Customer Reviews

The Oakland Statement

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The Oakland Statement teases the potential reader with a fascinating and current political plot topic, but utterly fails to deliver with content.

Insipid character development, seemingly non-existent editing (or even basic copy editing) and inane dialogue combine to make the book unreadable. Authors Ellis and Frederick present their tale, set between 2000 and 2006, with condescending piety and child-like simplicity. The story bumbles through the telling of a fictional "leaderless movement" to effect revolutionary constitutional change in the United States without overthrowing the power structure. Autonomous domestic terrorist cells form at the directive of the Americans for Revolutionary Democracy to attack power infrastructure to bolster a published demand for constitutional conventions to be called to affect two amendments to the US Constitution. The first is wealth distribution via employee stock ownership schemes, and the second pertains to election reform.

Published prior to September 11th, The Oakland Statement presents ideas that are powerful and germane to ongoing events in the world. However, Ellis and Frederick do not even attempt so much as a plot twist in the book. The story begins flat-with an average citizen's reaction to the emergence of the movement presented in

Ellis and Frederick present a host of characters, both actual players on the political scene and purely fictional. Unfortunately, all of them seem to be from the "weed" smoking, socialist, anti-establishment arch-liberal perspective. This is the case in fictionalized characters in the book, from Lani Guinier to Al Gore, as well as the invented ones. Everyone agrees and is presented as mutually intuitive all the time, making the already straight forward, no-surprises rendition of the story even more mundane.

All of the characters in the book share unlikely, "gimme a break" dialogue. This is most evident with the fictionalized players, most notably conversations between Pat Buchannan and Jesse Jackson that make the reader cringe with disbelief. Disgustingly little research is evident in the development and presentation of the myriad people introduced. It appears that the authors mirrored everyone in the book after one person and just gave them different names and cursory, uninspired profiles.

Furthermore, the book is entirely under edited and unbalanced. The authors run on for pages after points are established without adding anything pertinent to the plot. Information that is clearly stated once is oft repeated in what can only be an editorial oversight. There are paragraph breaks in mid-sentence, as well as other glaring gaffs in the book, such as potato spelled "potatoe." Punctuation is frequently misused also, in a seeming blatant affront to Strunk & White.

The Oakland Statement is an excellent example of extremely poor writing. Period. It offers predictability, unconvincing dialogue and uncreative presentation as opposed to the "action-packed American political adventure novel" promised on the back cover. One can't skim through the pages quickly enough to inevitably reach the ending that is embarrassingly evident by the second page.
*****

As an attorney with a degree in American history, I had high hopes before opening this book, which were dashed within minutes by the pitiful stiltedness of the actual text. The Oakland Statement is an unreadable mess. It is a hodgepodge of clunky and bloodless writing, poorly drawn cardboard characters, and redundant narration. The message of the book, as far as can be deciphered, is a strident call to violent terrorist action, all for material gain.

The authors, who allegedly live outside the United States, call for terrorist acts within the U.S. in order to force a constitutional convention. One of the many naive premises in the book is that if homegrown terrorists blow up power stations, no one will die. This is asserted in a nation where the failure of air conditioning in some cities can cause dozens of heat deaths in a year - not to mention what an interruption of power does to patients on the operating table, or in intensive care units, or to traffic signals, etc.

The Oakland Statement is an incoherent, quasi-political screed akin to the manifesto of Unibomber Theodore Kaczynski. It has nothing to offer for those seeking either a solid, entertaining read, or a work of serious political fiction.

The Oakland Statement teases the potential reader with a fascinating and current political plot topic, but utterly fails to deliver with content.

Insipid character development, seemingly non-existent editing (or even basic copy editing) and inane dialogue combine to make the book unreadable. Authors Ellis and Frederick present their tale, set between 2000 and 2006, with condescending piety and child-like simplicity. The story bumbles through the telling of a fictional "leaderless movement" to effect revolutionary constitutional change in the United States without overthrowing the power structure. Autonomous domestic terrorist cells form at the directive of the Americans for Revolutionary Democracy to attack power infrastructure to bolster a published demand for constitutional conventions to be called to affect two amendments to the US Constitution. The first is wealth distribution via employee stock ownership schemes, and the second pertains to election reform.

Published prior to September 11th, The Oakland Statement presents ideas that are powerful and germane to ongoing events in the world. However, Ellis and Frederick do not even attempt so much as a plot twist in the book. The story begins flat-with an average citizen's reaction to the emergence of the movement presented in

Ellis and Frederick present a host of characters, both actual players on the political scene and purely fictional. Unfortunately, all of them seem to be from the "weed" smoking, socialist, anti-establishment arch-liberal perspective. This is the case in fictionalized characters in the book, from Lani Guinier to Al Gore, as well as the invented ones. Everyone agrees and is presented as mutually intuitive all the time, making the already straight forward, no-surprises rendition of the story even more mundane.

