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America, the Owner's Manual: Making Government Work For You
Would you teach someone to play basketball using just chalkboard diagrams? Or would you get them on the court and have them play? In basketball, the answer is easy -- you do both. So why teach politics only as a spectator sport?
Senator Bob Graham believes that US citizens should expand on their classroom learning about the political system: he spurs them to hit the court and actually play the game. If citizens work on an issue they care about, politics will become a meaningful and positive experience. This short, how-to guide takes readers out of theoretical discussions of policy and into a world where they can affect change. Graham's goal is to have readers identify a problem, and then walk them through each step from researching the issue, to getting others involved, to engaging the media. Each chapter starts with a real case, showing citizens tackling a step in the process, and ends with a summary checklist and a series of questions that help readers put Graham’s game plan in action. By offering readers concrete guidance, an array of resources, and advice for troubleshooting and overcoming barriers, this compact user's guide gets readers way beyond textbook learning.
This book is the culmination of his efforts that began after a year in the state legislature more than 30 years ago, when Senator Graham took on the challenge of civic education at one school in Jacksonville. His time as both a governor and a senator has only strengthened his resolve to pique students' curiosity about politics and teach them to get what they want from government.
Senator Bob Graham believes that US citizens should expand on their classroom learning about the political system: he spurs them to hit the court and actually play the game. If citizens work on an issue they care about, politics will become a meaningful and positive experience. This short, how-to guide takes readers out of theoretical discussions of policy and into a world where they can affect change. Graham's goal is to have readers identify a problem, and then walk them through each step from researching the issue, to getting others involved, to engaging the media. Each chapter starts with a real case, showing citizens tackling a step in the process, and ends with a summary checklist and a series of questions that help readers put Graham’s game plan in action. By offering readers concrete guidance, an array of resources, and advice for troubleshooting and overcoming barriers, this compact user's guide gets readers way beyond textbook learning.
This book is the culmination of his efforts that began after a year in the state legislature more than 30 years ago, when Senator Graham took on the challenge of civic education at one school in Jacksonville. His time as both a governor and a senator has only strengthened his resolve to pique students' curiosity about politics and teach them to get what they want from government.
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2009
6 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Bob Graham
13 books6 followersDaniel Robert "Bob" Graham (born November 9, 1936) is an American politician and author. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005.
Graham tried unsuccessfully to run for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out of the race on October 6, 2003. He announced his retirement from the Senate on November 3 of that year.
Graham is now concentrating his efforts on the newly established Bob Graham Center for Public Service at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Florida. He served as Chairman of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD proliferation and terrorism. Through the WMD policy center he advocates for the recommendations in the Commission report, World at Risk.
Graham also served as co-chair of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling and a member of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and the CIA External Advisory Board.
In 2011, Graham published his first novel, the thriller The Keys to the Kingdom. Graham has written three non-fiction books. Workdays-Finding Florida on the Job; Intelligence Matters and America: The Owners Manual.
Source: Wikipedia.
Graham tried unsuccessfully to run for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out of the race on October 6, 2003. He announced his retirement from the Senate on November 3 of that year.
Graham is now concentrating his efforts on the newly established Bob Graham Center for Public Service at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Florida. He served as Chairman of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD proliferation and terrorism. Through the WMD policy center he advocates for the recommendations in the Commission report, World at Risk.
Graham also served as co-chair of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling and a member of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and the CIA External Advisory Board.
In 2011, Graham published his first novel, the thriller The Keys to the Kingdom. Graham has written three non-fiction books. Workdays-Finding Florida on the Job; Intelligence Matters and America: The Owners Manual.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 11, 2021
This is a good book for those who are seeking insight on applied civics. I appreciated the real life stories shared to illustrate the concepts the author was seeking to teach.
The author does not teach or review any political philosophy. The book was simply a step by step review of principles and action items to effectively push one's special interest group in policy or campaign.
The author does not teach or review any political philosophy. The book was simply a step by step review of principles and action items to effectively push one's special interest group in policy or campaign.
January 9, 2014
I read America, the Owner's Manual: Making Government work for You, by Daniel Robert Graham.
There are ten chapters ad each one starts with a real life chase description of a variety of views and conflicting interests. Through each case the author Daniel Graham explains one how citizens can effectively participate in their government. He demonstrates how to use available resources to resolve some of the issues faced in the society.
I liked this book because there were a lot of anecdotes and success stories. It was a spin on the governmental system and I found it quite fascinating. However it was a bit boring at times. There were certain chapters in this book that unfortunately put me to sleep.
