A Deficit of Decency

by Zell Miller

In February of 2004, Senator Zell Miller delivered the speech "A Deficit of Decency" on the Senate floor. The speech considered the very soul of America and generated an unexpectedly massive response from people across the nation. Expanding on this theme in his new book by the same title, former U.S. Senator and Georgia Governor Zell Miller identifies a wide range of issues—from media and sports role models, to the judiciary, to the decline of traditional Christian values of the family, responsibility and sacrifice—where an absence of decency is threatening the heart of America.

"A Deficit of Decency" addresses specific issues where Miller sees a need to return to a basic sense of duty. Miller writes in the preface, "There have been ten generations of Americans since this nation was founded….Each left this nation in a little better condition than they had inherited it from their parents. This is the first generation at risk of doing the opposite. Why? I have come to believe that it is because we failed to acknowledge and discipline ourselves with the spiritual truths that have made us great for these two hundred years—faith, family, country, values. This book is about how one man thinks they may be restored and yet save this great civilization from itself."

In "A Deficit of Decency," Miller also speaks candidly about the values that led him to attack his own party and deliver a keynote speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention. These same values, he believes, are desperately needed at the heart of American culture. Miller explains, "There were two primary reasons I could not go where my lifelong political party wanted to take me. I seriously questioned its judgment on how to respond to the threat of terrorism, the most serious national security issue of the post Cold War era. But I also came to be repelled by the secularism that had engulfed its thinking and smothered its soul."

Miller writes from the unique perspective of his rise to and service as Governor and United States Senator, drawing upon public service in each of the past six decades. Miller has written six books, including "Corps Values" and the New York Times bestseller "A National Party No More".

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

Library Binding

First published April 30, 2005

About the author

Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. Elected as a Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1990, Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005.

Although a member of the Democratic Party, Miller backed Republican President George W. Bush over Democratic nominee John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election and since 2003 has frequently criticized the Democratic Party, and has publicly supported several Republican candidates. In 2006, Miller did voice-overs (narrations) for Republican candidate commercials in Georgia state elections (George "Sonny" Perdue and Ralph Reed).

Miller did not seek re-election in 2004. After leaving the Senate he joined the law firm McKenna Long & Aldridge, in the firm's national Government Affairs practice. Miller is also a frequent Fox News Channel contributor.

Reviews

[Reza Amiri Praramadhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zell Miller earned the distinction of being one of the Conservative Democrats, which is a rarity these days, who were invited to speak in both Democratic and Republican party conventions for Clinton in 1992, and for Bush, Jr. in 2004. He struck me as a man of principle, sticking to what he believes is right, an act which earned him many enemies from his own party, which he would rather sacrifice than his own principles. Throughout the book, I can see that he is a conservative through and through, who are incensed by the Democratic Party's drift towards the left. He also crusades against the liberals, who tried to abolish influence of christianity in daily life, who promoted abortion, and also, I share his disgusts of rappers with their swearing accompanied by music. His ideas, turned out not to be very different from what Trump had promised after all, that Miller also proposed to seal the border, and viewed UN, that global institution, as a Useless Nuisance, which I find very amusing. This book is a collection of thoughts and opinions which came from a person who pledge to live and die as a Democrat, the kind of views which you can hardly find on people from Democratic Party these days.

[Glen Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read both of his books. This one I liked better. Zell Miller sees the problems of the United States clearly but he thinks the solution is to get the government involved. This idea is more evident in his first book. In this book he more or less outlines the problems and his solutions are more individual responsibility. I think he has a good heart, loves our country and wants to see it survive. I don’t think it will.

But I am certainly with him on repealing the 17th amendment. And maybe a few others.

[Stephen Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doesn't go far enough in explaining and condemning the degeneracy of the Left. However, to his credit, it was written in 2005 before the Marxist revolution of 2008. Kudos to Senator Zell Miller; a blue dog Democrat with a conscience.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only problem current events books is that, in a couple of years, at least parts of them will no longer be current. This was written in 2005, right after GWB's election to his second term, and the more things changed, the more they (mostly) stayed the some. Most of his insights into people and character in general are still spot-on and incredibly insightful. Some of the more political situation-specific predictions, however, did not weather well. Like most of the smart money, he was thinking that Hillary would be the one to beat in 2008. He does mention Obama, in the context of the Key Note speech he made at the DNC Convention, and says that he (Obama) has/had a lot of potential and be someone to watch. Well, yeah, but no one thought at the time that they would watch him right in the White House.

This was also written when GWB was still a popular president, and before even Republicans were having "how far away can we distance ourselves" contests. So that has changed. But a lot of his other points, especially on root causes of the cultural divide, remain current pretty much no matter what time it is. I wish more people on all ends of the spectrum would read this, and it could start an actual (gasp!) dialogue. But in the mean time, I guess hate and ignorance will remain the order of the day. Awesome.

[Mike Kowalczyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was rather disappointed by this book, to say the least. After hearing what Zell Miller had to say at the Republican National Convention in 2004, I was eager to be indoctrinated into his views on the state of the nation. While I agree largely with what he has to say about the lack of decency, morals, respect, etc in this nation, his arguments are drab and pedestrian. The book is heavy with stories of his childhood and family that, at first, are compelling but later overdrawn and insipid. I would like to reiterate that he is very much on the right track in his views and I imagine any other morally-attuned person would would fall right in line with them as well. It is just the writing that drags his ideas under with it.
While I would love to recommend this book to everyone so as to endow them with the important ideas within, I could recommend nothing more than the soup-to-nuts or Sparknotes version.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love Zell Miller (even though he's a Democrat!) - this is a brilliant man. It's a shame that Washington doesn't have more honest, decent people like him representing the American people. I highly recommend this book.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by respected Conservative Democrat! A MUST READ.

[Jeff Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good from Zell!