It's a great day in America when heralds of hate, specifically Glenn Beck and Michelle Malkin, are booted from their Amazon best seller slots on day one of the publication of progressive leader David Swanson's breakthrough tome, Daybreak, now at Number One on Amazon's non-fiction best seller list. From this terrific response to Swanson's new book arises my sincere hope that Daybreak attracts a good many of Beck and Malkin's readers, so they, too, will have the opportunity to absorb the depth of information and dedication to solutions that David Swanson offers.
Those who regularly read the writings of David Swanson, posted daily across the internet on influential websites, are uniquely informed by his cognizance of the Constitution and wisely instructed on the laws of proper governance. They are similarly impressed by his solutions -- yes, solutions -- to the issues he elucidates. He's an endless source of information and a catalyst for strategic clear-minded citizen action and government action to correct the wrongs he sees. Swanson is consistently less about the problem and more about the solution.
Daybreak, Swanson's long-awaited political tome, delves deeply into his political and strategic expertise. It's a delectable and teachable feast. No wonder it booted Glenn Beck from his first place position. Insightful trumps spiteful any day, just as reflective trumps invective. Swanson motivates through explanation and clarification. He's a teacher, not a screecher. A journey through Daybreak is an educational awakening, and an alert to the misdeeds of those we've elected. It's a clarification of why these deeds are wrong, why they must be challenged, and how they can be changed. It's an invitation to "we the citizens" to right them once and for all, and an informative guide to get it done.
In Daybreak, David Swanson's knowledge of the machinations of American government is brilliantly expressed. A prolific writer/blogger and progressive strategist, Swanson fills Daybreak with insights into the myriad ways our government dupes its citizens to believe that it's working, when in reality it produces CSPAN theater and little (if any) pro-citizen legislation. Swanson's microscopic scrutiny of all facets of government, including its leaders and their cronies, is palpable. In Parts I and II of his book, he deftly explains how the Executive Branch expanded its power, and how the Legislature, which Swanson points outs has great Constitutional power, convened committee after committee and hearing after hearing and still allowed the imperial presidency to happen. For Swanson, regardless of which party was in power, the political theatrics were always present, and little governing and little oversight were done.
Throughout Daybreak, David Swanson's accessible narrative tells us what we need to know and do to reclaim our democracy. Readers benefit from his diligence at monitoring our government and from his deliberations on the ways to undo its wrongs. Parts I and II explain the errors and failures of the Executive and Legislative Branches. Part III (Undoing the Imperial Presidency), has educator Swanson start us off with a test to challenge what we know of the place the United States holds in our world -- after which he benevolently and instructively gives us the answers. Part IV, "Forming A More Perfect Union" -- my favorite part -- explains the rights we have, the rights we need, and the changes "we the people" must make to attain those rights to form our more perfect union.
In Part V, "Citizen Power," citizen Swanson informs us that: "We are a lot more active and courageous and less apathetic than those in power would have us believe or want us to be." With our personal empowerment in mind, Swanson provides an actionable plan for citizen involvement to successfully remake our democracy.
Daybreak is a revelation. Its clarity and ease of understanding should be mandatory elements for all books of importance. It's not obtuse or relegated to the multisyllabic intellectual. It's a book of deep insight with every citizen in mind. Hence it is a public service.
Swanson, himself, is a realist -- not an ideologue. He's beholden to no person and no entity. He's a fearless fighter for human rights and for salvaging his nation. Those who read Daybreak, with its ease of language and methodical prescription to heal our ailing nation, should gain comfort from his wisdom, and revive their citizenship anew.