A Letter to America

By David L. Boren

Book Overview

A powerful wake-up call to all Americans With only 6 percent of the world's population, how long will the United States remain a global superpower? The answer, David Boren tells us in A Letter to America , depends on asking ourselves tough questions. A powerful wake-up call to Americans, A Letter to America , forces us to take a bold, objective look at ourselves. In A Letter to America , Boren explains with unsparing clarity why the country is at a crossroads and why decisive action is urgently needed and offers us an ambitious, hopeful plan. What the country needs, Boren asserts, are major reforms to restore the ability of our political system to act responsibly. By relying on our shared values, we can replace cynicism with hope and strengthen our determination to build a better future. We must fashion a post-Cold War foreign policy that fits twenty-first-century realities--including multiple contending superpowers. We must adopt campaign finance reform that curbs the influence of special interests and restores political power to the voters. Universal health care coverage, budget deficit reduction, affordable higher education, and a more progressive tax structure will strengthen the middle class. Boren also describes how we can renew our emphasis on quality primary and secondary education, revitalize our spirit of community, and promote volunteerism. He urges the teaching of more American history and government, for without educated citizens our system cannot function and our rights will not be preserved. Unless we understand how we became great, we will not remain great. The plan Boren puts forward is optimistic and challenges Americans to look into the future, decide what we want to be and where we want to go, and then implement the policies and actions we need to take us there.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0806142022
• ISBN13: 9780806142029
• Release Date: February 2011
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
• Length: 136 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.8" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

MUST read

This book should be required reading for every American citizen prior to the our Congress going back into session on Thursday, October 2, 2008. If not before then, then before the November 4th elections in 2008. It is a real wake up call to the status of America not only here at home, but also worldwide.

At last, common sense

David Boren's readable, logical but alarming "Letter to America" should top the summer reading list. Without pulling a punch, this remarkable scholar and political leader has diagnosed the realities of the Nation and World with clarity and vision that should be pursued. Perhaps the first step would be to elect David Boren as the president he envisions within this remarkable book.

A letter from a great American

In 1974 I began hearing about a young Oklahoma state congressman named David Boren who was considering a run for the state governor's office. At the time I was traveling for a major drug company and part of my territory was his hometown of Seminole, Oklahoma. So, on my next trip to Seminole I stopped by his office to try to get a sense of the Rhodes Scholar, attorney, and now hopeful candidate and to determine if I wanted to support his candidacy. Unfortunately, he was in Oklahoma City that day serving his district at the state capital. I did, however, get to visit with his law partner with whom I left my business card. I stayed in Durant and Shawnee the next two nights, returning home to Tulsa on a Thursday. In the stack of mail that my wife had placed on my desk was a two page, hand written letter from David Boren. He talked little of himself but instead thanked and encouraged me for being interested in our state's future. I joined "The Boren Broom Brigade" that day. I have never regretted that commitment. He was an outstanding governor, an exemplary three term U.S. Senator, and is unquestionably the most effective university president ever to serve O.U. A few months ago he and former Georgia Senator, Sam Nunn hosted a meeting of some of America's best and brightest leaders and statesmen. They organized the meeting out of a deep concern for the nation and the direction that our political system has taken in recent years. This book by Boren, A LETTER TO AMERICA, is a wake up call to each of us and should be required reading in each of our nation's high schools. His text says out loud what so many of us have been quietly worrying about; i.e., that our country is sliding into its final days of greatness. His command of the nation's history is inspiring, his experience in the halls of the U.S. Capital and his legendary ability to reason, communicate, and negotiate make the message of this book both alarming and hopeful. One cannot come away from this literary flashing red light without a fresh understanding of how partison politics and greed have thrown a wrench into the machinery of our Federal system. The book is not only an urgent warning to America but is also a guide to the way back to the nation that we all grew up believing in - the America that is still within our reach to save. Jim Hess Bartlesville, Oklahoma

A Must Read for Anyone who Cares About America

This book is a considered, measured, and, fascinating analysis of where we are, where we are going, and how to do it better in the future. From the perspective of student, politician, citizen...really anyone, this book enlightens and edifies without boring-quite a task. We all have something to learn, and David Boren's experience, knowledge and perspective, and his roles as Senator, Governor and University President make him completely qualified to hold forth on our National Crisis and How to solve it. Buy the Book!

excellent book

This book was discussed by our book club and their was unanimous agreement about its value and many of the issues raised. Most of the author's criticisms and suggestions have been discussed by other authors and newspapers. However he narrated them in an intelligent, concise, and well written version. Some of the areas of concern he pointed out from his experience as a senator included the major problems with partianship and the contol that party leaders have over their party policy by controlling the purse strings. I agree with the reviewer who suggested this book for classroom study. Harvey Neitlich hwnjn@aol.com