in political communications.

Beach Reads II: Why They Stay

WhyThey Stay:  Sex Scandals, Deals, andHidden Agendas of Nine Political Wives, by Anne Michaud.  (Ogunquit-NY Press, 2017)

If you plan on watching A Very English Scandal this summer and are wondering who Jeremy Thorpe is and why you should care, a chapter in this book will provide an outline of the story.  That is one of the nine scandals outlined in this book.  I’m about halfway through and, having read a fair amount about some of the cases in this book, the ones I am familiar with are represented well, even if briefly.  Entire books have been written about some, if not all, of the examples presented, but looking at them in a group allows for some comparison.  She has devised a White Queen scale and compares each spouse in the book by a rating based on the scale.  I think this will confuse some readers, especially if they have no idea who Elizabeth Woodville was.  On the other hand, if, like me, you know very well who Elizabeth Woodville was, it is equally perplexing.   The widow Grey (nee Woodville) managed to do quite well by her family after her marriage (I had Richard III’s picture in my locker in high school and have never been a particularly big fan of Liz, or, for that matter, her husband.  Those Woodvilles, ugh.)

Back to Michaud’s book, it is an excellent introduction to a number of political sex scandals and the spouses that stayed.  While most of the couples are American there are chapters that take place in other countries, such as the UK and Israel.

Beach Reads I: The Blackbird Sisters

The Blackbird Sisters (series), by Nancy Martin

This mystery series features three sisters from the Main Line with colonial ancestors.  The family wealth has been frittered away and they have all taken different paths toward adjusting to working (or not) for a living.  One has inherited the family farm in Bucks County and writes the society column for a local newspaper.  All of which is to say that there is a lot of local flavor in these books, as well as murder, fashion, siblings, and assorted other goings on.  The author, Nancy Martin, lives in Pittsburgh.  I haven’t read all the books in this series yet but what I have read is well-done and interesting 

Book Review: Mayor, by Michael Nutter

Book Review:  Mayor:  The Best Job in Politics, by Michael A. Nutter.  (Philadelphia, PA:  University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018)

This is a really nice book.  It’s easy to read and interesting enough to keep the reader’s attention.  Nutter’s personality, wonky and sincere, comes through.  He dedicates the book to “the incredible citizens of Philadelphia who cared about me and gave me a chance to lead our great city, …” and his teachers, his council staff, and mayoral administration.

Like most autobiographies he starts off with his childhood.  He gives a quick overview of Philadelphia culture, the middle class city neighborhood he grew up in, and the importance of which city high school you attend.  He had intended to be a doctor but changed course after not doing well in Chemistry 101.  And, yes, he discusses his work as a DJ, which actually allowed him to meet a lot of politically connected people.  He talks frankly about his growing interest in politics and his introduction to running for office (and losing) and working within the system as it is.  His description of Philadelphia political players and the campaigns he worked on (John C Anderson), and other political influences (Marian Tasco and Bill Gray) is interesting and informative.  Patience is a virtue when in office and Nutter discusses the issues he was concerned about as a city councilman, and the years it could take to pass legislation, as well as the relationships needed to get the requisite votes.  Nutter can get way out into the weeds in these sections but it is still interesting.

From there he writes about his city council and mayoral campaigns (with a bow to the commercial with his daughter).  The second part of the books is devoted to his years as mayor.  In the introduction he describes being mayor as lonely, but also as a position that allows you to “accomplish tangible things” (kindle loc 90).  In a discussion of politics he says:  “My attitude was that if you do your job, more times than not, you’ll get reelected.  But if you get to the point where you think your job is keeping your job, rather than thinking your job is to do your job, then that’s a sad place to be.” (p. 44)

One of my favorite quotes on campaigning is “When you watch a campaign, it is a window into the soul of how that candidate will govern.” (p. 61).  He governed with similar values.  He writes of having the Chief Integrity Officer’s office right next to his (p. 78)

The recession overshadowed his term as mayor.  He writes often about trying to be as transparent as possible with the people of Philadelphia.  Many of the things he wanted to do were sacrificed just to keep the city afloat.  However, he notes “we were one of the only big cities in American to have our bond rating upgraded” (p. 105) during difficult fiscal times.

He discusses not only his successes but his failures (the idea to close libraries, for example) and how proud he was to have been sued by the NRA.  He writes about spending time with the families of fallen police officers, and his speech chiding parents who don’t take care of their children.  He writes about snowstorms and earthquakes, the Occupy movement, helping people keep their homes when their neighborhoods gentrified, and the potential sale of PGW.