All of the characters in the book share unlikely, "gimme a break" dialogue. This is most evident with the fictionalized players, most notably conversations between Pat Buchannan and Jesse Jackson that make the reader cringe with disbelief. Disgustingly little research is evident in the development and presentation of the myriad people introduced. It appears that the authors mirrored everyone in the book after one person and just gave them different names and cursory, uninspired profiles.

Furthermore, the book is entirely under edited and unbalanced. The authors run on for pages after points are established without adding anything pertinent to the plot. Information that is clearly stated once is oft repeated in what can only be an editorial oversight. There are paragraph breaks in mid-sentence, as well as other glaring gaffs in the book, such as potato spelled "potatoe." Punctuation is frequently misused also, in a seeming blatant affront to Strunk & White.

The Oakland Statement is an excellent example of extremely poor writing. Period. It offers predictability, unconvincing dialogue and uncreative presentation as opposed to the "action-packed American political adventure novel" promised on the back cover. One can't skim through the pages quickly enough to inevitably reach the ending that is embarrassingly evident by the second page.
*****

What common man, your average Joe, living in the good old U.S. of A. would not like to see political power distributed down and not solely invested in the hands of Attorneys who currently rule our political system. How is it that there are no common people such as farmers, laborers, grocery store owners, plumbers, blue collar workers, white collar workers who get up early in the morning, go to work, and come home tired after an honest days work, running this country. I am not going to razzle dazzle this review with words that 95% of the population doesn't understand. I can understand why some people would not like this book, those who want a status quo.

This book was written as a fiction novel with the possibility that, in the future, events could occur that could change the political landscape where more people could share in the power structure. As such, it is a gripping novel that holds one's attention from beginning to end.

The Oakland Statement says it all, says it succinctly, and actually comes across as a PROPHECY for a 'more perfect Union' in this Country!

There is no doubt in my mind but that we are actively engaged in a WAR right now, between the elites (both political and economic) who control reality, and the "dreamers" who sit around and HOPE that tomorrow will see positive changes. It will never happen, unless true patriots take direct action themselves!

Here, Ellis and Frederick are right on target! They advocate attacking electrical power, and we all know that it's only a "short circuit" in the "power grid" (or lack of running water) that will actually get the attention of the American people.

The twist that really interests me is what they want, in the end. Once again, what they want is for the PEOPLE: Preference voting(which includes the minorities), mandatory voting, and public financing of all campaigns. Then, on the economic front, they call for majority employee-owned businesses! What an idea! Why would we need 'welfare' when everybody working would make a profit?

The Oakland Sattement is a novel look into a viable future, in my humble opinion. The only question is: will it happen?

As a professor of history at a small liberal arts college I read many different texts and novels in the genre of politics. This book not only offers an innovative philosophy of restructuring our political system but does so with a wonderfully creative and exciting storytelling that reminds one of Grisham, Chrighton or Elmore Leonard. The book is well paced with complex characters bringing a real life to both the action and the espoused political philosophy. As I stated, the pacing of this book is just right-slowly but surely the book escalates right along pace with things getting more and more tense until the climactic ending. This is definitely, as they say in the book reviews, a page turner. I really enjoyed the knowledge of politics displayed by the author. I will absolutely look up the author to see if he has written other works as I completely enjoyed this book and it's fluid writing style.

Reading the headlines day-to-day, it becomes transparent that we are, once again, being asked to choose between the EVIL OF TWO LESSERS!

What (on earth? Or, from heaven-above?) will it finally take for the average American to see that the powers-that-be are now about only one thing: MORE POWER< MORE MONEY!

The interests of the common people is NO where, in sight, or out of it, for these dilletantes!

No doubt about it, it's going to take a BLOW to the heart(s) of these image-makers for anything to change, and here comes Ellis and Frederick with a common-sense SOLUTION!

I wonder if this kind of action will ever see the oages of The New York Times? If God is just, it will!

Five Stars!

At first glance, this book's basic premise seems against logic and "normal" political action: right up front, the authors make a clear and conclusive case that NO meaningful changes have ever come about in the American system, WITHOUT some form of violence to "force" it.(Even MLK Jr. got torn to pieces by the dogs in Selma, BEFORE he got to the "I have a Dream" part...)

At first, I wanted to reject this notion, but, upon reflection, the conclusion seems cooly rational and acceptable. Especiially these days, what with the massive piles of money pouring in to the "Front Runners", such that politics ends up being a buyout, and nothing more!

Finally, the authors seek not personal gain, but rather to advance the PEOPLE! They want an ultimately equitable electoral process, and for the majority ownership of businesses to be in the hands of the EMPLOYEES. What better way to empower people?

What other way to actually get there (from here)?

And so, I say, "hoo-ray" for The Oakland Statement! One day, it could come to pass.

jessina heart

oh yes..the oakland statement is a great political adventure novel....does the good old u.s.a. need fixed?....you bet!.....can it be fixed?...of course!...and who can do it?...you!...and the guy next door....really....pick up the oakland statement, and see how...............you won't put it down until the country is transformed into the greatest place on earth....once again.