Customer Reviews

A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America

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In his refreshingly good A Time to Fight, Jim Webb, junior senator from Virginia confesses that he once spent a few years as a boxer and that sometimes when he enters the Senate Chamber he thinks, "This is the ring. The American people can see us here, and listen to our arguments. This is where the fights matter." In A Time to Fight, he aims to let us know which battles he thinks are worth fighting.

If you think (as, I confess, I did before reading this book) that you've got Jim Webb pegged down as your typical charismatic, flag-waving warrior, think again. He reveals himself in these pages to be an independent thinker who doesn't parrot the latest partisan mantra but instead is imaginative and courageous enough to take the best from both sides of the aisle. He endorses the Nixon Doctrine, for example, actually calling it the best foreign policy of his lifetime. He's also a deeply patriotic man who admits that he feels humbled whenever he sees the Capitol building and thinks about what it symbolizes. Yet his patriotism and his understanding of the US as a superpower aren't chauvinist or neoconservative. He thinks the current war was a mismanaged and needless affair. He's extremely critical of the growing imbalance of wealth in this country. He calls for a revamping of the criminal justice system, worrying that the country has gone "completely jail happy." He warns that in recent years the executive branch has become disproportionately powerful. And he has a deep and abiding faith in the ability of citizens, when properly informed and responsibly represented, to govern themselves well.

Webb tells us early on that he has an "innate distrust of the ornaments of power," and most of the battles he wants to take on deal with the abuse of power. In all this, his intellectual commitment to democracy as well as his personal dedication and decency come through loud and clear. In a year in which several very good books by American politicans have appeared, A Time to Fight is one that's reflective, insightful, and inspiring. Webb's a guy to watch.

This book doesn't always lend itself to partisan ideology, but, rather, is a remedial and a clarion call to those who are tired of a non-solutions based rigidity in Washington. A wake up call, I suppose.

I read this on a whim, having only heard of Webb in passing. I thought he sounded quite impressive when I heard him on c-span, so that made it easier. I enjoyed this book in totality. He is a lot deeper than he occasionally lets on, as his humble attitude tends to shield his incredible intellect at times. Until he actually starts to speak/type, whetever, then it is all very clear: Jim Webb is a true intellect.

Jim seems to be a gifted writer, as well. I don't know his methodology, but he is a fantastic story teller. Prose is readable, yet eloquent. Lots of historical references that help; many personal stories, too. Webb lays out a slue of new ideas, new ways of thinking about politics, and shares a sentiment that all parties can get down with. As with any book like this, I want to be glowing to a certain extent afterwards. I want to feel patriotic and like there is hope for American politics. This book achieves that.

Jim Webb is far more than an effective legislator; he is an honest character.

Check it out.

I don't usually pick up contemporary political books, but decided to read Senator Webb's new book after hearing him speak on an NPR segment. As a probable McCain voter and moderate Republican, I also hoped to challenge my own political opinions.

Webb's discussion of the military was moving and pragmatic. He advocates a more influential and independent military, with long-term strategies and strong leaders, like MacArthur, who are not afraid to disagree with the President. With a very political, but nonetheless heartfelt tone, he speaks to the diversity of the military and how his experiences with other soldiers from very different walks of life ultimately forged his political views.

In much of the remainder of the book, the Senator provides a discourse against the class struggle that he believes to be destroying America. He attacks globalization, lucrative executives and special interests and portrays himself as a man of the people in contrast to many of the "elites" in the Senate. While I believe Webb supports many of the interests of the underprivileged, he is at times overly self-righteous. Especially considering that the Senator - a direct descendent of an officer who served with George Washington, son of a decorated military veteran, Naval Academy graduate and Former Secretary of the Navy - had a perfect pedigree for the Senate and many more advantages than most. In fact, he is more like his admired Tolstoy, the Russian literary giant and famed anarchist who was deeply grieved by his fellow aristocrats, than Truman, (of more humble origins) whom he also refers to.

There are further sections supporting a weaker executive branch that distinguish Jim Webb from other Democrats.

I doubt I will be fighting for Jim Webb in November should he make the VP ticket. However, his new book raises important issues - many of which are not new. Some of these issues receive insightful and innovative analysis, while others are addressed with an increasingly tedious party line.

Senator Webb is one of only a few true intellectual heavyweight in our government: a writer, a Senator from Virginia (whom I am proud to say I voted for), who is also a war hero (and has a son in Iraq) from the white working class, a father of three, whose patriotism is neither worn on his sleeve, nor born of the normal ideological narrow-mindedness often cloaked in closeted racism. He lives and breathes a refreshing new kind of Americanism that sees this two-hundred year old experiment being sucked up into the Washington grinding machine of privilege, greed, narrow-mindedness and excess.

Webb worries, as so many of us do that the wheels are finally coming off this grand old 200-plus-year experiment. As he so aptly notes in this manifesto of his political philosophy and his concerns for our nation: At the same time that vast changes have begun to call into question every aspect of our national identity and even the foundation upon which our society was built, our politicians are engaged in false debates shaped by emotional side issues that only serve as detours and deflections around, or smoke screens hiding, the real ills that beset the nation. While China and India are rapidly moving ahead, "our political process has become so compromised by powerful interest groups and the threat of the petty politics of character assassination that even the best among us will not dare to speak honestly about the solutions that might bring us back to common sense and fundamental fairness."

While our politicians are busy raising millions for their next election run, and our corporate elite laugh all the way to the bank with their obscene profits, our inner cities are in full melt-down mode: In the single-mother run neighborhoods, of inadequate schools, no healthcare, out-of-control illegitimacy, drugs, and AIDS, its no wonder that prison, which is now filled with 2 million of our fellow citizens, has become an alternative life style. And to make matters even worse, "those at the top now tend to view their inordinate success as simply a function of their innate talent in a brave new world of socio-economic Darwinian, and have become openly consumed by their own self-justifying greed." This is occurring at the same time that inner city youths are trapped in crime-infested neighborhoods, lacking any possible pathways to success. To say that we are at risk of developing a permanent underclass is but a monument to understatements: it would not be an exaggeration to say that the U.S. inner city ghettoes are just time bombs waiting to be ignited.

These are just some of the concerns that Jim Webb expresses in this, his seventh book. But more than that he has solutions. One hopes that he is just the tip of an emerging iceberg of a new generation of political leaders. Five stars

The author explains the experience inherent in
getting elected. He describes the Senate itself
as a collection of 100 fiefdoms.

Currently, Senator James Webb describes a permanent
underclass in America together with societal regression.
The middle class has dwindled from the accumulative
inflation since the 50s, corporate downsizing, greed,
outsourcing and a collection of other things tangentially
dealt with in the book. I believe that another book
could be written on the strategies to deal with the
underclass amongst both whites and people of color.
Part of the solution to our underclass will be to fund
collegiate education more generously.

In addition, we must deal successfully with the
"Secession of the Successful". In every profession,
there are people of color. The challenge will be to harness this knowledge and know-how for the benefit of the communities which
either raised them or participated significantly in
the initial education. There are technologies available
to accomplish this feat. Although the author doesn't say so,
artificial intelligence, "advice giving systems" and
supercomputing are available to capture knowledge,
know-how, apprenticeship and complex operational perspectives
gained over the course of a lifetime.

A section decries the excesses of executive power.
This part is stated correctly. I believe that the
current and future Chief Executives should equalize
the power in the cabinet. Currently, there seems to
be too much concentration of power in the military
to the detriment of the other cabinet members.
This imbalance of power may have consequences. i.e.
the unchecked development of the variable interest
rate loan write-offs and growing personal bankruptcies

The author provides a good idea which involves the
deployment of a multi-national naval force to guarantee
free transit in the Gulf. The USA is in a good position
to insist upon this feature concurrent with the downsizing
of our Iraq troop strength. Besides, my approach to the
war will have been the sanctions first. If the sanctions
did not work, I would have utilized commandos and special
forces more judiciously before even considering the
wholesale deployment of the Armed Forces.

The book criticizes Congress for laxity in reviewing the
decision to authorize the President to utilize troops
in Iraq. In retrospect, Senator Kerry's idea to allow the
sanctions to work will have been the preferred route.
Nonetheless, an opportunity exists to re-shape Iraq into
a nation with a brand new electronic infrastructure
together with municipal state-of-the-art accounting
systems to monitor the revenue sharing and municipal
services optimally. The current Administration does
get some credit for creating the opportunity to
re-shape Iraq in the post Saddam period-albeit at a
great cost.

The book decries the fact that 1% of Americans own or
control 50% of the stocks. Our challenge as a nation
is to save more. This process cannot happen without a
rational energy policy that lowers the costs of operating
both households and businesses of all sizes. In addition,
our corporate institutions must review pay equity to
narrow the difference between the senior management and
entry level workers. Alternatively, this task may be
accomplished with worker ownership of the company or more
generous profit sharing plans for workers at every level.

The author quite correctly complements President Eisenhower
for criticizing the excesses of the military and the
armament industry. Clearly, the author would like to see
an improvement in the way our leaders are selected.
Concurrent with this need is a related one. That is, people
must perceive that the opportunity to serve outweighs
the negativity in the conduct of politics itself.
Ultimately, our country will pass down both the successes
and flaws of governance.

