What do you think?
Rate this book
How America Works... and Why it Doesn't: A Brief Guide to the US Political System
Twenty-first-century America isn’t working the way it’s supposed to. This book explains why.
Americans in the twenty-first century are becoming increasingly untethered from both reality and the essential principles and traditions that have shaped the nation’s historic success. A big part of why America isn’t working is because far too many Americans neither know nor care how it’s supposed to work.
Cooper explains key aspects of recent US political history to give the background to recent, dangerous developments, including how political groups have reshaped since the 1964 Civil Rights Act; the rise of Newt Gingrich and the Tea Party; the profound impact of the internet and social media; and the threats posed to the electoral system by the growth of extreme polarization and growing irrationality.
Cooper shows how these recent developments have their roots in the deeper past, with the establishment of the political system in the first place and all the knocks and tweaks to it along the way. He also reveals how, as a result of increasing politicisation, the US Supreme Court is now exacerbating polarization instead of acting as an effective check on executive power.
Americans in the twenty-first century are becoming increasingly untethered from both reality and the essential principles and traditions that have shaped the nation’s historic success. A big part of why America isn’t working is because far too many Americans neither know nor care how it’s supposed to work.
Cooper explains key aspects of recent US political history to give the background to recent, dangerous developments, including how political groups have reshaped since the 1964 Civil Rights Act; the rise of Newt Gingrich and the Tea Party; the profound impact of the internet and social media; and the threats posed to the electoral system by the growth of extreme polarization and growing irrationality.
Cooper shows how these recent developments have their roots in the deeper past, with the establishment of the political system in the first place and all the knocks and tweaks to it along the way. He also reveals how, as a result of increasing politicisation, the US Supreme Court is now exacerbating polarization instead of acting as an effective check on executive power.
- GenresNonfictionPolitics
224 pages, Paperback
Published July 23, 2024
About the author
William Cooper
2 books97 followersWilliam Cooper is the author of How America Works... and Why it Doesn't: A Brief Guide to the US Political System and A Quiet Life: A Novel. An attorney and national columnist, his writings have appeared in hundreds of publications around the world including the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Newsweek, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times, Huffington Post, Toronto Star, and Jerusalem Post. Publishers Weekly calls his commentary about American politics “a compelling rallying cry for democratic institutions under threat in America.” Visit him online at will-cooper.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 14, 2024
I'm not an American and the US political system has had me entirely baffled for a very long time so when I saw the title of this book I jumped at the chance to read it.
And in present times understanding the situation in the US seems more important than ever. (As an aside I wrote this review the day after an assassination attempt had been made on Trump's life at a rally.)
This is a great book for someone like me who understood nothing about America's civic system. William Cooper has written a well balanced account of what the system is and how it is being manipulated by various modern forces. Believe me when I say he pulls no punches. Blame isn't apportioned to one side or the other. He sets out the system, how it works and why it is breaking down. He also provides a solution - the American people themselves.
How much of this information you need or choose to take on board is up to you. All I can say is that I have a much better understanding of the way US politics works and the dangers it faces in the current climate. An excellent book.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Ad Lib Publishers for the advance review copy.
And in present times understanding the situation in the US seems more important than ever. (As an aside I wrote this review the day after an assassination attempt had been made on Trump's life at a rally.)
This is a great book for someone like me who understood nothing about America's civic system. William Cooper has written a well balanced account of what the system is and how it is being manipulated by various modern forces. Believe me when I say he pulls no punches. Blame isn't apportioned to one side or the other. He sets out the system, how it works and why it is breaking down. He also provides a solution - the American people themselves.
How much of this information you need or choose to take on board is up to you. All I can say is that I have a much better understanding of the way US politics works and the dangers it faces in the current climate. An excellent book.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Ad Lib Publishers for the advance review copy.
