America Back on Track

From Barnes & Noble

As a veteran United States senator, Ted Kennedy has long held a ringside seat to the most important affairs of state. In America Back on Track, his first major policy book in two decades, he asserts that we stand at a critical crossroads in our nation's history. "In nearly four and a half decades as a U.S. Senator," he writes, "I have never before seen the nation depart as sharply from its fundamental ideals as it has in recent years." In 12 concise, sharply targeted chapters, Kennedy writes about this erosion of values and offers an agenda to correct our course.

Publishers Weekly

As the title implies, Senator Kennedy's book of political history, criticism and advice is an effort to reawaken the belief in progress that underlay politics in the 1960s, often lauding his brother's presidency and Johnson's just after. Kennedy presents some of his most important points in bulleted lists, giving the appearance of simplicity and clarity on complex topics like ways to adjust to globalization and "the shrinking world," steps to achieve "a sound energy conservation policy" and how to provide health care for all. Although Kennedy isn't often as clear as his bulleted points make it appear, his straightforward solutions-like equal federal, state and local government funding for education and an increase in the minimum wage to $7.25-are refreshing. Not unexpectedly, Kennedy's proposals also involve sharp criticism of the Bush administration: for focusing on the military war on terror rather than taking a broader view of global security; for the "politicization" of government agencies and departments like the FDA; for undermining civil liberties. His book will probably not start the next revolution, but Kennedy's talking points and proposed solutions offer a good basis for discussion, which, after all, is one aspect of democracy-which he fears is disappearing, or rather, being repressed. (Apr. 20) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Senator Kennedy believes "the nation has departed too far from its ideals in too many ways and that the time has come to put America back on track." To that end, he defines seven issues that reflect this departure and discusses how he believes these ideals have been distorted or forgotten in recent congressional and/or Bush administration legislation and policy. He also prescribes solutions for returning the nation to the values he believes it should stand for. Among the challenges Kennedy identifies are restoring constitutional democracy and national security through a more balanced, bipartisan dialog between the executive and legislative branches. Not surprisingly, since he is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, he articulates inequities in the healthcare delivery systems and provides extensive examples for improving access to healthcare for disadvantaged as well as middle-class citizens. He often supports his proposed solutions with examples of programs that have shown results or promise. An annotated bibliography will be useful to readers who want more information or perspective on the issues. Recommended for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06.]-Jill Ortner, SUNY at Buffalo Libs. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.