So there are lengthy discussions of policy, a little gossip about John Street, and a great overview of how the city works (or doesn’t).

I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. 

Holiday Shopping II: Who Thought This Was a Good Idea, by Alyssa Mastromonaco

I read this early last summer.  Who Thought This Was a Good Idea, and Other Questions You Should Have the Answers to When You Work in the White House, by Alyssa Mastromonaco (Hachette, 2017) is a good read.  It is definitely not the first campaign / White House staff memoir but it is one of the few by a young woman.  Mastromonaco served as the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Obama White House and was the youngest woman to have held that position.

Young men write campaign / public service books and I have read more than a few.  They discusses personal foibles, the craziness of political life, and what they learned along the way.  But such books by young women are rare.  Mastromonaco talks about her personal foibles, the craziness of political life, and what she learned along the way; so basically the same stuff the young men write about.  Hearing it from her perspective is refreshing.  She writes about changing majors in college after her first campaign experience, working on campaigns that lost and those that won, and finding herself in the White House.  Along the way she includes stories about trying to find a bathroom while on a business outing, worrying about how her pants fit, finding time for a boyfriend, and other common to many business women. 

I really enjoyed reading this and thought a lot about buying copies for a couple of young women graduating from high school this past June.  The only thing that stopped me was the references to social drinking.  The venue through which I knew the young graduates and their parents would have made it inappropriate; now that the girls are college students I may re-think that and give them the book for Christmas.

It is definitely a great gift for young adults interested in politics or just life narratives for early professional experiences.  Mastromonaco is very forthright about her experiences, decisions (both those she regrets and those she thinks were good ideas).  It is also an interesting look at life in the White House. 

I plan on re-reading the book over the holidays myself.

Book Review: Making Ideas Matter by Dwight Evans

Making Ideas Matter:  My Life as a Policy Entrepreneur by Representative Dwight Evans with William Ecenbarger.  Philadelphia: Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, 2013.

State Representative Dwight Evans is currently the Democratic candidate for the 2nd Congressional District, defeating incumbent Chaka Fattah in the primary. This book was published before his congressional run, but after previous unsuccessful runs for higher office. It is a slim volume (181 pages with an index) providing a history of State Rep. Evan's political career.  The first chapter is biographical, telling the story of his childhood and upbringing. He points out that after getting a part-time job in high school he didn't take money from his mother again, allowing her to focus on his younger siblings.

The rest of the book concerns his work as a state legislator and his personal life is not really mentioned again. Most of the chapters concern a particular subject -- one on education, another on the importance of access to healthy food choices. Others are on aspects of political culture -- there is a chapter on Walking Around Money (WAM) and how it can be used to leverage cooperation from political colleagues.

Evans outlines a number of projects he worked on,priorities he followed, strategies he used to reach out to fellow Democrats as well as Republicans, and how he developed rapport with legislators from other parts of the state to overcome overall hostility towards the Philadelphia area.

There is a focus on his work as chair of the Appropriations Committee, and his disappointment when he lost that position. He writes about his own personal values and how they informed his behavior, expectations of staff, and political behavior, and what happens to politicians who lose their moral compass.

He writes a lot about developing and maintaining relationships, not only with political allies but as ways of reaching across the aisle or to the far corners of the state. He writes about empowering staff (including giving staff the ability to tell him no), and holding them accountable for their work and ethics as well.

Evans only seems to write about one fault and that is the inability to tell his story effectively when running for mayor or governor. He wishes he could have continued as chair of Appropriations and that he could have helped a non-profit he had worked with maintain control of his district's main high school.

This book does explain how State Rep. Evans created some of the coalitions that passed legislation he wanted. It is a first person account and therefore does not include some of the context or reflection that a third person account might have. The writing is fast paced and easily read. The book could easily have gotten bogged down in self-congratulation or unnecessary details. As you might expect from a policy wonk, there are a lot of acronyms, but otherwise it avoids many of the pitfalls that other books of this kind fall into. Co-author William Ecenbarger is a former reporter and I credit his influence with a great deal of the book's readability.

Baring some sort of disaster Mr. Evans will be elected to Congress in November and his tenure in the state legislature will end. I hope that at some point a scholar writes a definitive history of his time there. I'm sure there are a lot more stories to be told. The book left me wanting more, which is surely the sign of a well-written book.