May 29, 2024
This book explains how a frenzy of polarization and misgovernance has engulfed American politics. Actors and institutions—on both sides of the political divide—are silencing disfavored speech. Prosecutors around the country are criminalizing politics. The Republican party is openly sabotaging the electoral system. And a new breed of social-media celebrities in Congress is failing to address myriad public-policy failures, from a broken immigration system, to hugely expensive and dysfunctional healthcare, to staggering economic inequality. These problems have powerful momentum behind them—and will likely persist far into the future.
All around the world people are asking: What’s wrong with America? Why isn’t it working?
The answer isn’t one of the common partisan narratives. It isn’t the “radical progressives” who want to tear the system down. Nor is it the “deplorable conservatives” who want to punish America’s elites. It’s not a dysfunctional, gridlocked Congress. Nor is it a right-wing, reactionary Supreme Court. It’s not an aging Joe Biden. Nor it is an ever-angrier Donald Trump (though he sure isn’t helping).
The answer, rather, is broader than any narrow category or single person. The answer is the American people themselves. A nation is, above all, the hearts and minds of its people. And Americans in the twenty-first century are becoming increasingly untethered from both reality and the essential principles and traditions that have shaped their nation’s historic success. A big part of why America isn’t working is because far too many Americans neither know nor care how it’s supposed to work.
All around the world people are asking: What’s wrong with America? Why isn’t it working?
The answer isn’t one of the common partisan narratives. It isn’t the “radical progressives” who want to tear the system down. Nor is it the “deplorable conservatives” who want to punish America’s elites. It’s not a dysfunctional, gridlocked Congress. Nor is it a right-wing, reactionary Supreme Court. It’s not an aging Joe Biden. Nor it is an ever-angrier Donald Trump (though he sure isn’t helping).
The answer, rather, is broader than any narrow category or single person. The answer is the American people themselves. A nation is, above all, the hearts and minds of its people. And Americans in the twenty-first century are becoming increasingly untethered from both reality and the essential principles and traditions that have shaped their nation’s historic success. A big part of why America isn’t working is because far too many Americans neither know nor care how it’s supposed to work.
July 23, 2024
5 Stars
First, I want to give a tip of my cap to not just William Cooper, but to other GoodReads authors who I am connected to in some way who have never tried to peddle their books to me. Over five years, I've had to block quite a few authors who friended me and then immediately private messaged me to hype their book, or commented about their book in a review of a book I read.
Thanks to William and all the other great authors I'm friends with. I may not read most of your books, but I value all of your reviews and insights.
Anyhow, Cooper's book may be brief, but it packs a punch. It is a non-partisan look at our Constitution, how it mostly still works, and either heinous errors or things that of course our forefathers could never have envisioned (Social Media, cough cough).
While reading, every time I pondered a "yeah, but" or "this is a problem too" or "well there is a solution," within a page Cooper pretty much read my mind and expounded much further. His writing ability and synthesis of documents and current affairs is phenomenal.
This book is filled with passages that would be great to augment American History/Government courses at the high school and college level. Heck, it's even a great refresher for me.
I do fear since there is little bias, that those on either ideological extreme will actually read it. And given the lack of civic education by many Americans, especially in my neck of the woods (not to mention several congresspeople in my general vicinity), just even reading the Constitution and Bill of Rights would be a win. Some of the statistics he sites are sobering.
While I agree with Cooper's solutions, they will never come to fruition. Tribalism, lies, dysfunction, gerrymandering, etc. benefit the wealthiest in society. While the common people bicker over ridiculous assertions and a feeling of helplessness - you know who profits? Big donors on both sides of the spectrum. Not only them - but Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Ag, Government Contractors and Fortune 500 CEOs.
All I can do is be an informed citizen, be polite to all those around me, stay off social media, and vote - even though gerrymandering at everything from the school board to the state level (plus one party doesn't even put in an effort) make no difference either way, but I digress.
A great read and I hope to see more books by Cooper in the future.
First, I want to give a tip of my cap to not just William Cooper, but to other GoodReads authors who I am connected to in some way who have never tried to peddle their books to me. Over five years, I've had to block quite a few authors who friended me and then immediately private messaged me to hype their book, or commented about their book in a review of a book I read.
