Sorensen, Theodore C. Why I Am a Democrat ISBN 13: 9780805044140

Why I Am a Democrat - Hardcover

9780805044140: Why I Am a Democrat
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The late President Kennedy's principal policy adviser and speechwriter articulates the strengths and aims of the Democratic party, explaining the party's basic platform and his own reasons for staying to true to the party line. National ad/promo.

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The following is part of the first chapter from this book:
"Making a Choice"

I am a Democrat, by conviction as well as affiliation, not by birth but by choice, not because of my parents or neighbors or spouse but because of my basic values and beliefs. I am not a New Democrat or an Old Democrat, a reconstructed or unreconstructed New Deal Democrat, a "different kind of Democrat" or a "yellow dog" Democrat, one who would vote the straight Democratic ticket even if the party nominated a yellow dog for office and occasionally it has. I'm just a Democrat. Some of my opinions on public-policy issues stamp me as a ""liberal'' Democrat, some as a ""moderate,'' some as a ""conservative,'' but for most of my opinions no single label makes sense. I receive no government or party payments of any kind, and no pressure from my law partners or clients, many of whom are Republicans. I am simply one of millions who find the Democratic Party's candidates, principles, and positions consistently preferable to those of the Republicans.

I do not claim that the Democratic Party has not had its share of demagogues, hypocrites, fools, and knaves. I do not claim that all its positions and programs have proved over time to be wise or workable. I claim only that among all the realistic choices before me, it is the best. I do not speak for any party or public official, for any candidate or committee, for anyone other than myself. This book was not written at the request or with the endorsement of the Democratic Party. No one can speak for all Democrats. Our party has traditionally been characterized by more internal diversity and differences than the Republicans. That is sometimes our weakness but ultimately our strength. Democrats are by nature inclusive, not exclusive. We have long been and will long remain the country's most broad-based, multi-interest party, with a membership too independent-minded to be doctrinaire about everything and too undisciplined to be unanimous about anything.

From Kirkus Reviews:
A clear, though often redundant, argument for sticking with the Democrats in 1996. Sorensen (A Different Kind of Presidency, 1984, etc.), who served President Kennedy as policy adviser, chief counsel, and speechwriter, has lucidly and sensibly outlined the differences between Republicans and Democrats, and the reasons why, in his view, Democratic policies and priorities are better for America. He argues against voting for third-party candidates but saves his sharpest darts for the Republicans--who, he says, have silenced their moderate elements, demonized government (which everyone needs, especially the most disadvantaged, who tend not to vote), exploited race fears, and promoted irresponsible economics. These points have been made before, and Sorensen's prose is a bit dry, so Why I Am a Democrat is not the election year's most exciting political read. He repeats himself far too much and uses too many cute rhetorical devices; for instance, the last sentence of virtually every chapter contains the phrase ``I am a Democrat.'' These problems frequently encumber books written by professional speechwriters, who often fail to realize that while repetition and gimmickry can help a speech stick in a listener's mind, they bore and annoy on the printed page. Sorensen is not as insightful as E.J. Dionne, nor as witty as James Carville, both of whom have also written election-year pleas for liberalism. However, voters will need all the help they can get sorting out the differences between parties this year, given that the Clinton team does its best to obscure these differences, consistently hoping that their man will pass as a mild-mannered Republican (a strategy which, as Sorensen points out, is likely to backfire in the long run). In that context, this can be a helpful guide to basic, capital ``D'' Democratic principles. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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  • PublisherHenry Holt & Co
  • Publication date1996
  • ISBN 10 0805044140
  • ISBN 13 9780805044140
  • BindingHardcover
  • Edition number1
  • Number of pages246
  • Rating

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