The book has some excellent points for discussion both
now and for the future. The issues raised could occupy
several books on a multiplicity of subjects.

Finally, the next Administration could plug the holes
between responsibility centers of the federal government
and state governments. Closing this divide would provide
better disaster recovery/contingency planning and
anticipation for the random vagaries of nature.

Jim Webb is a classic warrior poet in the sense of the Celtic tradition. He is also a true maverick, who thinks for himself, which seems an oddity in today's Washington. A former SecNav and Assist. SecDef in the Reagan Administration, he quit due to disagreements on policy.

Webb was awarded the Navy Cross for conspicuous gallantry on the battlefield as a Marine company commander in Viet Nam. He is a prize-winning author of nine books and as an accomplished journalist. He is the epitome of a modern renaissance man.

In a Time to Fight, he writes of a process for correcting what is wrong in American society today. Not an easy task. Rather than being another dry political tome, Webb's book is intelligent, insightful and entertaining. In addition to the big picture, he interspaces his writing with personal experiences and perceptions, ranging from the anger and sadness of loss, to the euphoria of achievement.

This is a book that is not written about a single moment in time that, once read can be discarded, like so many "insider" books of the day. A Time to Fight is a book of principle and foresight that can be re-read and reinvigorate the reader to take positive action to help save a damaged nation. It is a book of values and realistic corrective measures. Beyond a doubt, well worth reading.

Not at all a "company man", Webb will do an excellent job as the Senator from Virginia and may, one day I hope, run for and become president. Looking around at today's selection, we could certainly do a great deal worse, but rarely better.

Remember the "Arizona Territory", RVN. Semper Fi, Skipper!

While I have a great deal of respect for Senator Webb, I was disappointed by his book. In the book, Webb takes to task the policies of the Bush administration, the corruption in the Senate, the truculent campaign of Chuck Robb, the conduct of the war and so on. But where he falls short is in his ability to deliver fresh ideas for how to solve some of the pressing issues that plague the country.

If the objective of the book was to leave the reader with a heightened respect for Senator Webb's service to our country and his knowledge of world affairs, the book succeeded. If the objective was to expose issues of political shortcomings, elevate the discourse, and offer compelling solutions, then it failed.

I read this book with high expectations that decreased markedly by the end. I had seen Senator Webb on CSPAN and read about him, concluding that he was my kind of politician. Like other viewers, it seemed that he was a thinker and doer, not another pandering, flag-waving, lapel flag pin wearer, most of whom never served anywhere or anything other than their moneyed supporters. I was only partly correct. The writings about his family history, and particularly his military service are enlightening and even inspiring at times. Although he criticizes the military establishment carefully, he is fundamentally a believer in the military way, similar to John McCain. Having served in combat in WW II, under generally poor leaders, I am not convinced.
He does a superb job of pointing out the many problems our country has. He also discusses the continued focus of politicians and the media on trivia as opposed to these problems. However, I don't need him to tell me about them. Anyone who reads a decent newspaper or watches the Congress in action on CSPAN, talking a lot but doing little, is aware of the problems. The question is what do we do about them? Time to fight who, where, what? Other major problems he dismisses. Whether it is strategically correct or not, the Iraq war is being financed by borrowing from the rest of the world, and is dangerous (especially with the Chinese). All while we cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations and pass the burden to our children and grandchildren!
Obviously, my main criticism is that there are no suggested solutions. To copy a famous lady's statement "where's the beef"? Complaining about our government is fine but Senator Webb is a powerful part of what he is criticizing. Finally, I thought it very illuminating that he voted for President Bush's FISA bill (along with Obama, who talks continuously about change,yea), a bill which goes a long way toward trashing the fourth amendment to the Constitution. This from a lawyer who taught constitutional law?

Excellent statement of where Sen Webb came from and how he got to where he is today. Lays out his philosophy of what the country needs but is spare on how we are going to achieve it. Places a lot of responsibility on the "right leaders" to get us out of our predicament then charges the reader to ask political candidates tough questions such as their stance on our involvement in middle east and asian nation building, our need for a strategic vision for the US vis a vis the world, and why our prisons are so much more crowded than any other nation's (as opposed to the emotionally charged questions like flag burning, climate change and abortion rights). He seems to be asking the right questions and based on this book it would seem he has the tools and the integrity to help guide us in finding answers that will restore America's leadership and credibility among not only our own citizens but also those of the world.

Senator Webb successfully makes the case for civic action to change American society from one in which there are only two classes: wealthy and poor; to one in which there is, again, a middle class that dominates and brings back ethics and hope for America to remain a nation of moral people that make achievement possible for everyone. He's hard on the GOP,the ruling party of the past ten years. He makes the case for replacing their values of greed and "trickle-down" economics with a much more socially responsible leadership.