Thanks to William and all the other great authors I'm friends with. I may not read most of your books, but I value all of your reviews and insights.
Anyhow, Cooper's book may be brief, but it packs a punch. It is a non-partisan look at our Constitution, how it mostly still works, and either heinous errors or things that of course our forefathers could never have envisioned (Social Media, cough cough).
While reading, every time I pondered a "yeah, but" or "this is a problem too" or "well there is a solution," within a page Cooper pretty much read my mind and expounded much further. His writing ability and synthesis of documents and current affairs is phenomenal.
This book is filled with passages that would be great to augment American History/Government courses at the high school and college level. Heck, it's even a great refresher for me.
I do fear since there is little bias, that those on either ideological extreme will actually read it. And given the lack of civic education by many Americans, especially in my neck of the woods (not to mention several congresspeople in my general vicinity), just even reading the Constitution and Bill of Rights would be a win. Some of the statistics he sites are sobering.
While I agree with Cooper's solutions, they will never come to fruition. Tribalism, lies, dysfunction, gerrymandering, etc. benefit the wealthiest in society. While the common people bicker over ridiculous assertions and a feeling of helplessness - you know who profits? Big donors on both sides of the spectrum. Not only them - but Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Ag, Government Contractors and Fortune 500 CEOs.
All I can do is be an informed citizen, be polite to all those around me, stay off social media, and vote - even though gerrymandering at everything from the school board to the state level (plus one party doesn't even put in an effort) make no difference either way, but I digress.
A great read and I hope to see more books by Cooper in the future.
June 19, 2024
The main points are hard to argue with. America has lost its way due to a combination of 1. Tribalism, 2. Social media, 3. The structure that is the two-party system. These three factors interact with each other, feeding each other, in a never-ending doom loop. Things are bad and only getting worse. Both sides must share the blame. And it is the people themselves that must seek correction.
Not everyone will agree with every assertion the author makes, but that doesn't bother me. If I only wanted to hear the things I agree with, I could just sit around and talk to myself all day.
The first thing is to admit that there is a problem. I think we can mostly all agree on that score.
The second thing is to put a name to the problem. This is where we can expect some disagreement. Many will say it's the democrats. Many will say it's the republicans. There's that tribalism we were talking about. The author says it's both. I, for one, agree.
The third thing, if we can get past the first two, is to actually start talking about it. Real discussions about real problems with the hope of finding real solutions. That is what this book does. It begins the conversation. It looks at the problems and proposes some possible solutions. I'm sure not everyone will agree with every proposition. I didn't. Who cares? This is the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one.
The fourth thing - enacting change - can only happen after we've done the work. This book is the beginning of that work. Which is to say, it is essential.
Not everyone will agree with every assertion the author makes, but that doesn't bother me. If I only wanted to hear the things I agree with, I could just sit around and talk to myself all day.
The first thing is to admit that there is a problem. I think we can mostly all agree on that score.
The second thing is to put a name to the problem. This is where we can expect some disagreement. Many will say it's the democrats. Many will say it's the republicans. There's that tribalism we were talking about. The author says it's both. I, for one, agree.
The third thing, if we can get past the first two, is to actually start talking about it. Real discussions about real problems with the hope of finding real solutions. That is what this book does. It begins the conversation. It looks at the problems and proposes some possible solutions. I'm sure not everyone will agree with every proposition. I didn't. Who cares? This is the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one.
The fourth thing - enacting change - can only happen after we've done the work. This book is the beginning of that work. Which is to say, it is essential.
