Customer Reviews

America, the Owner's Manual: Making Government Work for You

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Clearly written, easily understood explanation of government. It's not at all partisan. Senator Graham distills a lot of his experience in life into his examples and suggestions. You can fight city hall, but is requires more than just a spasm of anger to get it done.

Bob Graham would have made a fine president, but when (after serving with distinction as both governor and senator from Florida) he offered himself in the primaries, he couldn't even get out of Iowa. As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, he warned that the WMD rationale President Bush used to lure us into war in Iraq was totally false. No one listened.

Now in private life, Graham has written this small book: an invaluable primer designed to teach you how to make government work for YOU and your cause. Interesting case studies. If you want to work within the system, this book tells you what that system holds in store.

Bob Graham gives a deep and insightful view on grassroots organizing in modern America. There are great stories, interviews, and examples that definitely relate to anyone trying to get involved or better organize a community or organization.

On Thursday, December 10th, 2009, we attended a book review at Miami Lakes Community Center, which provides excellent facilities for Miami Lakes Home Owner's associations to meet or for residents to attend classes such as Tai-chi, Arts & Crafts, Spanish, Ballet, and Martial Arts to name a few.

The beautiful city of Miami Lakes is emulating the process inspired by Books & Books, Coral Gables, a book store chain that has a calendar of events filled with exciting opportunities to get to know authors of books that will someday change our present day reality.

Miami Lakes "Meet the Author" was proud to feature Former Senator Bob Graham who introduced his book: America, the owner's manual, a book that details how to go beyond the classroom to play the political game.

Present were many residents and Miami Lakes Town Council members: Michael Pizzi, Major, George Lopez, Richard Pulido, Robert Meador II and Nancy Simon. Due to a personal matter, Mary Collins was unable to attend.

Miami Lakes Cultural Affairs chair Margarita Suazo opened by telling us how honored the Council was to have the opportunity to present Former Senator Bob Graham, former two term governor and Senator for the State of Florida, member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, where he chaired in 2001 - 2002. At present he leads the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida and University of Miami.

Ms. Sauzo said much can be said about a man who has dedicated his life to political service, a man now choosing to share the intelligence necessary to inspire new generations to study, understand and engage in the process that will keep our democratic form of government alive as we guide The United States of America out of our present day crisis.

Senator Graham told us how proud he was to address citizens of Miami Lakes, a Town formed by his family, now 50 years in existence with the last 10 years organized as a municipality.

The purpose for writing his latest work: America, the owner's manual is to motivate involvement, to inspire citizenry to overcome reservations and take part in the government of this nation, to feel responsible at the individual level and become participants of the give and take required to make a difference and leave ours a better world.

Bob Graham told us that his book is written based on case studies, real life scenarios of how other citizens became passionate about the things that mattered to them and changing the system to ensure justice for all.

The roadmap provided by his book is pretty similar to the owner's manual we get when we buy a new car; dash-board red light goes on, flip to page so and so for the answer.

The steps to follow as we attempt to navigate the political system are defined for us:

1. Define the problem that active citizenship can solve.

2. Research the facts, gather information and enhance credibility.

3. Where does the buck stop? Identify those in government that can help solve the problem.

4. Build public support by identify all the "green" lights or the "red" buttons to avoid.

5. Win supporters and friends and work hard to persuade others.

6. Make a difference!

Bob Graham introduced his wife Adele, telling us about how they just celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Adele graciously had shared a family photograph featuring the "Bob Graham family" now with close to 20 members.

To close, Senator Graham told us that education is our number one priority if we are to develop next generations that will carry on the burden of leadership of our great nation.

He quoted Theodore Roosevelt who once said:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

Many questions were answered, many books autographed, I walked away with a note that reads: "Hope, what a great name for a civic activist!" Yes, we are rather proud of the Graham family, of our beautiful Town of Miami Lakes, of the public servants that keep ours a safe community and of Former Senator Graham and his lovely wife who are tired less at work to inspire our involvement.

By the lengthy round of applause, the standing ovation he received, the long line to get our books autographed and the heated conversations that ensued, Former Senator Graham has tapped on a unique market... our brains!

Don't miss reading this book.

Came home and have not been able to put the book down. An excellent choice!