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

Release 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; Reprint edition (January 6, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684852039
• ISBN-13: 978-0684852034
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 5.9 x 8.6 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: #1,331,644 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.

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

Format: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

Format: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.

3 of 3 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

Format: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.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Superb!! Buy Two! February 1, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This book is simply superb and makes an essential addition to any bookshelf. You wanted to know more about government, here it is. Elegantly presented in an easily digestible format. Buy one for yourself and another for a friend or loved one, you won't be disappointed.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that will change the way people think about politics February 18, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

While the media forgets about politics after the campaign is over, this book focuses on what the election is really about.

The book is a great read. I recommend it to anyone who wants to fight the cynicism of our age and believe government can work for the people.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING! August 26, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

An excellent look at the problems of governing in our democracy. You will never again look at our country the same way after reading this book. The authors highlight the problem seen in all elections -- the point that no one focuses on what happens after you won.

8 of 16 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars If written well, this would've been 50 pages! September 26, 2002

By Kevin Currie-Knight TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Here is a book that focuses on government, but not in the way most do. The fad today is books on 'banishing beurocracy' with trendy management techniques and buzzwords and this book, to its credit, realizes those books for what they are; bunk!

From the getgo YWNW focuses not on faddish trickery, but on how to make sure government GOVERNS, not just pays it lip service. Using a host of examples of government (state and federal) ideas gone wrong and right, the authors extract simple rules and 'tips'. The good news is that these tips are helpful, astute and right on the money.

The big problem- overwhelming, actually since it cost the book 3 stars- is the proportion of anecdotes to substantial analysis. Each chapter starts off with a 5-6 paragraph anecdote relating to the chapters theme, be it government takeoves, or the importance of vision. After the example, instead of the authors giving you the 'moral' of the story and connecting it to the theme, they give you another 5-6 paragraph anecdote. If your lucky, the authors will tell us what these examples have in common in a 2-3 paragraph conclusion, which occasionally is only another anecdote. If your luckier, you will only have to swim through 4 more stories before you get there. Stories and real life examples can make books more fun and interesting, but when there is a poverty of analysis and explanation in a book like this, it sort of defeats the point.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any better books to take it's place. As mentioned above, most others revolve around management fads and substance-less pep-talks. My reccomendation is to buy this one (possibly used) and read only the very beginning and very end of the chapters. Only then, if you've not grasped the chapters theme, read the anecdotes.

4 of 42 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Several facts are not accurate. February 17, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Check the facts from examples discussed in this books. Many are fabricated to support the authors' points of view.