August 1, 2024
Checks, Balances, and False Balance
1. Disclosures!
First off, disclosure & major cheers to the author William Cooper for the complimentary copy after some logistical mishaps! Secondary disclosure: Yes, I am writing this review on a Mac, as an unapologetic critic of capitalism/advocate of socialism. ;) We use what’s at hand and we have to operate in a system even as we oppose it. The fairly brief section explicitly on that particular topic was to me a section of the book that felt like a frustrating slog next to the rest—confirmation bias notwithstanding, the arguments made on that front aren’t new to anyone immersed on either front of that debate. There are challenging discussions to be had about the viability of economic systems and incentive structures, and the history of how basic affordances like literacy and health care are best promoted (as well as why certain historical approaches succeeded or fell short), about why state-managed industry faced logistical limits on consumer choice, etc. But a deep dive into that area deconstructing poverty metrics, unequal exchange, and the role of state programs in U.S. & global south development would probably dramatically lengthen the book beyond its topical intentions, so setting allll of that aside:
2. Extremely psycho(logical)
Being on a bit of a psychology binge, I found Chapter 6’s exploration of forms of cognitive bias and emotive reasoning stimulating. The narrative fallacy (how we seek to construe broad narratives from ‘factoids’), confirmation bias (what we seek and find conveniently confirming what we already think we know), and availability bias (kind of a cross between being inundated with an idea and the classic game of telephone---Cooper uses the examples of the ‘birther’ conspiracy theory and what many may know as “Russiagate”) are all concepts worth understanding. The good news is being conscious of them in ourselves does make a difference. The author may be positively surprised that in a radically left-leaning reading group I have been encouraged to see value in engaging with polarizing contrary ideas about "what is to be done", Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet being one recent example. Is some of that engagement inevitably, at least reflexively, about “inoculation” (knowing what opponents are arguing so as to have an idea of how to respond)? Sure, but as long as the response comes from hearing an argument out and not straw-manning its claims, and better accounting for nuance, then being honest with ourselves about guiding principles as we engage can be healthy. More so than pretending to set all our principles aside. That's true even if to some the principles are extreme: To quote Malcolm X, “Old Patrick Henry said, ‘Liberty or death!’ That’s extreme.” To Cooper's credit, he doesn't claim to be objective and/or neutral, either. So it becomes a question of accounting for bias, not pretending to take it off like a jacket.
The difference between orthodox and critical principles, though, is that the latter tend to be explicitly self-aware of being actively biased. One of many examples: Alfie Kohn's critical psychology, which argues we should do away with grades & 'gold stars' (see Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise and Other Bribes), sounds extreme in light of a long history of pedagogical practice, and the point is explicitly advocating a change rather than pretending neutrality. But the research is there to support the extreme change, even as the bias arguing for it is there, too. We can still weigh the evidence while being aware of our own inclinations. There is still the risk of blind spots, and of a 'critical' view overcompensating for orthodoxy's dominance by creating its own spaces hostile to questions, but for the same reason that I've advocated openness about bias as an alternative to pretending neutrality in news, I would also argue that disclosure of and to ourselves about bias is the healthy, constructive approach. As in Patrick Henry's case, sometimes the choice is stark and the truth is extreme.
What I (however regretfully) suggest we may need to move past is the idea of relying on purely rational discourse alone. Skeptical as I am toward sweeping claims about human nature, I'll concede that humans being emotional creatures often driven by such highly charged reasoning and intuition is something we have to grapple with. That can make unintuitive ideas hard to make stick. But meeting people where they are requires that recognition. There is a function for heuristics, a reason why we take mental shortcuts on a daily basis (we all do!): For instance, some dedicated people did a lot of in-depth climate research so that we shouldn’t feel obligated to perpetually re-engage with insincere denialism intended only to derail needed action. We know cigarette smoke is unhealthy without having looked at "both sides" of that research in deepest depth. We need not endlessly debate that the earth is far more than 6,000 years old. As Alan Sokal argues, gravity just exists and we ought to operate on that assumption. Declaring some cases closed has been and is necessary to actually learn more, and so that impulse to do so can be useful, when not abused.