Book Review: Walking in Your Shoes by Joe Sestak

Book Review:  Walking in Your Shoes to Restore the American Dream by Joe Sestak with Jake Sternberger.  West  Conshohocken, PA:  Infinity Publishing, 2015

 I read this on a Kindle, so page numbers aren’t noted.  The book’s table of contents is extremely detailed.  Just including it doubles, or more than doubles, the length of this post.  Some of the chapters have introductory material before starting subheadings and others don’t.  Where there is text I have included a synopsis.  In some cases this is very difficult as the text would be extremely short. 

After the book synopsis I make some personal comments on the book.

Prologue

Greatest deficit in US is trust deficit in government.  Wanted to walk in people’s shoes so walked 422 miles across Pennsylvania from NJ border to Ohio border.  Two core tenets of American character:  rugged individualism and the common enterprise [balance ability to “be all you can be but never measuring their achievement apart from our shared enterprise as a nation”]

Acknowledgments:  family, sailors served with, repeats To Kill a Mockingbird quote about walking in someone else’s shoes, from prologue, students at Carnegie Mellon, Dickinson College, Cheyney University, US Army War College, and PSU Dickinson School of Law and School of International Affairs; Anka Lee for help, Jake Sternberger, wife and daughter

Section I:  Restoring the Dream

Chapter 1:  Rugged Individualism, the Common Enterprise and Accountable Leadership

A Sailor in Politics – divisive rhetoric in politics, years in the navy saw leadership most effective when embracing dual tenets (rugged individualism in pursuit of shared mission).  Accountable leadership.  Lack of leadership in congress, complaining about oversight agencies but not acknowledging congress wrote legislation creating agencies.  Shocked in Congress when D’s didn’t want to fix financial crisis in recession because R’s caused it.  People want effective government

A Sailor with a Sextant – again mentions rugged individualism and common purpose.  More on rugged individuals and shared enterprise.  Early Americans established schools and valued education, established mandatory health care system for merchant sailors.  Economy based on healthy sailors.  America’s rugged individualism – pioneers, short history of US, American Exceptionalism

Sailor in the Ivory Tower – teachings courses on “Ethical Leadership” and “Restoring the American Dream.”  Book is culmination of what he learned in those classes.

Section II:  Restoring our Economy – Be All You Can Be

Chapter 2:  Thinking Big for Small Business

Most politicians not interested in small business because don’t make large enough campaign donations.  “About half of Pennsylvania’s private sector workforce is employed by or owns a small business.”  In recent years, especially since recession, fewer small businesses being started.

Freeing Up Funding

“The biggest barrier to an innovator with an idea is a lack of access to capital.”  Suggestion – give tax credit to angel investors.  Discusses role of banks (they lend they don’t invest), and SBA and other loans.  Also mentions minority loans as it can be harder for minorities to get funding.

Responsibly Reducing Regulation

Important to protect environment but regulations should take small businesses into account – story of man in PA who had a small business and had to fill out forms for lab pack but a larger business could fill out a form for each load.  Create a system of tiers in regulation.  Mentions some small agencies in government that help with this – bipartisan efforts

Exports Abroad Means Job at Home

Reduce trade deficit.  Supports Export-Import Bank.

Chapter 3:  The Rebirth of American Manufacturing

Some manufacturing coming back.  Due to rising cost of labor abroad and increasing transportation costs, and energy costs here going down and poor quality control issues with foreign made goods.  And need for a speedier supply chain.  And intellectual property rights issues.  And people like goods made in America.

Growing Jobs through Green Energy

American innovations being manufactured abroad to get ahead of us.  We should fix that as it would create jobs here, it will cost less to manufacture with renewables so we will be at a financial disadvantage if we don’t, less carbon emissions.   One example, which some won’t like – fracking.  But shouldn’t let companies be on corporate welfare forever, and must take care of environment

Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights

Critically important to manufacturers and small business owners.  Big backlog in patent office.  Currently satellite patent offices opening.  Need to hire more patent examiners – pay for by offering to expedite patent application for a fee.  Must hold foreign companies responsible for intellectual property theft

Chapter  4:  Investing in Our Infrastructure

Infrastructure once a great American achievement, now crumbling and congested.  Need to increase rail infrastructure.  Crucial if we want to maintain dominant global economic position.  “more than connecting communities for commerce; this is about rebuilding the middle class

Government Needs a Better Way to Fund Infrastructure

Currently use gas tax, which hasn’t changed since 1993, plus fuel efficient vehicle use less gas.  Need more than gimmicks and short term solutions

Road to Resolution

Efforts to raise gas tax fail because of “no tax pledge.”  Individual states can experiment with mileage based user fee and eventually use it on a federal level to replace gas tax.  Need to create a national infrastructure bank

Public – Private Partnerships (PPPs) Can Work Better Than Government Alone

Government working in conjunction with private business great as long as accountability measures in place.  Gives examples of successful PPPs.

Job Growth Depends on Our Wired Infrastructure Too

High speed internet crucial.  Another example of something we invented that international competitors are able to provide at lower costs.  Hindered “by national duopoloy”  Mentions proposed Time Warner / Comcast merger.  “The bottom line is that Washington’s public servants are rewarding internet providers’ inadequate performance with tax breaks, sweetheart deals, and lax regulation that does not benefit the consumer.”  Rural areas hit hardest.  Mentions programs trying to help rural areas with this.

Chapter 5:  Raising Wages, Not Just the Minimum Wage

Median wage stagnant for decades.  Need to look at more than minimum wage.  About more than just soaking the rich.  Less than 3% of Americans paid minimum wage so raising just that won’t help most people.  Many big employers paying more than minimum wage.  Often it is small businesses paying minimum wage and we want to help small businesses.  Wage gap widening in recent years.  Productivity has grown but wages haven’t.

Raising the Minimum Wage as a First Step

Supports raising minimum wage to $10.12.  “Conclusive studies show that if a minimum wage does not exceed 50 percent of the average hourly wage, people will not lose their jobs.”  Should not be government’s job to subsidize low wages with welfare, food stamps, so they can pay higher executive salaries and dividends.

Reducing the Part-Time / Full-Time Worker Gap

Many new jobs created are only part-time.  Need to get rid of employer mandate in Affordable Care Act.  The version he support based employer mandate on percentage of payroll spend on health care not how many full-time workers employed.  Thinks that eventually employer based health care will be replaced by lower cost private plans on the market.

A Corporate Tax Code That Keeps Companies Here

Provides detailed descriptions of popular corporate tax evasion strategies, for example “Dutch sandwich.”  Elected officials unhappy but they wrote the tax codes that provide incentives for companies to do this.  Our corporate tax rate too high.  Tax code full of deductions, credits, and loopholes.  If companies can afford specialized accountants can avoid paying taxes.   Percentage of US tax income from corporate tax gone down.  Lower tax rates and close loopholes.  Offer companies incentive to bring money home.

Section III:  Restoring Our Workforce – All Hands on Deck

[no introductory text]

Chapter 6:  A Workforce that Keeps Pace with the New Economy

We need a trained workforce.    Describes Navy’s “training rungs.”

Human Capital is Just as Important as Financial Capital

21^st century workers need life-long learning.  Widening skills gap as baby boomers retire.  American spending on labor training decreasing, including private sector.  Need to make sure training programs are effective.

Rethinking Retraining

Increase accountability.  Mentions ITWorks program in Philadelphia, trains young adults in IT, working with local companies who help curriculum and provide equipment.  Mentions interesting program where Cascade Engineering partners with Burger King.  BK hires low-skills applicants and employs for 6-12 months and provides skills development training.  Then if they do well they can apply for better paying jobs at Cascade.  Mentions other programs.  Also programs like human capital performance bonds.  Local governments provide training and retraining programs

Chapter 7:  A Health Security Strategy

Story of his daughter getting  good health care due to Navy coverage, and hearing family with similar issue finding out they had limited treatment options because they didn’t have good health insurance.  In the military everyone has health care because we need healthy soldiers who are not distracted by family health issues.

An Unhealthy Debate

Affordable Care Act flawed.  Too many special interests, not enough bipartisanship.  Disinformation campaigns (death panels).  Media neglected its role as provider of information.

Restoring Trust and Keeping Promises

However, Affordable Care Act has helped lower prices and provide access to care.  Good points – can’t deny based on pre-existing conditions, keep kids on parents coverage until 26, free preventive exams .  Gives statistics on how it has helped.  Affordable Care Act strengthened Medicare

Expect What You Inspect

Lack of accountable leadership in implementing Affordable Care Act.  Led to lack of trust.  Provides details on how he thinks things went wrong.  One example:  the website.  Still, it’s better than what we had.

