Soul of a Democrat

The Seven Core Ideals That Made Our Party - and Our Country - Great

De: Thomas B. Reston

Narrado por: Thomas B. Reston, Robert Petkoff

Duración: 8 h y 30 m

Resumen del Editor

This program includes an introduction read by Thomas B. Reston.

In this timely audiobook, Thomas B. Reston delivers a concise history of the Democratic party and the founding myths and principles it has abandoned over time, thus losing its working-class base - and its soul.

The 2016 election resulted in the Democratic Party ceding control of every branch of government to the GOP. The talking heads have offered countless explanations and excuses for this upset, but Thomas B. Reston illuminates the true cause: the party has lost its soul. The Democratic Party has abandoned any unifying ideological message in favor of policy-oriented goals. Instead of creating platforms that appeal to Americans as a whole, candidates campaign by targeting blocks of voters, changing their talking points to better fit each audience. The Democrats need a coherent, consistent set of ideas if they want to remain competitive on the national stage. The good news is they already have one.

In Soul of a Democrat, listeners take a journey through the history of the Democratic Party, learning of the successes and failures of its greatest figures, from Thomas Jefferson to Harry Truman. These great men knew that a successful political party needs solid ideological roots, a relatable message, and solidarity in its ranks. This audiobook shows modern Democrats how to learn from the past, craft a new approach to politics, and once again become the party of the people.

©2018 Thomas B. Reston (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Whiny

The author is certainly well qualified and makes some good arguments. He does include historical perspectives. My take is that a lot of wasted time is spent on preaching and whiny generalizations. Obviously horrified by the 2016 presidential loss, he assumes the listener is pining for some pulpit thumping. He wants the reader to go back to the party’s myths (his constant metaphor or trope). What one hears is often a generalized ranting and less of a didactic meaty presentation. In the end it is worth a listen especially as the alternative is the howling from republicans with their books.