3. Another form of bias
This is where I wish the author would have tackled one more, ubiquitous, form of bias: false balance. Sometimes the evidence is overwhelmingly on one side, and those on the other side even admit as much in unguarded moments. But for bad faith actors, the point isn’t genuine belief that climate change is a hoax, cigarette smoke isn't bad for you, the earth is 6,000 years old, or the election was stolen from Trump, or (dare I say it!) that markets are meritocratic and your 'failure' is your fault. The point is to soak up enough time and energy that those narratives gain undue credibility and the incredulous are left exhausted. This would have been an interesting area to explore as it’s also amplified by social media. This is touched on in noting how birther conspiracies lingered after direct undermining evidence, but it's more than mere narrative bias. It's the balancing between narratives in a distorted way that tips the scale. Discourse shifts by what is and is not allowed to set the tone of discussion. Sometimes "both sides" are culpable when they agree to that distortion, as a price to pay for not seeming partisan.
4. Mapping the Machine
I appreciate the accessible outlining of the ‘machinery’ of the branches of American government, the tensions between federal & state levels, and the excoriating of the two-party system (though for other reasons, i.e. I’m always reminded of Julius Nyerere: “The U.S. is also a one-party state, but with typical American extravagance, they have two of them.”---but the point of seeing an urgent need for broadened discourse is shared). I would've appreciated a closer look at the "punishment for crime" exemption to slavery abolition, or the role of historical prejudice in 2nd amendment advocacy and inconsistent application (This Nonviolent Stuff'll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible).
With that said, if you need a refresher, or are unfamiliar with the gritty details of how the executive, legislative & judicial branches operate and what exactly some key constitutional amendments codify, or how the "Electoral College" works (and why it doesn't!), Cooper does a great job laying them out. If the time comes when the Electoral College is abolished, I'll be looking out for his insights into what that will mean.
1. Disclosures!
First off, disclosure & major cheers to the author William Cooper for the complimentary copy after some logistical mishaps! Secondary disclosure: Yes, I am writing this review on a Mac, as an unapologetic critic of capitalism/advocate of socialism. ;) We use what’s at hand and we have to operate in a system even as we oppose it. The fairly brief section explicitly on that particular topic was to me a section of the book that felt like a frustrating slog next to the rest—confirmation bias notwithstanding, the arguments made on that front aren’t new to anyone immersed on either front of that debate. There are challenging discussions to be had about the viability of economic systems and incentive structures, and the history of how basic affordances like literacy and health care are best promoted (as well as why certain historical approaches succeeded or fell short), about why state-managed industry faced logistical limits on consumer choice, etc. But a deep dive into that area deconstructing poverty metrics, unequal exchange, and the role of state programs in U.S. & global south development would probably dramatically lengthen the book beyond its topical intentions, so setting allll of that aside:
2. Extremely psycho(logical)
Being on a bit of a psychology binge, I found Chapter 6’s exploration of forms of cognitive bias and emotive reasoning stimulating. The narrative fallacy (how we seek to construe broad narratives from ‘factoids’), confirmation bias (what we seek and find conveniently confirming what we already think we know), and availability bias (kind of a cross between being inundated with an idea and the classic game of telephone---Cooper uses the examples of the ‘birther’ conspiracy theory and what many may know as “Russiagate”) are all concepts worth understanding. The good news is being conscious of them in ourselves does make a difference. The author may be positively surprised that in a radically left-leaning reading group I have been encouraged to see value in engaging with polarizing contrary ideas about "what is to be done", Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet being one recent example. Is some of that engagement inevitably, at least reflexively, about “inoculation” (knowing what opponents are arguing so as to have an idea of how to respond)? Sure, but as long as the response comes from hearing an argument out and not straw-manning its claims, and better accounting for nuance, then being honest with ourselves about guiding principles as we engage can be healthy. More so than pretending to set all our principles aside. That's true even if to some the principles are extreme: To quote Malcolm X, “Old Patrick Henry said, ‘Liberty or death!’ That’s extreme.” To Cooper's credit, he doesn't claim to be objective and/or neutral, either. So it becomes a question of accounting for bias, not pretending to take it off like a jacket.
