Grass roots

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William B. Greider

In Secrets of the Temple, his acclaimed national best-seller, William Greider traced the inner workings of the Federal Reserve. Now Greider turns his investigative savvy and long Washington experience to a subject of even more vital concern: the failure of American politics and the faltering of the democratic process itself. Democracy is in deep trouble, trouble more serious than we realize. The very fabric of our system--the meaning of self-government, the values that have sustained us--is unraveling quickly, dangerously and perhaps irrevocably. Who Will Tell the People is a passionate, eye-opening challenge from a man determined to make us understand. Here is a tough-minded exploration of why we're in trouble, starting with the basic issues of who gets heard, who gets ignored, and why. Greider shows us the realities of power in Washington today, uncovering the hidden contours of relationships that link politicians with corporations and the rich and subvert the needs of ordinary citizens. He shows us how "modern methodologies of persuasion," often originating in the public relations firms, direct-mail companies and opinion-polling firms that line the streets of the capital, have created a new hierarchy of influence over government decisions. He shows us today's Capitol Hill, where a lone congressman who tries to represent the public interest can find himself aligned against an army of well-paid "authorities." The public's belief that government serves "a few big interests" is not mistaken. Greider explains exactly how this has come to pass. And where are the institutions designed to represent the people? Where are the unions? The political parties? The press? Gone, Greider writes, or transformed so radically that they no longer speak faithfully for the people. Citizen action is reduced to media stunts designed for shock value. Voters leave the traditional parties and dismiss elections as meaningless. Reporters write to please the people whose values they share--the guys at the top. How can we make change happen? How do we put meaning back into public life? Greider tells us the stories of some citizens who have managed to crack Washington's "Grand Bazaar" of influence buying and peddling as he reveals the structures of power designed to thwart them. Without naivete or cynicism, Greider shows us how the system can still be made to work for the people as he tackles gut issues like who pays taxes and who escapes them; who breathes bad air when industries manipulate environmental organizations; and who'll suffer the biggest losses as the world economy goes global and our national economy contracts. Who Will Tell the People delineates the lines of battle in the struggle to save democracy. Greider shows us the reality of how the decisions that shape our lives are made and how we can begin to take control once more.

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Lindsay Mark Lewis

"In 1992, when Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush, political fundraising was considered an afterthought. Their campaigns spent $192 million--combined! In contrast, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney spent over $7 billion to beat one another in 2012--36 times more than that spent just 20 years before. How is it that politics has become so focused on the almighty dollar and the cost of political campaigns so expensive? Lindsay Mark Lewis is arguably the person best able to answer those questions--the notorious political fundraiser renowned for his willingness to do almost anything to get the next political dollar in the war chest. He was part of the new political mob responsible for the excessive influence of money on campaigns. Co-authored with writer and political analyst Jim Arkedis, Political Mercenaries is a fascinating look into how American politics, to contradict former Speaker Tip O'Neill, is now all national money. This book emerges at a time when millions of Americans are more skeptical than ever about politicians on both sides of the aisle and how they obtain the money that funds their campaigns"--

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Jonathan Barker

"Street-Level Democracy looks at the conflicts between global power and local action. The book highlights seven distinct regions of the world and considers how active citizens experience and respond to the pressures of change. Barker also presents a new method of research into the dynamics of everyday politics."--BOOK JACKET. "Street-Level Democracy includes colourful and detailed case material. It sets up comparisons among different towns and cities around the world. These broad-based studies make it an excellent resource for students, libraries, and community activists."--BOOK JACKET.

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Aude-Annabelle Canesse

"Participation et gouvernance sont autant de thématiques renouvelées ces dernières décennies sur la scène du développement international, et illustrées sous l'ère Ben Ali par la mise en oeuvre des Groupements de développement agricole (GDA). En conjuguant l'Analyse des politiques publiques et les Development Studies et en inscrivant les recherches dans une perspective diachronique et synchronique, l'ouvrage propose un panaorama global et multiscalaire des politiques, institutions et outils de gestion du développement, identifiant les enjeux nationaux et internationaux. Préalablement, le terrain est articulé avec la méthodologie : en effet les conditions d'une recherche réalisée sur et au coeur de l'action publique révèleront rapidement, et en filigrane, la sensibilité de ces thématiques et la nécessité pour le chercheur d'identifier les moyens de naviguer sur le terrain et de contourner les stratégies d'encadrement à l'oeuvre dans un système autoritaire. Plus allant, le développement apparaîtra comme un mode d'encadrement du territoire et des populations, et de captation des ressources, assurant la pérennisation d'un système et de fortes disparités territoriales, mettant à l'index le milieu rural, pourtant majoritaire dans le pays. Le Printemps arabe donnera une autre dimension à l'échec de ces politiques du développement."--P. [4] of cover.