I would recommend this book to anyone, because I believe everyone should get involved with governmental issues and that everyone should be knowledgeable on all that happens in the world.
There are ten chapters ad each one starts with a real life chase description of a variety of views and conflicting interests. Through each case the author Daniel Graham explains one how citizens can effectively participate in their government. He demonstrates how to use available resources to resolve some of the issues faced in the society.
I liked this book because there were a lot of anecdotes and success stories. It was a spin on the governmental system and I found it quite fascinating. However it was a bit boring at times. There were certain chapters in this book that unfortunately put me to sleep.
I would recommend this book to anyone, because I believe everyone should get involved with governmental issues and that everyone should be knowledgeable on all that happens in the world.
May 29, 2015
Graham unwisely attempts to distill civic participation into a step-by-step process. He doesn't help explain how to make a difference, and even worse, he doesn't even try to explain the value of trying. The text is replete with dull case studies that fail to convey a cohesive message or teach principles of representational government. I walked away without feeling like I gained anything from this book. For Florida's sake, I hope Graham was a better Senator than he is author.
July 10, 2013
Each chapter provides great insight and information about the various aspects of how to make the political system work for you. With that said, however, the book is good as a solo read but it's clearly designed as a companion book for a "hands-on" college-level classroom.
August 21, 2012
Just to get the hang of politics, a good brief read. Lots of anecdotes and success stories. A bit boring at times however. It makes me feel like I am a college freshman....bad.
January 1, 2018
I picked this instructional guide to citizen engagement up at the last Florida Democratic State Convention where the author, former Governor Bob Graham, was a speaker. I bought it, and another book by the former Florida Governor, motivated primarily by the novelty of getting it signed. However, when I sat down, cracked open the small paperback guide and began to read, I was quite pleased.
I’ve read other how to guides on citizen engagement, running campaigns and the like but this is the first one that’s kept me genuinely interested. Each chapter starts with a real life example of the principals about to be explained, which provides some interesting reading to break up the textbook monotony of suggestions and statistics common in these types of guides and helps to drive home the importance of the concepts about to be presented.
Graham asks the reader, early in the book, to pick an issue in their community they would like to solve. At the end of every chapter he offers an exercise that uses the chapter’s information to further the readers progress in solving their issues. This structured, hands on approach came from the former state legislator’s experience helping teach civics at a Florida school, a challenge he accepted from a teacher after he criticized civics education in his state.
The book covers, chapter by chapter, all the most important aspects of civic engagement; from proper research, to engaging the press, building coalitions and raising money.
He pays particular attention early on to understanding your government and which agencies or politicians can actually address your issue. He tells a story of a group of teenagers who came to him with a complaint about the quality of the school’s pizza at lunch. They had asked everyone for help, except the school administration that could actually make the changes they asked. As someone who’s listened to countless citizens speak at public meetings about issues completely unrelated to the people they’re addressing, I’m happy to see this spelled out so clearly and with such emphasis.
I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in being engaged with their government. Whether you’re new to the world of civics and activism or a political veteran looking to refocus on the basics I recommend this book. It’s an easy read and the real life examples keep things interesting. The information it provides is invaluable to navigating the complex and often confusing world of government and public opinion.
I’ve read other how to guides on citizen engagement, running campaigns and the like but this is the first one that’s kept me genuinely interested. Each chapter starts with a real life example of the principals about to be explained, which provides some interesting reading to break up the textbook monotony of suggestions and statistics common in these types of guides and helps to drive home the importance of the concepts about to be presented.
Graham asks the reader, early in the book, to pick an issue in their community they would like to solve. At the end of every chapter he offers an exercise that uses the chapter’s information to further the readers progress in solving their issues. This structured, hands on approach came from the former state legislator’s experience helping teach civics at a Florida school, a challenge he accepted from a teacher after he criticized civics education in his state.
The book covers, chapter by chapter, all the most important aspects of civic engagement; from proper research, to engaging the press, building coalitions and raising money.
He pays particular attention early on to understanding your government and which agencies or politicians can actually address your issue. He tells a story of a group of teenagers who came to him with a complaint about the quality of the school’s pizza at lunch. They had asked everyone for help, except the school administration that could actually make the changes they asked. As someone who’s listened to countless citizens speak at public meetings about issues completely unrelated to the people they’re addressing, I’m happy to see this spelled out so clearly and with such emphasis.
I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in being engaged with their government. Whether you’re new to the world of civics and activism or a political veteran looking to refocus on the basics I recommend this book. It’s an easy read and the real life examples keep things interesting. The information it provides is invaluable to navigating the complex and often confusing world of government and public opinion.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews