On Sunday evening, 4o independents from 14 states joined our call to discuss THE CAUSE by Eric Alterman and Kevin Mattson. Harry Kresky and Dr. Omar Ali joined me as discussants. The book covers a mammoth swath of American history from FDR to Obama and traces the players and history of Liberalism. If you missed the call you can still listen in.
Personally, this is a book that I am glad to have on my bookshelf, a reference I am sure to return to. If you had a question or comment that you did not get to share on the call, please post a comment here.
Our next selection is Independents Rising: Outsider Movements, Third Parties and the Struggle for A Post-Partisan America, written by Jacqueline Salit. The book hits bookstores on August 7th, but is available for pre-order now.
The book traces the history of the progressive wing of the independent movement from the Perot era through the present day. Jackie offers a narrative of why 40% of Americans are independent of the two parties and what brings independent voters together. The book is our story told by a master storyteller and a key national leader of the independent movement.
Stay tuned for reviews and news about the book. In September, we’ll have our next conference call to discuss Independents Rising.
A sidenote:
One thing I enjoy in reading is discovering new words. (Maybe that’s because I am learning to play scrabble!) Here are some of my favorites from THE CAUSE with definitions from Merriam Webster and wikipedia:
belletrist—a writer of belles letters, literary works valued more for their aesthetic qualities than for any informative or educational content.
anomie—social instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values; also : personal unrest, alienation, and anxiety that comes from a lack of purpose or ideals.
revanchist—one who advocates a policy to recover lost territory or status.
oppobrium—something that brings disgrace.
