Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union

by David Swanson

"[Daybreak is] a useful guide to restore the balance of powers and reclaim our constitutional system of government."—Majorie Cohn, president of the National Lawyers Guild

"Daybreak urgently reminds us that good political intentions are not sufficient to ensure the continuation of our democracy; informed vigilance is vital to that task."—Mark Karlin, editor of Buzzflash.com

"Daybreak offers a powerful and compelling picture of what real change in America could look like. The world needs more true advocates of democracy like David Swanson!"—Thom Hartmann,Syndicated Radio Show host and author of The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight

“Daybreak is an eye-opener about how our nation was hijacked by the Bush administration and how much repair work we, as citizens, must do. David Swanson, who has been a one-man wonder leading the charge for accountability, writes a compelling narrative that inspires not just outrage, but ACTION.”—Medea Benjamin, Co-Founder of CODEPINK and Global Exchange

“David Swanson is the most thoughtful, determined, and energetic progressive activist in America, and one of the most important voices of his generation. He's also a unique bridge between traditional real-world organizing and the brand new world of online activism. His combination of cheerful organizing, passionate speaking, and brilliant blogging is an inspiration to everyone who craves a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.”—Bob Fertik, President of Democrats.com


A lot more has gone wrong over the last eight years than meets the eye, and it will take more than a new president to create the kind of change that is necessary.

Daybreak is a thorough investigation of how Bush/Cheney altered the way American government works and deteriorated the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It includes clear plans for how we may reclaim democracy, declare our rights, and truly set out for a new America.

Shocking and inspirational, Daybreak provides a clear breakdown of all that we have lost,

Genres: Politics

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

David Swanson is the author of "When the World Outlawed War" and "War Is A Lie" and "Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union." He blogs at http://davidswanson.org and http://warisacrime.org

Reviews

[Jrohde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other books of political history, this one raises my BP so bad I have to put it down. and Obama is proving no better than the rest - I hate to see such objective documentation of the open dishonesty in government, ignoring our own laws, trampling on the little guys - this is just further documentation of how bad things have become in Washington. I expect I will get back to it when my temper settles,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though the flow was a bit disjointed in parts, as I agree with most of his suggested changes and am aware of the failures of the previous and current presidencies. I do have to disagree with the suggestion to dissolve the US Senate as his reason for doing so is the exact reason why it was created in the first place; so the states with the smaller populations have equal representation with the states that have large populations. If only the chambers of Congress would actually act as a check over the executive branch and impeach then there might be actually be justice, somewhat, in this country.

[Nanette Bulebosh]

Caught a speech this guy made on CSPAN's Book TV and I was totally mesmerized by his political knowledge as well as his passion. He was a campaign writer for Dennis Kucinich's last presidential run, so you know right away where he's coming from. I just liked his hopeful message.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the book, especially the last half, in which David Swanson prescribes steps for taking back our constitutional rights to representation by Congress.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is deeply involved in the USA peace movement. In this book he describes how, around 2005, the presidency was gaining increasing power. This reduced the amount Congress had, the people supposed to represent us. He told lots of information on what doesn't go well in D.C., and what we citizens can do to improve our government.

[Mary Ficalora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sick at heart regarding David Swanson's book "Daybreak." Swanson was a campaign manager for Kucinich, who I have deep respect for. Kucinich understands our need for government that works for the people. He also understands the separation of State and Federal power. Swanson's book is a whole different animal. Swanson's work is a call to "throw the baby out with the bathwater." His recommendations would effectively kill our Republic. He wants to rewrite our Constitution in ways that would create a "Democratic" state. Democracy is Mob Rule, that is why the US is a Republic. Swanson would have us dismantle the Senate and legislate with just a House. He fails to understand his own retelling of Washington's explanation to Jefferson for the reason to have a Senate. Read Plato understand why a Republic is superior to a Democracy. As Ben Franklin said, they gave us a Republic, it is up to us to hang on to it. We need to restore our Constitution not further it's degradation as Swanson would do by forwarding his rewrite agenda. Restoration of our rule of law as decreed in our Constitution would go a long way in righting all the wrongs Swanson wants to right. We do not need to rewrite our Constitution we need to adhere to it, restore the rule of law.