The difference between orthodox and critical principles, though, is that the latter tend to be explicitly self-aware of being actively biased. One of many examples: Alfie Kohn's critical psychology, which argues we should do away with grades & 'gold stars' (see Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise and Other Bribes), sounds extreme in light of a long history of pedagogical practice, and the point is explicitly advocating a change rather than pretending neutrality. But the research is there to support the extreme change, even as the bias arguing for it is there, too. We can still weigh the evidence while being aware of our own inclinations. There is still the risk of blind spots, and of a 'critical' view overcompensating for orthodoxy's dominance by creating its own spaces hostile to questions, but for the same reason that I've advocated openness about bias as an alternative to pretending neutrality in news, I would also argue that disclosure of and to ourselves about bias is the healthy, constructive approach. As in Patrick Henry's case, sometimes the choice is stark and the truth is extreme.
What I (however regretfully) suggest we may need to move past is the idea of relying on purely rational discourse alone. Skeptical as I am toward sweeping claims about human nature, I'll concede that humans being emotional creatures often driven by such highly charged reasoning and intuition is something we have to grapple with. That can make unintuitive ideas hard to make stick. But meeting people where they are requires that recognition. There is a function for heuristics, a reason why we take mental shortcuts on a daily basis (we all do!): For instance, some dedicated people did a lot of in-depth climate research so that we shouldn’t feel obligated to perpetually re-engage with insincere denialism intended only to derail needed action. We know cigarette smoke is unhealthy without having looked at "both sides" of that research in deepest depth. We need not endlessly debate that the earth is far more than 6,000 years old. As Alan Sokal argues, gravity just exists and we ought to operate on that assumption. Declaring some cases closed has been and is necessary to actually learn more, and so that impulse to do so can be useful, when not abused.
3. Another form of bias
This is where I wish the author would have tackled one more, ubiquitous, form of bias: false balance. Sometimes the evidence is overwhelmingly on one side, and those on the other side even admit as much in unguarded moments. But for bad faith actors, the point isn’t genuine belief that climate change is a hoax, cigarette smoke isn't bad for you, the earth is 6,000 years old, or the election was stolen from Trump, or (dare I say it!) that markets are meritocratic and your 'failure' is your fault. The point is to soak up enough time and energy that those narratives gain undue credibility and the incredulous are left exhausted. This would have been an interesting area to explore as it’s also amplified by social media. This is touched on in noting how birther conspiracies lingered after direct undermining evidence, but it's more than mere narrative bias. It's the balancing between narratives in a distorted way that tips the scale. Discourse shifts by what is and is not allowed to set the tone of discussion. Sometimes "both sides" are culpable when they agree to that distortion, as a price to pay for not seeming partisan.
4. Mapping the Machine
I appreciate the accessible outlining of the ‘machinery’ of the branches of American government, the tensions between federal & state levels, and the excoriating of the two-party system (though for other reasons, i.e. I’m always reminded of Julius Nyerere: “The U.S. is also a one-party state, but with typical American extravagance, they have two of them.”---but the point of seeing an urgent need for broadened discourse is shared). I would've appreciated a closer look at the "punishment for crime" exemption to slavery abolition, or the role of historical prejudice in 2nd amendment advocacy and inconsistent application (This Nonviolent Stuff'll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible).
With that said, if you need a refresher, or are unfamiliar with the gritty details of how the executive, legislative & judicial branches operate and what exactly some key constitutional amendments codify, or how the "Electoral College" works (and why it doesn't!), Cooper does a great job laying them out. If the time comes when the Electoral College is abolished, I'll be looking out for his insights into what that will mean.
July 31, 2024
As a people, we should want our country to run smoothly. It’s okay to choose your political affiliation and stand by what you believe wholeheartedly to be the best solutions as a whole, but you should also want to listen to all sides and perspectives. What we are doing now is no longer working. We’re a country in chaos and it needs to end.
This is a superbly written, eye-opening look into our political system and how we got here. Thank you, Mr. Cooper for such an insightful, educational look at How America Works And Why it Doesn’t. I highly recommend this fantastic book.
This is a superbly written, eye-opening look into our political system and how we got here. Thank you, Mr. Cooper for such an insightful, educational look at How America Works And Why it Doesn’t. I highly recommend this fantastic book.