Brokering a Better Bargain

Allow bulk purchasing of medications or importing them from Canada where they cost less.  Companies say they have to charge more to pay for R&D but they spend large amounts on marketing, for example Super Bowl ads.  Should allow Medicare to bargain with drug companies as VA does.  We can provide tax incentives for R&D.

Industry Incentives – What Works, What to Watch, and When to Make Changes

Affordable Care Act changes incentives, from fee-for-service to quality of care not quantity.  Accountable Care Organizations for Medicare patients are one example.  Provides a detailed description of ACOs.  Need to stop allowing pharmaceutical firms from paying generic firms to delay introducing generics.

All Healthy Hands on Deck

Health care reforms help business by making system more efficient, gives Americans peace of mind to know they won’t be bankrupted by health issues.

Chapter 8:  Untapped Assets in the American Workforce

Looking specifically at immigrants and inmates.

Smarter Immigration for More Innovation

America has always benefited from immigrants, 40% of Fortune 500 companies founded by immigrants or children of immigrants.  Congress has failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform – border security, turning away skills workers and inventors, parting family members.  Need to deal with illegal immigrants who are here.  Not practical to deport all of them but should have fines, pay back taxes, criminal background checks, etc.  Secure southern border, matter of national security.  Terrorists involved in South American drug trade.  Not just build a wall, but also use things like drones.  Make sure American attracts and keeps innovators.  Expedite citizenship for foreign students who have earned advanced degrees in STEM fields.  

Reducing Recidivism to Increase Productivity

Always spend Veteran’s Day and / or Armed Forces day at a Pennsylvania prison.   Many of the veterans in prison are there because of untreated PTSD and related issues like drug or alcohol addiction.   We don’t prepare them for live after prison.  US has highest incarceration rate in the world.  In past years kids in trouble were given a choice between the military and prison.  Military gave them training, structure, physical and mental health care, and also help with successful re-entry to civilian life.  A 2001 review of 1,000 re-entry programs over 25 years found that only 19 were evaluated.  We need to evaluate programs to see what works best and then replicate it.  The few good evaluations find that these things help:  getting a GED and for inmates who take psychiatric medication, giving them an extra month’s medication to give them time to set up care.  We are a land of second chances.

Section IV:  Restoring Our Promises – I’ve Got Your Six

“I’ve got your six” is a military term meaning “I’ve got your back.”

Chapter 9:  Serving Those Who Served

[personal note – this chapter is a tear jerker] Writes about people who serve in the military, their sacrifice, ingenuity and bravery.  Cites a historian who said that on D-Day the German military tried to kill all of the officers immediately, thinking that the American enlisted men would not fight in their absence.  They were wrong.

Bridging the Gap from Boots to Business

“To begin, it is nothing short of a moral outrage that so many of our lawmakers were willing to spend trillions on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but unwilling to spend a few billion on jobs programs for returning veterans.”  Veterans are 45% more likely to be self-employed and also more likely to start a small business, so helping small businesses and the self-employed will help veterans.  Provides examples of programs.

A Helping Hand for Our Homeless Heroes

 When in Congress helped pass programs for homeless veterans.  Also impressed by efforts made by individual cities.  Cites examples, such as Phoenix’s “housing first” efforts to get housing for veterans before working on addictions, etc.

Revamping the VA

VA has improved but still problems.  Frustrated by officials who complain about state of VA but voted against budget increases for them.  Veterans get better care at VA than at community hospitals.  Veterans in rural areas particularly have trouble getting care because so far from facilities.  Could use internet but rural areas often have poor internet service.  Public-private partnerships could help veterans health care.

Chapter 10:  Standing With Our Seniors

When in Congress made it a priority to meet with senior citizens almost every weekend.  “Our nation needs their wisdom and experience.”  Senior population is growing.

Preventing Elder Abuse

Gives examples of elder abuse.  Congress unwilling to invest money in elder abuse prevention.

