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Natalie

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The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates That Define and Inspire Our Country

by Howard Fineman

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Natalie said: " This book was an excellent overview of all the issues that have plagued America since its founding. The 13 arguments presented are, and always have been, incredibly relevant to the social and economic issues that America has encountered all throughou This book was an excellent overview of all the issues that have plagued America since its founding. The 13 arguments presented are, and always have been, incredibly relevant to the social and economic issues that America has encountered all throughout history. Fineman seems to lift above all political prejudice, commenting on the political strategies and legacies of political figureheads and journalists, ranging from Jill Abramson to Obama. He incorporates not only the present, but past arguments and shows the reader how they have evolved with new generations. He introduces each argument with an example or instance in which it has been demonstrated by a political figurehead or journalist. For example, with the presentation of the 5th argument, “The limits of Individualism”, Fineman presents us with the idea of national health care. He recalls how, after World War II, Harry Truman had suggested that the country adopt a national health care system like the one the British were establishing. He then went on to explain how that idea went nowhere, but why? Well, he says the core explanation is simple: “Health care was never considered something we owed eachother” (Fineman, 94). He goes further into the topic to explain that “most of us were supposed to fend for ourselves, and to pay for it.” (Fineman, 95). This is only one example of how Fineman supports each argument with a clear demonstration related to the history of our country.
Furthermore, I appreciate the fact that he honestly does not lean to the left or right side of any issues. He is indifferent on all the arguments he presents, I believe his desire is to honestly just present the argument to the reader, and let the reader decide his/her side on it. He gives a completely truthful view on all the arguments that have driven America’s citizens to debate endlessly for ages. Each election cycle, the arguments presented in this book (“Who is a person?”, “Who is an American?”, and “Who judges the law?”, to name a few) drive our candidates and our decision on who will run our country, state or city. From discussions about immigration to the role of the president, from war and diplomacy to terms of trading, this is an intriguing book to stimulate your political views and to even, perhaps, make you question them.
It is important to mention that this book does not – and does not intend to – answer any of the enduring arguments that it presents to its readers. The intentions of the book are purely to stimulate your political knowledge and intrigue you with the realization of how much of an impact these issues have. In fact, this book is intent on making the reader believe that these issues cannot – and should not – be answered, going so far to suggest that they may never be answered unanimously by the citizens of America, as we are all so diverse and our opinions differ so greatly. He believes that these 13 arguments are “Enduring debates that define and inspire our country” (Fineman, 1) and he is right. These debates drive every election and every election’s candidates; they are the subject of most every bill that passes through our congress, and they are surely debates that define America and inspire her citizens. He gives an honestly unbiased (Which is odd, since Fineman worked for MSNBC which generally leans to the left) overview of each individual argument and supports it with historic and modern examples, ranging from Lincoln to Obama. This book is great if you are struggling to decide your stance on issues, or even if your just trying to find out if you are more democratic or conservative. ...more "

May 17, 2012 05:53PM · see review