August 2, 2024
Full disclosure. I met William Cooper, the author of “How America Works……and Why it Doesn’t” through Goodreads, and he kindly sent me a free copy of his book.
While I greatly appreciate this gesture, it hasn’t influenced me in any way with the review of this work.
“How America works….” provides a quick refresher about the US Constitution, the strengths and weaknesses of it, the principles governing America as well as the Essential Traditions (Part 1), and why Tribalism, Social Media, and the Political System, get in the path of it functioning at high levels (Part 2).
I thought it was a great book in that it defined a narrow subject, was well reasoned and well written, giving the reader the idea that Tribalism, social media, and Politics are the three most important factors slowing down America’s success.
While I liked the book very much, and felt that it was not politically biased because it covered at least two major sides of each episode or story, I couldn’t help but feel that the book should have contained a third section – as follows:
1.How America works
2. Why it doesn’t (work)
3. What can be done about this.
The reason I think this is that it is easy to identify problems, but much more difficult to provide actionable solutions. In fact, the world faces a lack of visionaries.
The thing I liked best about the book was its reasoned approach. Too frequently we are faced with polarised viewpoints, and I think the author did a good job of describing the strengths and weaknesses of both of America’s key tribes – Republicans and Democrats – as well as his point of view on where the truth lies.
I particularly liked his analogy of the rivalry between the GOP and Dems to the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. In politics the two tribes compete almost exclusively with each other while in baseball the two clubs also compete against other teams. Consequently, the political sphere is more acrimonious that the one related to sports.
While there was nothing I disliked about the book, I felt that the coverage of Economics could have been expanded. Will Cooper discusses the inequality in America, and I think he could have taken some data from Thomas Piketty’s “Capital” to show why taxes on the wealthy should be raised.
Societies become unstable when there’s great inequities in wealth and this is the biggest problem America faces. Yet both political parties are reluctant to tax the rich. This may be America’s ultimate undoing so it needs to be addressed.
This is a very good book, and I suspect one of a few that the author will write on the subject.
While I greatly appreciate this gesture, it hasn’t influenced me in any way with the review of this work.
“How America works….” provides a quick refresher about the US Constitution, the strengths and weaknesses of it, the principles governing America as well as the Essential Traditions (Part 1), and why Tribalism, Social Media, and the Political System, get in the path of it functioning at high levels (Part 2).
I thought it was a great book in that it defined a narrow subject, was well reasoned and well written, giving the reader the idea that Tribalism, social media, and Politics are the three most important factors slowing down America’s success.
While I liked the book very much, and felt that it was not politically biased because it covered at least two major sides of each episode or story, I couldn’t help but feel that the book should have contained a third section – as follows:
1.How America works
2. Why it doesn’t (work)
3. What can be done about this.
The reason I think this is that it is easy to identify problems, but much more difficult to provide actionable solutions. In fact, the world faces a lack of visionaries.
The thing I liked best about the book was its reasoned approach. Too frequently we are faced with polarised viewpoints, and I think the author did a good job of describing the strengths and weaknesses of both of America’s key tribes – Republicans and Democrats – as well as his point of view on where the truth lies.
I particularly liked his analogy of the rivalry between the GOP and Dems to the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. In politics the two tribes compete almost exclusively with each other while in baseball the two clubs also compete against other teams. Consequently, the political sphere is more acrimonious that the one related to sports.
While there was nothing I disliked about the book, I felt that the coverage of Economics could have been expanded. Will Cooper discusses the inequality in America, and I think he could have taken some data from Thomas Piketty’s “Capital” to show why taxes on the wealthy should be raised.
Societies become unstable when there’s great inequities in wealth and this is the biggest problem America faces. Yet both political parties are reluctant to tax the rich. This may be America’s ultimate undoing so it needs to be addressed.
This is a very good book, and I suspect one of a few that the author will write on the subject.
