The Seventeen Solutions: Bold Ideas for Our American Future

Really fast delivery. Brilliant book too. Great condition. Thanks xxx

I have to admit I am biased, having worked out of Ralph's office for the Multinationals and Development Clearinghouse, and as a researcher and occasional anonymous contributor for Multinational Monitor magazine in the summer of 1992 and from May 1993 to October 1994, at which point I began working as a second year law clerk for a small but phenomenal firm that devoted itself to prisoners' civil rights litigation, with its client base at Lorton's Maximum Security Facility, which held prisoners from DC. And I was deeply moved to see Ralph give Allan Nairn--one of the bravest, most effective, most under-appreciated, and most uncompromising journalists of the second half of the 20th century--some well deserved recognition in the dedication of this book. I was on the Board of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA from about 1999 to 2003, at which point I had to move to Seattle; and I volunteered 20 hours per week for the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala in DC from 1989 until 1991, which gave me the opportunity and honor of meeting Allan in person, though he would not remember me. My apologies for those biographical details: gross medical malpractice decimated my health in 2009, and I have spent much of my time since then fighting for my life. So once in a while, I need to remind myself that I contributed to causes that I deeply believe in, aside from finding cures to several "incurable" and fatal medical conditions since 2008. Ralph is one of the very few people I know of who became involved in national politics as a candidate for high office without compromising himself (quite the contrary of Obama and, I am sad to say, Bernie Sanders). The manner in which the Democratic Party scape-goated Ralph for Gore's disastrous, wooden, and condescending presidential campaign, and Gore's failure to engage with Ralph to negotiate the Democratic Party's platform and principles back away from the pre-Gingrich (and even some post-Gingrich) Republican Party principles it willingly swallowed as a pre-condition for Ralph to drop out of the race made me (and still makes me) wretch. No, it wasn't Gore's disastrous performance as a candidate, nor his refusal to take Ralph up on Ralph's offer to negotiate, nor the US Supreme Court's absolutely politicized sophistry when it handed the presidency to Bush the Younger that cost the purported Democratic Party the election. It was all Ralph Nader's fault. How on earth could anyone with a brain believe that? As for this book, it is Ralph at his best -- which just means it is Ralph as usual: providing sensible and equitable solutions to problems neither the Democrats nor the Republicans even wish to address.

Amazing book! Ralph Nader strikes again with his wisdom and intellect. The 17 Solutions addresses key issues that are hindering our nation from prospering and setting an example for the rest of the world. From white collar corruption to an over bloated military budget, to restoring public works programs, Ralph makes the case for the improvement of all these essential systems and offers his solutions on how to implement them. As I have read more about Ralph as well as listening to his weekly radio show, I have grown to respect him and his ideas more and more. And although I may not agree with everything he says, I respect his convictions. I am really sad that we had a chance to elect him as our president multiple times but have failed and instead sold out to the establishment candidates.

Ralph Nader's "Seventeen Solutions" offers common sense proposals to some of the fundamental challenges facing American democracy. Nader has devoted his life to addressing many of these problems and is very convincing in the arguments he presents on issues like reforming the tax code, reigning in the influence of corporations, and supporting public works projects and alternative energy initiatives that will have long-term economic pay-offs. His book avoids being overtly partisan, reserving roughly equal criticism for the Democratic and Republican parties while giving credit to politicians from both sides who have proposed laws that he likes. I found Nader's call for greater civic engagement particularly apt, and he proposes common sense, step-by-step suggestions on how to build local coalitions to address community concerns.If I have any criticisms of the book, they are its limited scope and some quibbles with specific proposals. I was a little disappointed that the book doesn't place much emphasis on serious problems like the balancing the budget and reducing the national debt, fixing our skewed balance of trade and proposing changes in our foreign policy. Nader can also, on occasion, come off as a bit of a finger-wagger decrying the "decay of traditional society" due to the influence of the media and new technology and I don't think he adequately acknowledges the opportunities these developments create. And a few of his proposals - for example, that any war authorized by Congress should require the enlistment of all their able-bodied children and grandchildren to fight it alongside volunteer soldiers - may have a populist appeal but stand no chance of ever being enacted.But don't let these criticisms dissuade you from reading the book. Most of the solutions here make good sense and I think that people from across the political spectrum will find plenty to like.

Nader's writing is terse yet easy-to-read. He provides documentation for facts, states problems concisely and provides insights we NEVER get from corporate-controlled media.Most importantly, he does not just whine about our problems or try to place blame on one "side" of polarized issues. Instead, he provides practical solutions every concerned patriotic citizen should know.He reveals insider-games politicians and their corporate sponsors play, then demonstrates how individual citizens CAN make a difference. The first step is knowledge. You can get much of that from this book, but he also provides resources for verifying facts and doing additional research.Our political system is completely corrupt and dysfunctional. Our country's problems are deeply entrenched & intertwined. Yet, these problems are not insurmountable. You can find your voice and learn how to help change the world for the better with this book. Nader untangles complex knots of corruption and explains how informed citizenry has REAL power to untie those knots, permanently.This little book is a practical message of positive action, not just "hope" as a vacuous campaign slogan. It leaves you feeling energized.Get the book and read it. Spread these ideas. You will feel better and quite probably improve the world.