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Title: A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat by Zell Miller ISBN: 0-9745376-1-6 Publisher: Stroud & Hall Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.45 (176 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Candid and Refreshing
Comment: I have liked Zell Miller since I lived in Georgia when he was Governor. Although as a conservative, I generally vote Republican, I was proud to support Governor Miller for his second term (I moved to the state during his first term.) I have no question that Zell is a man of integrity and honesty; I believed it when he was Governor, and I believe it today.
In this book Zell delves into several topics, but most notably into the transmogrification of the Democratic Party into the party of far-left special interests. In the first portion of the book he discusses his upbringing, his family and his background. He is a fascinating man, who has truly earned his place in history. With that place, he has learned introspection and humility, and that is the single attribute that differentiates him from the bulk of politicians, and differentiates this book from most political retrospectives. My only serious critique item would be that although all parts of this book are interesting and well written, I think the book could have been perhaps a bit better focused and edited. Some of the transitions between subjects, particularly early in the text, are a little rough.
Certainly there are subjects on which I disagree with Miller, for instance the long term wisdom on most of FDRs New Deal programs, and public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (although I do agree with him on arts education in the schools) to name a couple. The point is that I respect his opinions, and have come up with different informed opinions of my own in several instances. That reflects one of his biggest themes in the book, namely that the current Democratic Party leadership is a solid block of far-left positions, and that deviating from that party line is strictly forbidden. This is especially true of highly emotional issues such as opposition to tax cuts, and the right to have an abortion. Miller eloquently points out that this was not always the case, with no less a Democratic stalwart than John F. Kennedy championing giant tax cuts (which were passed by an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress) at a time when the budget deficit was a vastly larger percentage of GDP than it is now in terms of inflation adjusted dollars. My point isn't to champion tax cuts here (though I happen to agree with them) but to echo the point in the book that it is verboten to even have rational dialogue on the issues in Congress anymore, and particularly within the Democratic party.
Miller addresses a plethora of current problems in an always straightforward style. He is particularly eloquent on legacy social programs from the LBJ years, when he states "[These programs] were designed to compensate the victims of poverty rather than to solve the problems that cause it. They gave poor people enough in the way of Medicaid, welfare, food stamps, and housing subsidies to keep and sustain them in their poverty instead of giving them the skills and opportunities they need to break out of their poverty." I have never seen a more succinct and thoughtful encapsulation of all that was wrong with the 'Great Society' programs. Miller is also one of the most expert Governors and Senators on education, and sponsored Georgia's highly successful HOPE scholarships and pre-kindergarten programs. (Do not confuse the Georgia HOPE scholarship with the abortive program of confusing tax credits introduced by Clinton several years later that just happens to share the name of its successful Georgia progenitor.) Miller talks about the perils of modern education with all the self-important expert educrats emphasizing self-esteem over achievement. It is now so bad that some schools will not designate a Valedictorian for fear that it cause emotional harm to others who weren't selected. Once again, Miller says it best: "Show me a school or a school system that emphasizes how children should learn rather than what they should learn and has 'facilitators' instead of teachers, and I'll show you a failing system."
For these courageous stands of logic, historical perspective, and common sense in opposition to the Democratic Party monolith, Zell Miller is to be commended. What really made the book complete was the transcript of his Senate speech made the day after 9/11, both a sensitive tribute to American heroes, and a much needed battle cry for protection of America. This one section of the book is worth the purchase price by itself.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the incisive and brilliant chapters on the Carter and Clinton election campaigns from the point of view of an insider, and the valid conclusions that he drew from them (which every politician should study), and perhaps the most valuable day to day advice in the book, a list composed on his seventieth birthday for his four grandchildren, called "Some Lessons Learned By Seventy." Anyone of any political persuasion should heed well the advice on that list.
Though there are topics on which we disagree, there are very few politicians I have admired more than Zell Miller. He is an honest, hard working, self made man, and I salute him for his years of service from his time spent in the USMC through his Governorship and Senate service. The United States is a great nation because of men like Zell Miller. This book is highly recommended for anyone of any political ilk.
Thank you, Zell.
Rating: 5
Summary: True conservatives
Comment: .
What Zell Miller says about Democrats is true.
What is missing, however, is the fact that the Republicans are no different.
For example, although the Republicans have control of both houses of congress and the White House, we still have...
The National Endowment for the Arts
The Department of Education
Income taxation
Add to these
the Republican's so-called "Patriot Act" - a big government power grab that makes Hillary's failed socialized medicine plot look like a romp in the park
and feeble tax breaks that are like an armed robber giving his victim change.
The net result is that Mr. Miller would be well advised to offer a sequel entitle, "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative REPUBLICAN."
Meanwhile, true conservatives - those who wish to conserve the Bill of Rights and the spirit of liberty they represent - would be well advised to join with the true, Barry Goldwater Republicans; otherwise known as the Libertarians.
Read "The conscience of a Conservative" by Barry M. Goldwater and kiss the compromising Republican Party goodbye!!!!
Rating: 4
Summary: Sad but true
Comment: Zell Miller's book is a portrait of a man basically betrayed by what used to be a truly NATIONAL party. Instead, Miller shows us a Democratic party dominated by extremists, and hardly recognizable as the part of JFK.
Miller comes across as a man with values weary with disillusion. In that sense, this is one of the saddest and most touching politcal books I've ever read. It appears that there is no room left in the Democratic Party for a moderate or conservative viewpoint. Have we come so far now that liberal is synonomous with Democrat? Must you take the morally perilous road in order to placate your party?
Be he conservative Democrat, disillusioned Independent, Zell Miller and his book are a throwback to an earlier era where country and beliefs where held above fringe groups and the "nothing is wrong unless it's Christian, military, or pro-life in nature" mentality.
Where is there for a compassionate man who believes in a strong America, a moral party platform, and compassionate social system left to go?
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Title: Deliver Us from Evil : Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism by Sean Hannity ISBN: 0060582510 Publisher: Regan Books Pub. Date: 17 February, 2004 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Arrogance: Rescuing America From the Media Elite by Bernard Goldberg ISBN: 044653191X Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 03 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Rewriting History by Dick Morris ISBN: 0060736682 Publisher: Regan Books Pub. Date: 04 May, 2004 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty over Liberalism by Sean Hannity ISBN: 0060514558 Publisher: Regan Books Pub. Date: 20 August, 2002 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Misunderestimated: The President Battles Terrorism, John Kerry, and the Bush Haters by Bill Sammon ISBN: 0060723831 Publisher: ReganBooks Pub. Date: 11 May, 2004 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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