Customer Reviews

A Deficit of Decency

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

Amazons book reviews have turned into a blog for political voting. Come on people, turn off the hate and rate the book honestly.

Historian and conservative black sheep Democrat Zell Miller hits the nail on the head. Short chapters with a touch of humor; quick read. He says the book is about the soul of our nation. Miller's stern words reflect a southern farmer--marine mentality. His family is his center as is evident throughout. His principles are clear: Faith in Christ is his core; he does not keep it hidden; he is not luke-warm, but on fire. He supports his words with scripture passages. There are no references.

Zell goes hog wild on issues such as: over-regulation, frivolous lawsuits, professional sports, media bias, the who's to blame game, and the worthless UN. He says: Our latest generation is going backwards; that Christian values and character are dying out; the government and people have lost their way. He paints a bleak picture, but is hopeful; "without God our nation falls apart."

His chapters on tax reform, morality, duty, and values voting are excellent. His chapter on the education system is also good, but ignores the unions impact. He makes a poke at using X for Christ in Christmas. Not sure that there is anything wrong with this, for is it not the Greek sign for Christ?

Does Zell deserve the chastisement received by his fellow democrats? He has been written off as a kook. Joe Lieberman is another man that comes to mind. This is shameful. Democrats are straying farther and farther from their principles, motivated only by partisan politics and getting elected; fed by special interest (the Republicans are not immune). Miller's support of Bush has been a thorn in the Democrats side. Until he sees changes in his party he will continue to support who best fits his values.

"The politicians are influenced by lobbyists and special interest groups." "They are perhaps the greatest threat to our liberty and freedom."

On consuming: I believe his point is materialism (keeping up with the Jones's) and I hope that is what our President has meant in his speeches. "What's wrong with being a nation of consumers?" "Buying more means spending more, spending more means earning more, earning more means working more, working more means being at home less, being at home less means being with children less, and that means less time helping them with homework, less time for eating meals together, less time for volunteering somewhere together, less time to worship together."

Wish you well
Scott

Love him or hate his politics Zell Miller has the courage of his convictions to speak his mind. Is this book a blast from the right? No in my opinion it is a blast straight from the heart of the author and he is as mad as hell.

Is Zell sincere? Is he a true embodiment of integrity? It is my belief that he is but I will let the reader decide.

For those who do not like Zell Miller I encourage you to read this book anyway. Forget all of the Zell bashing you have heard an approach this book with an open mind. If you cannot bring yourself to buying his book I suggest that you take it out of the library. I think a fair minded left winger will find something in this book that speaks to them. If nothing else if you are a hardcore left wing Democrat you might learn something about why Kerry lost the last election.

More than this book being a diatribe against the Democratic party I believe this book is a cautionary tale for all of us as Americans.

Zell Miller points out case by case how American values have strayed. Now I am not a fan of the religious right, at least those of them that are intolerant zealots, but I do believe like Zell we need to return to our values whether they be based in Christianity, Judaism, Islam Buddhism or whatever what faith to which we ascribe.

For even if one is an atheist there are certain core principles we all share or should share. I am not suggesting everyone should return to the Bible but it is certainly time for us to get our act together. This country definitely needs some backbone and boy do we need it now.

The author emphasizes the importance of duty and sacrifice. It is a message many of us in these days of instant gratification do not want to hear but it is something we must hear if we are to survive as a culture and as a nation.

We live in some of the most perilous times this world has ever seen yet we find ourselves lulled into opinions of the mass media that many times have no basis in fact of logic. Our culture, as Zell Miller points out, is both crude and banal. How can anyone who lives in America argue with that?

(Those ideologues who wish to throw mud at the author and to point to his past with his less than an exemplary record on civil right I will remind you of one name - Robert Byrd.)

Zell despite his former short comings is a sincere individual and a former marine you served his country admirably. He has the courage of conviction to blow the whistle on a party that had turned its bak on its former principles and turned its back on America.

He is a true patriot and a man willing to forsake his party rather than to forsake America.

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican and I a leery of propaganda coming from either side. We now and always have needed a loyal opposition. I for one am sick as hell of both parties but our President right now happens to be a Republican. Shame on the many Americans who want our President to fail. For wishing the President of our country to fail no matter what political party he belongs to is a depraved desire to see ourselves fail and to have our children be put in peril. That is a true deficit of decency. I am afraid that we as Americans have forgotten the day of 9-11-01.

I am not one of those wishing to deify Zell Miller. As books have become another form of mass media I do not know enough about him from one book to make the claim that he is" a truly great man". But in this book he stands out as a champion against a current that is destroying this country.

Zell Miller is a living embodiment of the good things we all strive for, honesty, integrity, and a humble apprecation for the benefits of hard work that lead to a life worth living. I don't think many people today can be happy with the level of discourse in politics or our culture; it is narcissistic and decadent that rewards people with no talent or gift beyond self-promotion and smearing the values of the people who unwittingly made them millioniaires. As the product of a southern culture some years back that rewarded virtue and sincerity, Zell is an impeccable candidate to chronicle the current woes of our cultural discourse. While some may see this as a cranky old man complaining " 'bout the way things USED to be " - it is nothing of the sort. It is a firm but loving letter from a patriot who knows life in America will be far improved for all when the garbage is taken to the curb, and away from our eardrums.

Open any newspaper or turn on your televion today, and you'll see ink and airwaves telling us all about people like Madonna, Eminem, and other assorted dim-wits who crave attention. These people and their kind add nothing to the quality of life or values of America, yet the media follows their every move.

Watch cable tv and you'll see Hollywood movie stars that didn't finish high school lecturing George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld on foreign policy, using insults, slander and perjoratives without fail. The more insulting and "outrageous" they are, the more coverage they recieve. It is they who spew hatred and vitriol into our lives, it is Zell who argues for courtesy and manners.

Watch the evening news and you'll see Democrats nightly attack George Bush as worse than Saddam Hussein (Sen. Kennedy), throw tantrums when the President seeks to fulfill his duty to fill the judiciary and threaten filibusters when the MINORITY is kept from controlling appointments (Daschle, Boxer, Reid, etc.) or make ridiculous lies that the President should be impeached (Rangel, Frank, McDermott).

To top it off, the major broadcast media serve as a mouthpiece for every piece of leftwing propaganda (Dan Rather, 60 Minutes) and regardless of how little the facts comport with the fictious claims of the left, the anti-Bush and anti-conservative demagogues never seem to have trouble having their grievances aired (fraudulent voting machines in Ohio, covered by the network news).

All this contributes to a culture of vitriol, hate and self-promotion that poisons discourse in America and cheapens our culture. Bravo to Zell, a man with the courage to tell the truth and not be bullied by those who fear he speaks the truth about them.

This book reveals the heart of Zell Miller, the former governor and senator from Georgia. It shares his concern for his country. In the preface, he mentions that each generation in America has made an improvement to our nation, with this generation being the first to do the opposite, and he wants to stop this decline.

I am impressed with Zell Miller. This book excited me as I read the preface and the first three chapters. In this section, he introduced the theme of decency being in decline in the nation, and that the D.C. following Washington can stand for "Don't Care".

The next segment is auto-biographical, and deals with the time after he wrote his first book, "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat." This includes throwing in his support for President Bush, his speech at the Republican National Convention, and the aftermath. I found this transition from the expostional to the biographical distracting. Additionally, while I understand completely why he would relate his unpopular and costly stand for Bush to his theme of decency, I also realize some would say this has nothing to do with decency and others would even say that the decent thing to do is to oppose Bush and the Iraq War.

The next two sections deal with the lack of decency in, respectively, policies of the government (especially the liberal positions) and in the private sector (bad role models in rap music and athletes, for example). He is on target, but he is repeating information that has been written about prior and since. (I have also recently read Bill O'Reilly's "Culture Warrior" and Juan Williams' "Enough", and see a lot of common themes between those two books and this one.)

This book has helped me appreciate Zell Miller. Could this book have been done better? I think so. But that does not invalidate the many, many good points made in this book.

Zell Miller is a brave man, unafraid to speak his mind. For decades, he was loyal to the dictates of his party, the Democrats. Over the years, however, he grew disturbed over what was happening in Washington. Miller wasn't alone. Many decent people from all sides of the political spectrum have watched with dismay as special interested have hijacked the political process. Ordinary people don't count to the politicians in Washington: only those who can write big checks matter.

Appointed to the Senate to complete the term of his predecessor, Miller found himself sitting in a cesspool of self-interest and corrupted processes. After 9/11, he became greatly dismayed that politicians, particularly Democrats, were playing games with the security of the nation. In particular, he was incensed that Democrats currying favor with the unions blocked the creation of the Homeland Security Department. When John Kerry appeared to be the Democratic nominee, Miller found he could neither keep quiet nor support Kerry.

This culminated in Miller's electrifying speech at the Republican National Convention.

Needless to say, the left-wing slime machine has done everything it can to make Miller a pariah. This, frankly, demonstrates the bankruptcy of the left.

For Miller's message is one that will resonate with reasonable people of every political persuasion. In short, Miller appeals to commonsense and common decency, qualities Miller rightfully feels are in short supply.

Miller's religiosity may turn many off. It certainly left me feeling uncomfortable. However, the values of the religion Miller espouses are central to all reasonable people. Truthfulness. Decency and morality in dealing with others.

Miller describes how he came to rally to Bush's side; why he is so disdainful of John Kerry and the Democrats; why he fears that not only the Democrats, but the nation have lost their moorings.

He calls for a flat sales tax and the abolishment of the Internal Revenue Service. Instead of a nearly million page tax code and endless exemptions and loopholes for those who can afford to buy the votes to get them, there would be a single tax on whatever you purchase. Miller supports this argument well.

He calls for the abolishment of the 17th Amendment which substitutes popular election of Senators for the previous appointment by state legislators. Miller claims that popular election of Senators leaves the electorate disconnected from the officeholder. I am not convinced Miller is correct in this. After all, state legislators in urban areas are no more accessible to voters than Senators and Congressional representatives.

He suggests that schools be exempted from much of the regulation they now face. The problem here is that he retains too much respect for public school teachers, rather naively (in my opinion) believing that they actually want to teach and, in fact, are capable of teaching. Again I question this since the NEA has so degraded teacher education.

Miller argues, as many do, that there is no harm in allowing prayer in schools and the display of of the Ten Commandments in public places. I agree with him on this.

Miller touches on immigration, abortion and other issues.

Overall, whether you agree with him or not, Miller has written a heartfelt book reflecting his views and providing arguments in support of them. On the whole, Miller comes across as a decent, honorable man who has had first-hand contact with what Washington has become and the danger it represents to our nation. Miller should be read. He has important things to say.

Jerry

Zell Miller is an old school democrat. He was brewed when democrats had character and when the democrat party stood for something. Zell Miller came from the time when Ronald reagan used to be a democrat and when the democrat party had real leaders like John F. Kennedy.

As a result, Zell Miller like Joe Liederman takes a lot of flack from current members of the democratic party who rely on disingenuis film producers like Mike Moore and unethical authors like AL Franken, just a more hygenic version of Michael Moore to be their PR men.

The current democratic party relies on lies by liars like John Kerry, John Edwards, Howie Dean, Teddy Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, the Clintons, Nancy Pelosi and more.

So is it any wonder that the democratic party is in disawray, is losing members and looks like a Marx brothers comedy?

I am not a democrat, but I respect Zell Miller for his honesty and concern. When Zell Miller speaks, it is for for power of his dying party, but as a proud american who served and loves his country.

My only complaint with Zell Miller is that he hasn't left the demcoratic party. Clearly he is in the miniority there and whatever dignity and horor that the democratic party once had, is long gone.

He's exactly right in his analysis of the contemporary Democrat/Liberal. While there used to be many Democrats with strong faith and values who belived in America as a strong force for good, Democrats of my generation (i'm in my early 20's) are with very few exceptions moral relativists of the far left breed who not only don't see leaders such as Castro/Sadam as threats towards freedom and human rights but as admirable figures.

I despise extremists of both sides of the political spectrum but as Zell correctly points out the extremists inside the democrat party are not only tolerated, they have become the democrat majority since 9/11. (Simply compare the figures central to the last party conventions - Michael Moore and Howard Dean to John McCain, Arnold and of course Zell Miller)

Zell Miller's down home attitude regarding life and politics come through in this book. I enjoyed it immensely.

Seldom does a book move me as much as Zell Miller's, A Deficit of Decency. It made me laugh, it made me cry and, most of all, it made me tremble for my country. There is much that is good in America, but, in many ways, we are headed in the same direction as other great civilizations which have fallen. Some Americans take the great gifts that our founding fathers bequeathed to us and abuse them, and distort them into something the founders would not recognize.

Zell Miller is like the nation's grandfather shaking us awake and warning us of the decay eating at the fabric of our society. Tolerance, which was once a good thing, has been morphed into acceptance of just about anything, no matter how destructive to our society. Courage, honor sacrifice, responsibility and decency have been lost or never planted in the minds of many. Love of country and recognition of God as our guide and our founding principle is ridiculed by many. Americans must take seriously Zell's warning that if we don't stop the partisan fighting and unite in the war on terror, the terrorists will win.

If Democrats would let go of their anger, and their preconceived prejudice against this man, they might learn to appreciate this patriot who rose from humble beginnings, endured hardship with a positive attitude, and served his country in the military, in state government and in the U.S. Senate. You don't have to be a conservative or even a Christian to recognize that what Zell says is the truth. Every American who values family, freedom, opportunity, security, and the right to recognize God in his own way, must read A Deficit of Decency.

Unfortunately the days of real men taking leadership roles in the democratic party are now over. And I use men to refer to both genders, the females voices in the democrat party are just as wimpish, childhish, hate-filled and nonsnensical as their "men" who are in this party.

Zell Miller says he voted republican for the first time in his life in 2004. That should be a message to the democrat party that there is indeed something seriously wrong with your party. But if Zell's warning is not enough, just listen to Al Gore, John Kerry, Howard Dean, Barbara Boxer, Sen. Edward Kennedy, Hillary Clinton et all. As a former democrat turned republican, it doesn't surpise me to see the democratic prty losing so much gound to the Republicans. It does bother me that this once great party is on it's way to destruction.

One of Zell's former books was "A National Party No More." Perhaps his next book should be called "A Party No More."
I wonder how long it will be before the democratic party becomes extinct? With Howie "ARRRGGGHHHH" Dean in charge, it shouldn't take too long.

Thank you Zell Miller for having the courage to speak the truth when others in your party clearly don't and won't. May the lord bless you.