Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies and the Special Interests That Divide America

Rating:
Summary: pretty good
Review: I really enjoyed Larry Elder's first book, Ten Things You Can't Say in America. Showdown was equally as good. In Showdown, Elder focuses on how big government may not be helping people. He deals with issues such as one of the biggest problems in this country in the breakdown of the traditional family and an increasing number of single mothers. This is problamatic because children need both parents present. This creates problems such as increased crime rates and poor school performance. The government has only increased these problems through welfare programs that make the government involved in raising children like a parent would. Elder also focuses on how the media can skew information by either ignorning information or favoring parties/candidates. Elder also fouses on contemporary race relations such as Jesse Jackson, reperations and the extent to racism in America. Also Elder focuses on how government programs relating to race such as affirmative action may not be helping black students. Elder also provides information about third party candidates and how they can challenge the two party status quo. Third party candidates have the potential to shake things up like Ross Perot and Jesse Ventura. Several Libertarians have been a signifanct factor in the loss of some Republican Congressional elections.

Overall a great read.

Rating:
Summary: Good message
Review: Larry Elder has many good points and many good things to say in this book, however, my chief compliant about the book is that he's all over the place and not focused enough on one issue. A large part of his text could have been snippets transcribed straight from his radio show. He often writes the way he talks. And sometimes it gets confusing.

That said, Mr. Elder has some good research behind his message and this book has many footnotes. He does make use of solid logic, but sometimes goes off on tangents that are a little bit edgy when it comes to trying to go full circle back to his original point. Mr. Elder, Larry, Sage, send me your next manuscript and let me proof it for you, please...

In any case, while this book doesn't read with the same polish that you'll find in Ann Coulter, Elder has stepped up to the plate with some strong stuff to say about liberals and conservatives both. Any interested in the state of the union from someone that is fighting against the "victim" state of America will find interesting analysis here and probably some points of fact that hadn't been previously thought about.

The welfare state in America has to go and Larry shows why he believes this same "victim" thinking, using a coined word "victacrat", is fueling the fire in world terrorism and how the Democratic party and liberals in general have failed to realize how the policies they espouse actually make the problems they are trying to solve worse.

I do recommend this book, however, it's written in a more conversational style, than academic style, which in and of itself would be a good thing, but as a writer, Elder falls a little short when I go to rank the writing itself (independent of the message).

Rating:
Summary: A true eye opener!
Review: Showdown is my second reading of Larry Elder. His first book, 10 Things You Cant Say in America, was very impressive. However, his second book Showdown is even better as you can see a maturity in his writing.

Elder, with his strong wit and skill at understanding the current poltical fevor in the US, artifully outlines many of issues affecting this country and the lack of our leaders to attack these issues head on.

On of my favorite chapters is when Elder talks about the Jessie Jackson shakedown of corporate America. Very eye opening. Why dosent the media talk about this man in the light spoken by Mr. Elder? Jessie Jackson is clearly not the saint the media makes him out to be. Wonder how so? Read the book.

Elder has a fluid style that moves your rapidly through the book. His research this time is better and his examples are vivid. I was very impressed with this work. While he does take serious issues with the liberalism that affects this country, he also takes on the Republicans as well for not walking the walk even though they talk the talk.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to take an eye opening look into the issues affecting this great country of ours. Elders has clearly matured as a writer and I cannot wait until his third revealing display is published.