July 4, 2024
This is a very well-written book that explains why the US political system does not work for its citizens. As a South African, I lost my interest in politics as a child, but I still found the book interesting. It is recommended to people interested in US politics. The ARC was provided.
August 1, 2024
Fair and balanced; informative. I read this via Whispersync and I did not care for the narration, which included some pretty glaring mispronunciations. But the book itself is good, so I recommend the kindle/print version over the audiobook for this one.
June 4, 2024
A brilliant and timely read. America isn't working at all and this book provides a framework for understanding the reasons. ARC provided.
June 5, 2024
The best explanation out there for the madness of our country right now. ARC provided.
July 31, 2024
Many thanks to the author for giving me a copy of a needed book. I'll write a thorough review later this week, giving this text the deeper comments it deserves.
August 1, 2024
Pros & cons, a little history, and examples of what should constitute a quick understanding of United States politics today. A good read.
July 22, 2024
A well-balanced look at America's social and political scene
Anyone who lives in or observes the United States today is surely aware that a lot of things in our system just are not working as they are supposed to, and many are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the future. In How America Works… and Why It Doesn’t, William Cooper examines the current American social and political scene within the context of our country’s founding principles to identify the factors that have brought on today’s unrest and continue to threaten the system and gives some recommendations for how to get back on track.
The book centers on three factors that are the root cause of the problem: tribalism, social media, and the structure of the US political system, and it describes how they threaten our system in particular due to criminalizing political activity and breaching the sanctity of the vote. Part One of the book is a short political science rundown on history and constitutional principles that are essential to the American democratic system. Part Two delves more analytically into the threats to that system, primarily tribalism, social media, and the political structure (specifically the two-party system). The final chapter describes some very common sense actions to help address the threats.
Although Cooper obviously cares deeply about his subject, overall he has produced a well balanced book. It helped me get some context for the big problems he discusses. It also has good insights into some of the bases of the problem and cites some of my favorites of today’s thinkers, like Steven Pinker, Jonathan Haidt, Nate Silver, and Daniel Kahneman. And it has some interesting data like Gallup polls showing how much American trust in all three branches of the federal government has declined in the past few decades.
Since many of the events that are described are quite contemporary and will have progressed, for better or worse, by the time most people read this book, future readers will have a chance to judge how good a prognosticator Cooper was and, hopefully, whether some of his good recommendations or other effective measures have been adopted to prevent further decline. I do hope he turns out to be wrong, but I fear he is not.
I received an advance review copy of this book from the author.
Anyone who lives in or observes the United States today is surely aware that a lot of things in our system just are not working as they are supposed to, and many are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the future. In How America Works… and Why It Doesn’t, William Cooper examines the current American social and political scene within the context of our country’s founding principles to identify the factors that have brought on today’s unrest and continue to threaten the system and gives some recommendations for how to get back on track.
The book centers on three factors that are the root cause of the problem: tribalism, social media, and the structure of the US political system, and it describes how they threaten our system in particular due to criminalizing political activity and breaching the sanctity of the vote. Part One of the book is a short political science rundown on history and constitutional principles that are essential to the American democratic system. Part Two delves more analytically into the threats to that system, primarily tribalism, social media, and the political structure (specifically the two-party system). The final chapter describes some very common sense actions to help address the threats.
Although Cooper obviously cares deeply about his subject, overall he has produced a well balanced book. It helped me get some context for the big problems he discusses. It also has good insights into some of the bases of the problem and cites some of my favorites of today’s thinkers, like Steven Pinker, Jonathan Haidt, Nate Silver, and Daniel Kahneman. And it has some interesting data like Gallup polls showing how much American trust in all three branches of the federal government has declined in the past few decades.
Since many of the events that are described are quite contemporary and will have progressed, for better or worse, by the time most people read this book, future readers will have a chance to judge how good a prognosticator Cooper was and, hopefully, whether some of his good recommendations or other effective measures have been adopted to prevent further decline. I do hope he turns out to be wrong, but I fear he is not.
I received an advance review copy of this book from the author.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews