President Obama has taken quick and decisive action to enact an economic stimulous package strong enough to address problems of historic proportions. What does this new package mean for American families, businesses, investors, and taxpayers? The Audacity of Help unrolls the blueprints and looks at how the packages passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama will affect healthcare, education, the environment, energy, taxes, and more. The book includes analysis of sectors and industries that will benefit, as well as those that will not. Wasik's conclusions are firmly grounded in a comprehensive and enlightening analysis of the final package. Extensive study and interviews with experts from each economic sector support his analysis.
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Review
Wasik presents a succinct history of the economic crisis . . . then goes through point-by-point the initial actions of the Obama administration as reflected by the stimulus package and the budget that was approved. The author does a good job of presenting the campaign promises of Obama, then comparing them with the bills that have emerged from Congress. By doing so he presents the most in-depth presentation I have read on the details of the stimulus package and the subsequent budget bill. --HistoryCentral.com
This is a lively and relevant look at the critical turning point in American history we've lived with in the past year. Wasik's meticulous research provides an analysis of all of Obama's major promises, then looks at what legislation was actually passed by congress. Going further, the book shows who benefits most from various legislation, and what needs to be done next...This should be required reading for all Americans. --blogcritics.org
What a timely book...a comprehensive and yet easy to understand breakdown of Barack Obama's economic plan and the challenges for America...If you want to understand what is going on with our county's economy, this is a must-buy. --blackmeninamerica.com
This is a lively and relevant look at the critical turning point in American history we've lived with in the past year. Wasik's meticulous research provides an analysis of all of Obama's major promises, then looks at what legislation was actually passed by congress. Going further, the book shows who benefits most from various legislation, and what needs to be done next...This should be required reading for all Americans. --blogcritics.org
What a timely book...a comprehensive and yet easy to understand breakdown of Barack Obama's economic plan and the challenges for America...If you want to understand what is going on with our county's economy, this is a must-buy. --blackmeninamerica.com
Review
"No crystal ball—even President Obama's—can ever be perfect, but veteran business journalist John Wasik has experience in following economic intent through to economic reality. Wasik has taken the time to carefully sort out the impact of a stimulus program destined to be a significant page in history books."
—Andrew Leckey
President, Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism; author and columnist
—Andrew Leckey
President, Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism; author and columnist
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More About the Author
I am curious about the world. That's why I'm compelled to ask questions about history, politics, the environment, economics and investing. Although I don't write in order to live, I put words down in order to understand life. My two most recent books are "The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome" and "The Audacity of Help." The former book explores the past, present and future of American housing from the colonial era to today. It was an outgrowth of research I was doing into environmental building, which I see as one antidote to climate change, resource depletion and affordable housing. It was also a tangential follow-up to my "Merchant of Power," which was the history of electrical generation as seen through the lens of the life of utilities magnate Samuel Insull. My "Audacity of Help" is an in-depth look at the economic crisis and how President Obama's economic plan will address some deep-seated economic and social problems. I don't write in a vacuum, however. I speak all over the country on the topics I write about, write blogs, a column for Bloomberg News and try to engage intelligent people on the best ways to understand, confront and heal many of the country's economic and social ills. If I do this right, you'll have some pretty decent questions to ask those in power after reading my books. Democracy is knowledge in action and I'm an ecodynamic player.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mr. Wasik was able to do what all of Congress apparently doesn't have the time or smarts to. Reading actual legislation!!!!!,
By Citizen Ojo (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Audacity of Help: Obama's Economic Plan and the Remaking of America (Bloomberg) (Paperback)
Mr. Wasik has provided his readers with the skinny to what's exactly in these bills that people are fighting over. If you want insight into President Obama's economic policy, this book is for you. This book breaks down all of the economic legislation passed since President Obama has been in office. We know that there is a lot of "Horse Trading" on Capital Hill. And unless you are an Uber NPR Junkie, you don't have time to read each bill.I like that this book explains economic policy in easy to understand terms. That doesn't mean that Mr. Wasik has dumbed down the book. It means that he gives detailed information regarding each subject. He tells you what economic legislation Congress promised and what they eventually passed. Then he explains how the legislation will affect you. For full disclosure, I've read a previous book by Mr. Wasik called "The Cul-De-Sac Syndrome: Turning Around the Unsustainable American Dream". What make his books credible are two things. The first is that he has a background in Financial Reporting. The other is that he always gives suggestions on what could be done. For all of the President Obama haters out there, this book is not a Pro-Obama book. It's actually a good read whatever your political persuasion might be.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Audacity Of Help,
This review is from: The Audacity of Help: Obama's Economic Plan and the Remaking of America (Bloomberg) (Paperback)
John F. Wasik, AuthorThe Audacity Of Help Bloomberg Press, ISBN 978-1-57660-356-7 Non-Fiction-education, politics, healthcare, stimulus, President Obama, congress 192 pages September 2009 Review for Bookpleasures Reviewer-Michelle Kaye Malsbury, BSBM, MM Review John F. Wasik, author of The Audacity Of Help, has written twelve other books and pens a regular column for Bloomberg News. He is a public speaker, and co-founder/president of Citizens for Action that is tasked with organizing people toward holding our government to being transparent and accountable for their actions and legislation. John Wasik has a personal blog regarding this book on [...].If you would like to read more about Mr. Wasik you can do so by logging on to his personal web site at [...]or for information about his not-for-profit action group log on to [...]. Mr. Wasik does not appear to favor any one of our political parties in his writing of The Audacity Of Help. Most of this book is dedicated to talking about what candidate Obama promised on the campaign trail and comparing that to what President Obama and congress are accomplishing thus far into his presidency. John Wasik tackles the questions about who wins/loses with regard to proposed legislation in the areas of energy, taxation, education, stimulus funding, and healthcare. His analogies are thorough and well researched. He points out which sectors may benefit investors in each proposal floated by this Administration and why he believes that to be the case. This book traces the falling down of our economy back to specific incidents in 2008 beginning with Bear Strearns being absorbed by JPMorgan/Chase to nearly 8,500 homes being foreclosed per month that summer to Fannie and Freddie being taken over by the government to Lehman Brothers bankruptcy to the Bernake/Paulson three-page plan to un-freeze credit to massive jobs being lost month after month to what President Obama and congress are attempting to do to stop this downward spiral/depression from worsening. (2009, p.10-14) Mr. Wasik believes that the plans put into place under President Obama will need a couple of years to bear fruit. Unlike previous President's, President Obama's economic plans hinge on "placing social concerns before the alter of economic expansion....and emphasize people-centered principles by focusing on healthcare and education...in order to show how social goals can be combined with capitalism....to create a culture of sharing and responsibility for the entire population." (2009, p.18) Typically this type of economic planning is called bottom-up and varies greatly from the top-down proposals used by prior Presidents because in this form of economic reform [paraphrase] contends that the government is not the enemy [contrary to what the right says], but can be co-benefactor toward achieving better socio-economic goals for the sinking middle class, those on fixed incomes, and the poor. Key to the success of this plan according to Mr. Wasik is flexibility of this Administration. He then said that "The way major project money is allocated will also determine how Obama's policies could re-shape the United States....focuses on giving the lion's share of the funds to cities and suburbs, then it could trigger a new focus on urban renewal....(2009, p.43) if the Green Deal succeeds on a large scale, it will employ millions in the building trades alone, perhaps offsetting the horrendous job losses of the last several years." (p.77) John Wasik states that [paraphrase] analysts and scholars compare The New Deal (Roosevelt) to what President Obama is doing now with regard to stabilizing our economy and creating jobs, but nobody can deny that under The New Deal four million jobs were created by 1934 and if President Obama can do the same he is going to be heralded as a great president. (2009, p.5) Mr. Wasik calls what President Obama is trying to do The Green Deal and says that it "means redefining connections between government investments and economic growth. (p.8) Regardless of what party you affiliate yourself with this book should be a must read in helping to shape the direction of future arguments and/or discussions on the topics and issues of import to all of America at this tumultuous time. The premises and arguments are logically presented and researched and flow to well-founded conclusions. The tips for investment in the financial sector make good common sense for those of you with money to invest toward the long term economic growth of this country. Thank you Mr. Wasik for a very credible, timely, and impressive read.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Obamanomics 101,
By J.L. Populist (WI,USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Audacity of Help: Obama's Economic Plan and the Remaking of America (Bloomberg) (Paperback)
The purpose of Mr. Wasik's book is to detail who will benefit from each of President Obama's new programs. That, in addition to giving details on what the president proposed and what was actually passed.The author provides a helpful timeline for the financial crisis. There are many ideas in the book that I like a lot. It's interesting to read that some were passed and others weren't addressed by Congress at all. On page 37 he stated what should be a priority for addressing the crisis- "In an economic emergency, the name of the game is putting people back to work and getting them to spend money and pay taxes." A beneficial resource that Mr. Wasik gives the reader is the location of two websites for tracking stimulus fund distribution. The Appendix also has a comprehensive list of how funds from the stimulus plan were spent. I don't agree with every proposal in the book, but this book fills a need by giving the reader details without having to read the bills.
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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