You Won--Now What?: How Americans Can Make Democracy Work from City Hall to the White House [Paperback]

Taegan D. Goddard (Author), Christopher Riback (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 6, 1999

A COMMONSENSE ROAD MAP FOR MAKING OUR GOVERNMENT WORK

As public officials fail to deliver their campaign promises -- and voter cynicism skyrockets -- a simple explanation has become widely accepted: Government is broken. If only we could fix this system, voters hope, our democracy would work the way it was designed. But is government broken, or are the people we hire each Election Day not up to the job?

You Won -- Now What? turns the tables on the government-reform debate. The answer is not to reinvent government but to reinvent government officials.

Taegan D. Goddard and Christopher Riback use real-life stories to analyze the failures and successes of politicians from every level of government. Drawing on these examples, the authors identify the eight traits of effective public officials. These commonsense solutions prove that government is personal: good people can make a difficult system work. You Won -- Now What? explains to politicians and voters alike how government works -- and how it can work better.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Americans entrust their government to novices," Riback and Goddard remind us. "Every November they elect a bunch of people who have never done this before." You Won, Now What? offers practical tips on the task of governance, drawing upon real-life examples to illustrate how elected officials can do an effective job in their first--and in some ways most critical--days on the job. Their scope is broad--the authors consider state and local governments to be just as important as the federal government in maintaining quality of life for citizens--but the case studies keep the book from sliding into generalizations. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Guidebooks on government range from optimistic management theory to critical political science studies. Political adviser Goddard and journalist Riback transcend the genre's limitations by offering a lucid overview of how government really works?"what happens after the campaign is over" followed by realistic suggestions for change. Focusing on newly elected representatives, the authors highlight problems that neophyte politicians may encounter?avoiding personal responsibility, overly rosy expectations, inability to handle simultaneous conflicting tasks. Numerous examples of successes and failures in a range of government departments give weight to their advice. Decisions are examined in various ranks of public service, from a Texas state treasurer to a commissioner in Connecticut's Department of Transportation to a Philadelphia mayor. Goddard and Riback formulate recommendations that are applicable to every field, utilizing their expertise as seasoned political observers. This book would most benefit experienced officials and novice policymakers, though it will also be of interest to anyone seeking to understand how American politics operates and, more important, how politics can be changed.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (January 6, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684852039
• ISBN-13: 978-0684852034
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,443,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Taegan D. Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, including the Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and Christian Science Monitor.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An innovative political book, August 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: You Won-- Now What?: How Americans Can Make Democracy Work from City Hall to the White House (Lisa Drew Books) (Hardcover)

Senator-Elect Bill McKay, the clueless idealist who is pushed through a vapid Senate campaign to unexpected victory in the classic political film "The Candidate," turns to his campaign manager in the film's last scene and asks, "What do we do now?" The cries of the crowd block out the answer.

This book answers that question and gives newly-elected politicians, their appointees and citizens a guide to running their governments. It should be read by any political junkie who wonders why our governments seem paralyzed after the elections are over.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Good Book, July 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: You Won-- Now What?: How Americans Can Make Democracy Work from City Hall to the White House (Lisa Drew Books) (Hardcover)

This book is filled with great stories of politicians succeeding and failing as they grab the reins of government after the election. It's an excellent read and must buy for anyone concerned about the lack of trust Americans have in their public officials.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book for Anyone Who Likes Politics, July 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: You Won-- Now What?: How Americans Can Make Democracy Work from City Hall to the White House (Lisa Drew Books) (Hardcover)

Every now and then a book comes along that makes me wonder why no one had ever written it before. The most basic point of our democracy is that we allow citizens to sweep out our leaders and replace them with people who may or may not know what they are doing. Sure, America's transitions between admininstrations are peaceful, but is our government competent? Not always. Is there any wonder why citizens are cynical when we put people in office who don't know how to get things accomplished in government?

Ye, as this book shows very well, there are elected and appointed officials across the nation who are succeeding everday. The book takes examples from the local, state and federal levels and draws unique lessons about what makes our government tick.

The book is also extremely well written. Highly recommended.