Dignity and Self-Determination in Long-Term Care

Home health aides cost about $20 / hour, nursing home care about $212 / day.  For someone needing less than ten hours of care a day it would be less expensive to let them stay in their own home.  Of that $20 an hour usually half or less goes to aide.  Low paying, low skill jobs   Allow immigrants in who will take these jobs.  Provide tax credits and deductions for family members who provide care.  Gives examples.   Do more to cure Alzheimer’s disease

Ferreting Out Fraud in Medicare

Starting to use technology to find fraud.  Some efforts to do this halted by sequestration.  Changing from fee-for-service to “quality of care” will help stop fraud

Reversing the Regressive Nature of the Social Security Tax

Only $117,000 of a person’s income is taxed for Social Security.  As wage gap has widened the wealthy are earning more but not paying more for Social Security.  This should be changed.  Must take care of our own.  “Fairness and kindness, after all, know no bounds or generations.” 

Section V:  Restoring Our Future – Full Steam Ahead

No introduction

Chapter 11:  Investing in Education Pays the Best Interest for our National Interest

views education as our “homeland defense.”  Today education system is failing

Improving Performance and Maintaining Competitiveness, Through Accountability

Lack of meaningful policy on education because of lack of assessable data, no comparable data across states about student performance.  Common Core sets national standards but needs improvement to have better test questions.  Concerns about rural areas with poor Internet service.

Student Loans for Higher Education Should Not Be a Debt Sentence

Higher education not affordable, average debt for bachelor’s degree is $29,400.  Higher debt levels means delayed home buying, less likely to start a business

The College Accountability Side of the Equation

Concerned about high tuition levels of Penn State and U Pitt, public institutions (see footnote 305), comment on location 2176.  Also mentions Temple.  Higher ed notoriously bad at managing costs.  Faculty teaching load declines.  Shared governance “where power and authority is vested in people (faculty without business credentials) who are not accountable to economics in times when finances are tight and changes must be made”

A Loan Interest Rate That Works

Need predictable interest rates.  Government shouldn’t make money from student loans.  Tie student loan interest rates to cpi

A Need for National Service

Require national service, shared common experience, not primarily through military but things like Americorps.  Will give country a sense of fellowship.  There is a cost but a greater return.  Polls show most voters oppose this but still supports it.

Chapter 12:  Continued Global Leadership for Security and Prosperity

Can’t tackle problems at home in a vacuum, must also look at what is happening in the world. Not just military but also economic security.  Let’s avoid isolationism

Our World Today and Meaning of America’s Engagement

All countries should be able to pursue prosperity in a stable and free world, promote freedom and democracy around the world.  No longer a black / white Cold War era, now few clear divisions.  Non-state actors, terrorism, must coordinate and cooperate with allies.  Mentions ISIS.  Military not final solution. Bring stakeholders together.  Mentions middle east issues, Israel / Palestinians .  spread of infectious diseases show interconnectedness of the world

A Smart National Security Strategy for Today

Sestak lays out his priorities for national security; there are nine of them.  Standards like fighting al Qaeda are among them but so is a public health issue (“arresting the spread of deadly diseases”).  He also lists five challenges, which are among the other headings below.

Enhance Diplomatic Engagement

One of his five challenges, perhaps the most important one.  Need to work collectively and collaboratively.  Goes into detail on Putin and how he thinks the US should respond.

Advance Economic Partnerships

This is a prerequisite for security.  Provides detail on Africa and America’s relationship with countries on that continent.  One item he mentions is that African countries will be heavily impacted by climate change.  Also discusses America’s relationships with countries in Latin America. 

Maintain a Flexible and Credible Military

We shouldn’t measure our military by its size.  Technology makes size less important.  Instead we should measure by knowledge, the speed and agility with which we can respond.

Be Able to Explain the Cost and Benefit of When and Why We Need to Use Force

Three kinds of interests:  vital, important, and humanitarian.  Before engaging we need a mission, risk and cost assessment, timeline and milestones, and contingency plans. 

Prioritize our Resources and Efforts

We need to make smart choices and prioritize.

Challenge and Opportunity of Our Time:  The Asia Pacific

Lists reasons why we should prioritize this area.

A Stable Asia Pacific that Benefits America

Many leaders in this area want us to be involved because we have a good track record for maintaining peace.

A China that Must Play by the Rules

Other countries want us to help make sure China acts responsibly, provides examples of areas that need attention (example – labor laws, intellectual property, mining rare earths)

Fight for American in a Competitive World

Mentions Export Import Bank

Preparing for the Consequences of Climate Change

This is a national security issue, sea level affects military preparedness

History’s Calling

History is what we make it, what we work for and maintain

Notes – 348 notes

About the Author

(teaches at Carnegie Mellon University, Cheyney University, Dickinson College, Penn State Law, and Army War College.)

