Back to Work

Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy

By: Bill Clinton

Narrated by: Bill Clinton

Length: 5 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

President Bill Clinton gives us his views on the challenges facing the United States today and why government matters - presenting his ideas on restoring economic growth, energy, job creation, resolving the mortgage crisis, and financial responsibility, and offering a plan to get us "back in the future business". He explains how we got into an economic crisis, and lays down a plan for long-term prosperity. He also offers specific recommendations on how we can put people back to work, increase bank lending and corporate investment, double our exports, restore our manufacturing base, and create new businesses. He supports President Obama's emphasis on green technology, saying that changing the way we produce and consume energy is the strategy most likely to spark a fast-growing economy while enhancing our national security.

Clinton also stresses that we need a strong private sector and a smart government working together to restore prosperity and progress, demonstrating that whenever we've given in to the temptation to blame government for all of our problems, we've lost our ability to produce sustained economic growth and shared prosperity. He believes our ability to compete in the 21st century is dependent on our willingness to invest in infrastructure: we need faster broadband, a state-of-the-art national electrical grid, modernized water and sewer systems, and the best airports, trains, roads, and bridges.

"There is simply no evidence that we can succeed in the 21st century with an anti-government strategy", writes Clinton, based on "a philosophy grounded in 'you're on your own' rather than 'we're all in this together.'" He believes that conflict between government and the private sector has proved to be good politics but has produced bad policies, giving us a weak economy with not enough jobs, growing income inequality and poverty, and a decline in our competitive position. In the real world, cooperation works much better than conflict, and "Americans need victories in real life."

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2011 Bill Clinton (P)2011 Random House

Explainer in Chief Scores Again

As an acknowledged political junkie, I had followed the negotiations on the tax cut extension and debt ceiling in 2010 and 2011. This made so clear how superficial tv coverage is. He explains the issues, the process, and the participants so well that my earlier conceptions were really challenged. And I enjoy his voice. He's confidant without much arrogance (a little, maybe), and he doesn't talk down to the listener.

Conversation Moves Forward

What made the experience of listening to Back to Work the most enjoyable?

Former President Clinton helps us understand that what's happening is happening to all in the U. S. and all around the world. He has a way of helping those who read/listen see that it is important for us to work toward solutions. He believes, and I probably enjoyed this book, because I believe there is a vital role for government in helping us solve many of the problems in our world. Most of these problems go far beyond our individual spheres of influence. He discusses in this book where government has played important, constructive roles in solving problems and improving quality of life. His examples come from both sides of the political battlefield. His urge to be inclusive rather than exclusive is another positive aspect of this long essay. In addition, the former president is engaging in constructive problem solving through his Foundation and he discusses how the Foundation approach differs from the battling of politicians.

The former president has always been known as a communicator and he brings these gifts to the narration of his book. You get the feeling of almost being in a conversation with a very intelligent friend.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The book is fairly short but it is a powerful argument on the role of government in today's complex world. I would guess that even someone on the opposite side of this view would enjoy listening to the former president's ideas.

Clear explanation ... finally!

What did you love best about Back to Work?

The best explanation for 50 years of governance I have had the pleasure of reading. Clear, well-developed ideas backed by REAL experience that couldn't (literally) be duplicated by any other pundit of our time. One gets the feeling that his only agenda is the future success of the US.

This is a great book!

What did you love best about Back to Work?

Don't have time to take a class for fun? This book is like taking a graduate course in business and macro economics taught by Josiah Barlett! It might be a little dense and full of information but don't be afraid to take notes, look at the charts and graphs, and listen to it more than once.

President Clinton makes a great argument

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. A great crash course of the important political issues of today. He is always interesting to listen to.

Hope for the unemployed!

