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Title details for The Thirteen American Arguments by Howard Fineman - Available

The Thirteen American Arguments

Enduring Debates That Define and Inspire Our Country

by Howard Fineman
Scott Sowers
Audiobook
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2 of 2 copies available
Howard Fineman, one of our most trusted political journalists, shows that every debate, from our nation’s founding to the present day, is rooted in one of thirteen arguments that–thankfully–defy resolution. It is the very process of never-ending argument, Fineman explains, that defines us, inspires us, and keeps us free. At a time when most public disagreement seems shrill and meaningless, Fineman makes a cogent case for nurturing the real American dialogue. The Thirteen American Arguments runs the gamut, including
• Who Is a Person? The Declaration of Independence says “everyone,” but it took a Civil War, the Civil Rights Act, and other movements to make that a reality. Now, what about human embryos and prisoners in Guantanamo?
• The Role of Faith No country is more legally secular yet more avowedly prayerful. From Thomas Jefferson to James Dobson, the issue persists: Where does God fit in government?
• America in the World In Iraq and everywhere else, we ask ourselves whether we must change the world in order to survive and honor our values–or whether the best way to do both is to deal with the world as it is.
Whether it’s the nomination of judges or the limits of free speech, presidential power or public debt, the issues that galvanized the Founding Fathers should still inspire our leaders, thinkers, and fellow citizens. If we cease to argue about these things, we cease to be. “Argument is strength, not weakness,” says Fineman. “As long as we argue, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, we will argue.”

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 22, 2008

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781415947913
      • File size: 293152 KB
      • Duration: 10:10:43

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      We are the arguing country, born in and born to debate. This is Howard Fineman's argument. The NEWSWEEK columnist sees silence--the lack of argument about the Iraq War, for example--as dangerous and regards political clashes as healthy and vital. He makes his point by linking current issues--immigration, the War on Terror, the increased power of the presidency, and the Vermont secession campaign, to name a few--to historical events and arguments. Scott Sowers gives Fineman's arguments a no-nonsense tone that is tough enough to take on the TV talking heads and their opinions. Giving voice to Fineman's research and thoughtful points, Sowers's narration is compelling. Fineman's aim is to get people talking--and arguing--about what our nation needs, and he succeeds. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 25, 2008
      “We are the Arguing Country,” declares the author of this quirky book, the senior Washington correspondent and columnist for Newsweek
      . And he thinks that we should argue more, not less, about fundamental matters. The matters Fineman covers are indeed fundamental ones. Some—such as who judges the law and what the right balance is between local and national authority—are constitutional. Others—the role of faith, debt and the dollar, the environment—are social, political, even philosophical. But why does Fineman choose these particular 13 subjects? What of others, like the nature of an open society, the limits of freedom, and class and caste that he barely touches? One also wonders why America's argumentativeness is unique—don't people elsewhere, like the British or Italians, debate many of these issues? Fineman zips through his topics by focusing principally on current debates in the news, which is not a bad way to hold readers' attention, but it also means the book about “enduring debates” will date quickly. All in all, this is a frustrating and unsatisfying book.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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