Personal Remarks

I've been around publishing in various roles for over 20 years.  It's not my primary job but I have some experience with writing and editing.  One thing about this book that is very clear is that it was quickly put together.  

Books are usually balanced, chapters are of a similar length and construction.  This one was all over the place.  Some chapters had introductory text, others didn't.  The lengths varied.  It was not constructed well.

There are copy editing mistakes.  The book didn't appear to go through a more traditional publishing route and I doubt professional proofreaders were involved.  For one thing some words were overused.  Reading on a Kindle I could search for words and see how often they appeared.  The word rugged was used 50 times in this book.  He writes a lot about rugged individuals.  That is not a phrase that trips off the tongue in speaking and it feels awkward when reading it.  Fifty times is a lot.  All the naval metaphors and jargon get a little old too.  It could just be me.  I'm from an Army family and Navy talk is a foreign language.   

There are mistakes that a proofreader would have caught.  In chapter 8, in the section on immigration, STEM is defined as science, technology, education, and mathematics.  That E should be engineering not education.  There are some oddly constructed sentences.

There's nothing wrong with a hastily constructed book.  It does speak to a process with a limited circle of involvement.  If a few more people had read over early drafts some of this might have been caught and remedied.

The subject matter sort of feels like the stereotypical kitchen sink -- they're trying to include everything at once.  China!  Immigration!  Education!  Small business!  Defense!  It was all a bit much.

In addition to the proofreading errors there were a few other things that bothered me.  These are small things but I think someone should have caught them.  In chapter 11, the section on college accountability he writes about the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State being public institutions and cites a newspaper article that refers to them this way, too.  The thing is, they aren't part of the Pennsylvania higher education system.  They are state-related schools.  They get some money from the state but they aren't part of the state's formal college system.  The tuition prices for the state schools, say West Chester or Kutztown, are less than at Pitt or Penn State.  This might just be quibbling but Sestak's congressional district contained one, possibly two, Penn State campuses, and I think Cheney (a state school) as well.  If West Chester wasn't in his district it was close.  I've tried looking at the map for Pennsylvania's congressional district 7 for the years Sestak represented it and then looking at where those schools were located but it isn't always easy to tell if something was in the district.  Even though college funding is mostly on a state level he should have known the distinction.  My household has been tracking college tuition at various schools in the state for the past few years and it's not difficult to find those distinctions.  In that same section he takes a potshot at college faculty, saying they shouldn't be making financial decisions for the school because they don't have business credentials.  Here's the thing -- he doesn't have a business background, he's taught at colleges, and he wants to make decisions on education funding.  

This is the stuff that jumped out at me when I read the book.

Conclusion

If you want to know where Sestak stands on the issues this book will tell you, in detail.  It is a little dry, though, with few of the stories that are usually used to illustrate points in books like this.

Quick Book Look: Power Forward by Reggie Love

Reggie Love, President Obama's "body man" wrote a book that was published earlier this year.  Power Forward:  My Presidential Education would make a good graduation present or birthday gift for a young man who is interested in sports and politics.  For my taste it  has too much of the former and not enough of the latter.  There were a few behind the scenes stories about then-candidate Obama but not really enough to satisfy someone steeped in politics.

All the same it is an entertaining story and has a believable story of a young man's journey.  There are a lot of life lessons involved.  High school and college students who have volunteered on campaigns might find it particularly enjoyable.

Book Review: Collision by Dan Balz

Collision 2012: Obama vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America Hardcover by Dan Balz.  Viking, 2013

Full disclosure:  I like Dan Balz, his writing and his appearances on Washington Week in Review.  In an era of strident voices he stands out for an even tone and balanced viewpoint.  There are a number of other books on the market about the 2012 election that vilify one or more candidates or sensationalize the events of the campaign.  Balz chooses instead to concentrate on solid reporting.

The author considers this book a sequel to his early book on the 2008 election, The Battle for America, co-authored with Haynes Johnson. 