I chose to read this book because I am unemployed for the second time in 3 years. 3 years ago, the company I worked for laid off all the employees and sold the building they owned. They pretty much went under. It was a very sad time for the many of us who had worked there over 10 years. I was unemployed for 14 months and finally landed another job which I held for a year until they laid off my entire department only to rehire the same positions for salaries of $10-15K less (we were never offered the option to accept pay cuts). I am a skilled project manager and marketer, but the Boston job-seeking environment is brutal and many hiring managers are biased against hiring the currently unemployed for their open positions. This is not just my paranoia - I hear many hiring managers who are directly told by their supervisors to look for younger candidates who are currently employed. Some help wanted ads even state "unemployed candidates need not apply."
This book, I hoped, would provide me with some ideas for where our economy is headed and where it could go if we laid the groundwork to get masses of people back to work. I know there's no panacea, but I wanted to be aware of some ideas for how our country could grow to be stronger and how we can get people, like me, back to work who are willing to work hard, at reduced salaries, and put long hours if necessary. We are not afraid to work or work hard, we just need the opportunity. I was looking for someone who could help explain to me how the U.S. could make this happen.
I found Bill's ideas very sound and compelling. The book starts by explaining how he had worked hard to put the U.S. in a good economic situation and when he left office unemployment was low and there was a government budget surplus. He explains where a lot of the surplus money went and how we got into the big debt hole we are now in. I think he does a good job of looking at the situation from a 30,000 foot view and not slamming any particular political viewpoint. He talks solely about the actions taken by each administration and how those actions led to the situation we currently find ourselves in. He holds government individuals accountable for their decisions and doesn't slam them or give them a pass based on their particular party affiliation.
Presenting a list of over 30 suggestions for how we can improve the economy (which I found very helpful and inspiring), Bill gives props to many political leaders who are not Democrats. This is not a "Democrats are perfect, everyone else is messed up" tirade. He really takes a broad perspective view of the economic situation and provides his intelligently-derived suggestions for how we can move toward economic prosperity and get people back in jobs rather than leaving them on the unemployment payrolls. He talks about how we need a new, strong industry to focus on to create jobs and prosperity. This industry, he believes, is alternative energy sources and we need to move fast before other countries dominate this market and leave us to need to find another booming industry. We should be putting smart and targeted business ventures into place immediately that will make us a worldwide solution provider for alternative energy - and currently we are not even close.
I liked that the book was narrated by Bill himself. His voice has been damaged a bit from so many years of talking so it's not as smooth-sounding as it used to be, but I always enjoy hearing the author narrate the book themselves because they know how it is intended to be read and put the emphasis in the correct places. Bill keeps his tone very even and calm even though, in places, I might have liked him to show more emotion to motivate the U.S. government to make changes NOW, not later. I think he could have done well to impress upon the audience that we have a window of opportunity to make the changes he outlines and that window is quickly closing. Once the window is closed, we will need to start over and to look to a brand new strategy. And who knows how long it will take for us to find the "next great thing" that will pull this economy out of the hole it's currently in. Hopefully this will happen before there are bread and soup lines in every major city in the U.S. filled by people willing and able to work.
The book gave me hope that there are viable answers out there. They just need to be acted upon - and quickly.

Clear headed view of the situation

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Progressive or conservative, this is a must read for anybody who is concerned about the economy and frustrated with the grid lock in DC. Clinton has incisive insight into the workings of the economy and the politics of the time. He offers real insights into the what solutions are available or even underway by hampered by the government, at both the national and state levels. It is not a diatribe and does not take political sides. Where he differs from the parties, he explains his position, so there can be no accusation that this is anything but a very practical approach to getting people back to work. Not a book on economics, but a real revelation about economics.

What did you like best about this story?

The book is laid out in a sequence, but you could hardly call it a plot. He builds his case methodically, however. It is in no way text-book like.

Have you listened to any of Bill Clinton???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Whether you liked him as a political figure or not, I've always like listening to Bill Clinton. HIs delivery clarifies the intent of his words. Is is varied and even has emotional content. He chuckles at himself or waxes impatient at times. I was concerned that a litany of economic programs might be hard to follow when read aloud, but Clinton's narration made it easy.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

While I did not listen to this in a single sitting, and I wouldn't recommend it, it was an easy listen. There is a lot here and I like to let it sing in in large bites. Unlike some books on this subject, it was easy to pick up where you left off.

Any additional comments?

If there is anything that would dampen you enjoyment, it would be breaking up the last hour of the book into too many sessions. It is a series of recommendations about economic programs that seems compact and coherent only if you hear them all in the same breath, as it were.

Progressive economics

What did you love best about Back to Work?

Clinton is a master of history. Knowing where events lead the U.S., shows the path out of today's problems.

What other book might you compare Back to Work to and why?

My Life is a history of Our President, Bill Clinton. In both books Clinton puts events in a timeline style. An inspection of the history of events allows for a logical progression forward.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Bill Clinton offers a historical look at today's financial woes. With the expertise only a man of his background could offer, Back to Work offers the best solutions.

The Best President

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I just wish that our lawmakers had the brains of Bill Clinton! Great book!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Back to Work?

Where to economy is and how we got there.

What about Bill Clinton’s performance did you like?

The man is the Greatest orator ever!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

How great words get overlooked.

Inspiring

If you could sum up Back to Work in three words, what would they be?

Re-elect Bill Clinton

What was one of the most memorable moments of Back to Work?

The research, effort and the clear ideas and pathways to a better functioning relationship between the government and private sector are awe inspiring.