Pulitzer Prize winner/author Will now pens "a biting, humorous and perceptivesifting of much of the sand that fouls the national political machinery" (TheNew York Times Book Review). "His closely reasoned arguments ought to stir upnew thinking."--Christian Science Monitor.
Restoration
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A political thinker to rival the founders, must read!,
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This review is from: Restoration: Congress, Term Limits and the Recovery of Deliberative Democracy (Paperback)
RESTORATIONIn this book George Will has proven himself to be one of the great political thinkers of our times. His wisdom, although presented in 1992 in Restoration over a decade ago, is still vitally relevant to today and tomarrow and to the future of the American Republic as when he wrote it. I have spent decades as have many other average Americans, being frustrated, over the sorry state of affairs in our nation and especially in our government institutions. Many of us have had a nagging feeling that something was causing our nation to slowly slide into the hands of unconstitutional, unpatriotic, unethical, immoral, greedy, power hungry, elitist who pretend to care about "WE the People." But really care only about padding their own nest, enriching themselves and their families with material and monetary things, and to ensure their political longevity. They seek only to acquire unwarranted influence and with it manipulate the mob and sheepish unenlightened among us for their deviant personal near-treasonous self-gratification. Communism, socialism, mob rule democracy (dispised by our founders)or life-term representative encumbancy, it makes no difference to them, as long as they are on the top of the social aristocracy, and the rest of us are on the bottom. Nepotism and narcissism runs rampant in their ranks and this shows each and every day whether they are conducting business in the House or Senate, or during elections and reelection campaigns. They will, as Bill and Hillary have so eloquently demonstrated, do, say and support anything that will help them get and stay in power, as members of that society of disgusting ladies and gentlemen, known as the 20th and 21st century politician... George will brings all these [] tactics, the senseless selfish unprofessional conduct, the sickening behavior in direct violation of their sacred charges and honor to light. He highlights their failure to respect their sworn oaths and their duty. He explains how and why our political process, our political representatives and our judiciaries have failed us. The devils or evils of our destruction if you will are incumbency, redistricting, subsidies, excessive pay for public service and a retirement system that breeds contempt for the constitution. Do away with these and the world and the nation would begin to heal and we would have a chance of returning to a true patriotically moral public servant like representative democratic-republic. This is a great book, one of the best I have ever read and Mr. Will would get my vote as the man who could help us heal our nations. A must read for one who can stomach the truth of just how bad things have gotten in Washington...
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Case for Term Limits,
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This review is from: Restoration: Congress, Term Limits and the Recovery of Deliberative Democracy (Paperback)
Those who were following politics in the early Nineties remember the House bank/post office scandal, an episode that caused great public anger and debate and led many to call for term limits on members of Congress--I can remember attending a February 1992 debate on my college campus concerning term limits.
In "Restoration", George Will makes the case for term limits. He demonstrates how problematic gerrymandering had become by showing geographic outlines of crazily-shaped districts, and talks about the problems associated with careerism by congressmen--under such circumstances, Congress begins to legislate for its own interests, Will asserts, instead of for the public interest. The author believes that term limits would strengthen, not weaken, Congress by making it more able to solve long-term problems and that term limits would restore congressional supremacy in an age when Will thought that the presidency had become too important relative to the legislative branch. The call for term limits has abated somewhat in the 17 years since the book was written, but the book is a great read no matter which position you take on this issue.
4 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Here's a book worth the very penny it costs,
By
This review is from: Restoration: Congress, Term Limits and the Recovery of Deliberative Democracy (Paperback)
Congress is rotten and this book offers the perfect cure for the evils of the federal government -- elect Republicans! It's the ultimate conservative solution to the woes of contemporary life: Let's go back to the good ol' days. Will puts politicians such as Thomas Jefferson on a pedestal, completely ignoring the bitter criticism that conservatives directed at Jefferson in his day. On a more recent basis, he says modern politicians should be like Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater who he says was "enticed" into politics in 1952 and quipped at the time, "It ain't for life and it might be fun." He ignores that Goldwater got into politics in 1946 as a prime backer of a state law that prevented veterans from returning to their pre-war jobs. For Goldwater, politics was his only lifetime occupation. This book isn't an objective analysis of federal politics; it's a blatant recital of the Republican party positions of 1991. It's pure nostalgia, completely oblivious to the "greedy old party" lobbyists such as Jack Abranoff and the stench of corruption surrounding the flood of new lobbyists who flocked to Washington after George Bush was elected in 2000. It's a disappointing book, because it ignores the basic problem of limiting power in an extraordinarily rich society. The corruption of wealth and power has afflicted every great society since time began; the secret deals that made Enron a major architect of today's energy policies is typical of great power run amok. The basic issue Will ignores is honesty; as Malcolm Gladwell points out in 'The Tipping Point', honesty is governed more by one's associates than by abstract principles. If he's ever serious about "restoration" values, he needs to examine the corruption of Republicans who gained power in the 1990s. The sheer incompetence of the Bush administration refutes Will's idea that inexperience and ideology trumps age, knowledge and wisdom. He ignores the great unanswered question in politics -- how to blend the enthusiasm and energy of new ideas with the wisdom of experience. In other words, how to curb leftist irrationality while implementing and enhancing the best liberal ideas. However, such thinking relates more to good government than to electing Republicans. It's a great book for nostalgia buffs, an eloquent reminder of just how good conditions were before the fresh-faced Republican amateurs took control of the White House, Congress and Supreme Court. But, don't let me deter anyone. Used copies are available for a penny, and it's surely worth at least that. As proven by events of the past four years, it's vivid proof that incompetence is not the sole quality of one party or political author.
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First Sentence:
When the young Senator Henry Clay arrived in Washington in December, 1806, the nation's capital was a village lacking virtually every element of commodious living. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
legislative careerism, term limitation movement, mohair subsidy, career legislators, term limits movement, rhetorical presidency, balanced budget amendment, classical republicanism, enumerated powers, seeking reelection Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
West Virginia, Congressional Quarterly, Roll Call, Cobb County, United States, Cold War, New Deal, Supreme Court, Woodrow Wilson, North Carolina, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, New York, First Amendment, Bill of Rights, Civil War, Vital Statistics, American Revolution, Articles of Confederation, Capitol Hill, Congressional District Number, Constitutional Convention, George Bush, Mother's Day, President Bush New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
When the young Senator Henry Clay arrived in Washington in December, 1806, the nation's capital was a village lacking virtually every element of commodious living. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
legislative careerism, term limitation movement, mohair subsidy, career legislators, term limits movement, rhetorical presidency, balanced budget amendment, classical republicanism, enumerated powers, seeking reelection Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
West Virginia, Congressional Quarterly, Roll Call, Cobb County, United States, Cold War, New Deal, Supreme Court, Woodrow Wilson, North Carolina, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, New York, First Amendment, Bill of Rights, Civil War, Vital Statistics, American Revolution, Articles of Confederation, Capitol Hill, Congressional District Number, Constitutional Convention, George Bush, Mother's Day, President Bush New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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