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Restoration Kindle Edition
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The world’s oldest democracy—ours—has an old tradition of skepticism about government. However, the degree of dismay about government today is perhaps unprecedented in our history. Americans are particularly convinced that Congress has become irresponsible, either unwilling or incapable of addressing the nation’s problems—while it spends its time and our money on extending its members’ careers. Many Americans have come to believe fundamental reform is needed, specifically limits on the number of terms legislators can serve.
In Restoration, George Will makes a compelling case, drawn from our history and his close observance of Congress, that term limits are now necessary to revive the traditional values of classical republican government, to achieve the Founders’ goal of deliberative democracy, and to restore Congress to competence and its rightful dignity as the First Branch of government. At stake, Will says, is the vitality of America’s great promise self-government under representative institutions. At issue is the meaning of representation. The morality of representative government, Will argues, does not merely permit, it requires representatives to exercise independent judgment rather than merely execute instructions given by constituents. However, careerism, which is a consequence of the professionalization of politics, has made legislators servile and has made the national legislature incapable of rational, responsible behavior. Term limits would restore the constitutional space intended by the Founders, the healthy distance between the electors and the elected that is necessary for genuine deliberation about the public interest.
Blending the political philosophy of the Founders with alarming facts about the behavior of legislative careerists, Restoration demonstrates how term limits, by altering the motives of legislators, can narrow the gap between the theory and the practice of American democracy.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherFree Press
- Publication dateMay 11, 2010
- File size3917 KB
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Product details
- ASIN : B003LY488M
- Publisher : Free Press; Reprint edition (May 11, 2010)
- Publication date : May 11, 2010
- Language : English
- File size : 3917 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 268 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,365,471 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #188 in Legislative Branch
- #706 in Democracy (Kindle Store)
- #738 in U.S.Congresses, Senates & Legislative
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In 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...
Here is what is posted now/incorrect: "Biblical Christianity was originally a sect of Judaism that believed in Jesus and revered the Torah as the core of her scriptures. Restoration is a riveting argument for a return to that original biblical expression of faith in Jesus.
Discover for yourself the profound beauty of Torah life, the celebration of the biblical Sabbath, and the application of God's holy feast days. Your eyes will be opened to another dimension of the faith that is beginning to reemerge among Christians worldwide.
Lancaster answers common theological objections to the Torah, while demonstrating that Christians are already keeping more of God's Law than they realize. This thought provoking, theological boat-rocker is a fun-to-read inspiring journey into the world of the Bible."
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.