The books is divided into three sections, with some introductory material.  The first part is called “the pivot” and focuses on this particular point in history with an emphasis on Obama’s campaign strategy and tactics.  There is a specific part on the Obama campaign’s use of microtargeting and digital database.  They make particular use of expanding the campaign’s reach by asking people to reach out to a few of their friends, making suggestions based on the likelihood that each of those friends was categorized as a infrequent voter (and therefore more likely to vote if prompted) or an undecided voter (and whose vote might be swayed by a note from a friend).  This was especially effective when reaching out to younger voters who might not have a landline

The middle section is a lengthy review of the Republican primary contest, examining each of the candidates on a chronological basis, as they seemed to appear and peak one at a time.  Balz also points out that of the Romney family only son Tagg and wife Ann thought Romney should run again.  Even the candidate himself had questions about it.  For me as a reader one of the oddest stories in this section was the mention of an April Fool’s joke.  Romney thought he was going to address a packed room for a pancake brunch.  Instead the room was empty.  (Kindle location 5153).  In an expensive and important campaign how could anyone think there was time for tomfoolery like this?  There is a detailed story about Chris Christie at the Republican convention, threatening to say the F word on live tv. 

The third part was on the general election between Romney and Obama.  The 47% comment by Romney, the poor performance by Obama in the first debate, the Republican’s difficulties in attracting non-white voters (and the reasons for it).  Balz is a gadget guy and he writes about the 2012 election being the first presidential election with twitter in common usage. 

As someone who watched this election closely as it happened, and has read up on it since, I recall many of the incidents that Balz includes in his book. Nonetheless it is reassuring in some way to have Balz sew them all together and smooth them out; it provides closure.  He provides some context and background to things that even armchair politicos don’t know.  For those who did not keep such a close eye on the election the book will be an excellent history of it.  In any event I highly recommend the book.

On a personal note, this is the first book I am reviewing that I read on a Kindle as opposed to print.  Normally I put little post-its in the text to mark things of interest and then jot a quick summary for each chapter on a larger post-it and stick it to the first page of that chapter.  By the end the book looks like a feathered bird.  It is hard to do that on a Kindle, or perhaps I just haven’t figured out how to do it yet.  The search function in a Kindle is intriguing and very helpful in finding prior references to people places and things.  But I’m not sure that makes up for effective use of post-its. 

Book Review: Rebuilding the News

Anderson, C. W.  Rebuilding the News:  Metropolitan Journalism in the Digital Age.  Philadelphia:  Temple University Press, 2013.

This is the first (that I know of), but surely not the last, book on the changing state of journalism in Philadelphia.  Anderson was allowed into the Inquirer and Daily News, interviewed some local bloggers (full disclosure:  to the best of my knowledge I did not have any contact with him), talked with others involved in local digital and price newsgathering and writing.

The first two chapters review local journalism in Philadelphia from 1997 to 2008.  This is a good historical overview.

The next two review the digital age.  Chapter four takes one specific incident and examines how the story spreads from amateur reports to formal coverage.

The last two chapters discuss problems and developments in the online world, and the fallout from financial issues at the local papers.  Our reporter friends work long hours for little pay.

Several local online personalities, Amy Z. Quinn, Karl Martino, and Chris Satullo, make appearances in the book.  It was interesting to read how all the various worlds of print and digital reporters, formal and citizen reporting, interact and influence each other.

This books, like far too many that I have read recently suffers from the lack of good copy editing.  The author has some fascinating stories to tell.  After reading the book I am more convinced than ever that Philadelphia needs a robust independent newspaper (and online equivalent).  

Food in Jars: For You or a Friend

Local food blogger Marissa McClellan has published a book on home canning called Food in Jars, based on her blog with the same name.  It is full of recipes that can be made in the smallest of kitchens, and designed for small households, perfect or urbanites and suburbanites.

I went to high school in a rural setting and a lot of the farm wives had elaborate canning sessions to store away a year's worth of green beens or pickled beets for the winter.  Food in Jars is a little more cosmpolitan with the standard jams and jellies but also things like cranberry ketchup, sweet cherry butter, basic picked jalapeno peppers, and honey roasted peanut butter.  There is an entire chapter on tomatoes.   Most recipes make between 3 and 6 jars.

No special equipment is required beyond what one would find in a basic kitchen set up (other than the jars and lids, which you can pick up in stores), though a jar lifter and a wide mouth funnel would come in handy.  For an inexpensive shower or housewarming gift a few friends could get a themed gift of the book and those two pieces of equipment.

For the non-cook or aspirational cook, just looking at the pictures is fun.  I especially like the ribbon used to tie the jar rings together.  The book reminds me of the homey smells of my adolescence and the planning and resilience personified by the rows of canned food in my mother-in-law's cellar.

It's a good book by an excellent local author.  Available on Amazon (print and Kindle) and likely in local bookstores.