It Takes Chutzpah

How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change

By: Ron Wyden

Narrated by: Ron Wyden

In this inspirational call to action, a senior U.S. politician reveals how to accomplish goals with a combination of strong allies, persistence, and attention—that is, chutzpah.

It Takes Chutzpah is an inspirational call to action by a senior U.S. politician, describing how Americans of all age groups, persuasions, and occupations can defy convention, chart new pathways for their communities, schools, at work and in life. US Senator Ron Wyden is widely praised for coming up with sensible-sounding ideas no one else had thought of and making the counter-intuitive political alliances that prove helpful in passing bills. In It Takes Chutzpah, he offers a progressive leader’s manifesto for being a courageous warrior during turbulent times.

“Chutzpah” is a Yiddish word that describes a trait that many Jews consider in-born. Ron explores chutzpah’s long history and many interpretations and reclaims the word chutzpah for a new American generation, showing how it can be used for good to reclaim idealism and enact positive change. He shares “Ron’s 12 Rules of Chutzpah” that enable any individual or group to achieve their objectives, including:

1. If you want to make change, you’ve got to make noise.
2.In a world where everyone thinks and acts for the short-term, always play the long game.
3. Leading is coaching: Whether in legislation or in life, you’ve got to bring people and ideas together around a shared goal.

Ron identifies several key values—free speech, health care, reproductive rights, a clean environment, and reigning in Big Tech—and draws on his decades of public service to stress that preserving those values means that loud brashness and boldness will be needed now more than ever.

Well done Ron!

It was very enlightening and well worth the time to read or for your listeners

Accuracy of events

The story was tied to a philosophy which was carried out throughout the book with specific examples.

Ron is a truth loving person. I especially appreciated his story. Thank you for writing and recording this book!!

Ron explained how work was done in Washington. There is a lot of compromise needed. He made it sound like there were many on both sides of the isle who had the same or similar goals. His efforts to work with anyone was very inspiring. He got so much done and had a wonderful vision for the country. It was a joy to listen to his story.

Disappointing

As a progressive, this is a completely partisan and unaware missive which engages in cliche statist party glorification without any self awareness into how his side is a part of the problem. His position is basically that the Democrats are great and Trump/Putin/China are all evil, without acknowledging or trying to understand why in some circles Trump/Putin/China are quite popular and why many people are disappointed with the Democratic Party. He also incessantly compares Trump/Putin/China with the Nazi regime while ignoring that it is under Democratic leadership that a genocide took place in Gaza.

Truly disappointing book.