Rating: 
Summary: good for conservatives
Review: Miller's views rate high with me and this book portrays his views in black and white. I don't agree with everything he says, but most things are dead on. I don't agree with his educational ideas and I do agree that the liberal democrats are way too far to the left. I really like his penatent attitude about himself, which shows his humility and that people can change their views no matter what political pressure there is. This guy and this book is part of what America needs - good solid ideas and a national push for patriotism, not governmental greed and irresponsibility. Read it for yourself and make your own judgements. He's smart and his Southern quotes and quips will make you laugh. Very enjoyable and educational.
Rating: 
Summary: So why doesn't he just join the Republicans?
Review: The man's obviously no Democrat, so why doesn't he just join the Republicans instead of trying to convert the Dems into a carbon copy of certain segments of the Republican party? I think it's clear that single party systems don't work, so why do so many people seem to want that in substance, if not in name? In my view, the answer to that question is simple arrogance -- if you think you always know what's best, then a "loyal opposition" serves no useful purpose. The fact is that this country is far from homogenous politically. There seem to be very few viewpoints that can garner even a simple majority. As a consequence, both the Dems and the Republicans are little more than uneasy coalitions of special interest groups. Both sides accuse the other of pandering to special interests when its clear that both do it. If the Dems are so out of touch and irrelevant as a party, then why did Al Gore win a majority of the popular vote in 2000? Why do the Republicans have such slim majorities in Congress? Finally, if Howard Dean is a shallow Vermont pond, then what is George Bush? An empty bottle of Shiner Bock (a popular beer in Texas)? Thank you, I'll go with the shallow Vermont pond, at least there's something in it and it's fairly clear what it is.
Rating: 
Summary: An autobiography rather than a policy book
Review: I was expecting this book to be primarily concerned with the Democratic Party - as its title would suggest. Instead, it was an autobiography of Zell Miller which occasionally made points about the Democratic Party losing support in the South.When he discusses his childhood, he goes into great detail about how his mother built a home out of stone and how his uncle would cook up some squirrels and dumplings for breakfast. How is this relevant?!? And when he gets to finally discussing the Democrats, it was quite disappointing, to say the least. He steadfastly refuses to discuss Bill Clinton's second term of office - a pretty significant period of time that Miller casually omits when you consider that Clinton was impeached. How can Miller write about the Democratic Party not being a national party any longer when perhaps the single biggest reason for this - Mr. Clinton himself - is hardly criticized at all. I doubt this book would have gotten the fanfare it has received if this book were entitled "The Autobiography of Zell Miller." People like me who follow politics and read books that are thoughtful writings on policy came to be utterly misled by the book's title. Also, I wish Miller took off the boxing gloves a little more when he actually got to discussing policy, however little he had to discuss in great depth.
Rating: 
Summary: The venom of the critics is telling
Review: As a "moderate", I'd love to vote for a democrat, but I have to agree with many of Miller's observations as to why at the moment I cannot vote democrat. We're supposed to be ONE country despite our differences...the venom spewed by the critics in reviews makes you think it's their way or no way. This book isint just Miller's observations, but a warning to those who drift off to extremes instead of common sense and "constructive criticism" toward a national good. A must read.
Rating:
Summary: Balding analysis of my party
Review: Zell Miller explains in A National Party No More, in an unintentionally humorous way, why I am a Democrat. The Republicans have lost touch with middle-class Americans. They pander to every special interest group that waves money at them. They never saw a tax-cut they didn't like. Professional "Corporicans" have set the agenda for America. Rebublicans seem to only care that American wants to own guns. The list goes on and on. His take on Howard Dean would be applicable to himself: "Clever and glib; but deep this South Carolina pond is not." I would have given the book 2 stars, but Miller just totally irritates with his unsupported rants.
Rating:
Summary: Scalding analysis of my x-Party
Review: Zell Miller explains in A National Party No More, in a humorous way, why I am an x-Democrat. The Democrats have lost touch with middle-class Americans. They pander to every special interest group that waves money at them. They never saw a tax they didn't like. Professional "educrats" have set the agenda for schools. Democrats don't seem to care that American want to own guns. His list goes on and on. His take on Howard Dean: "Clever and glib; but deep this Vermont pond is not." I would have given the book 5 stars, but Miller spends too much time telling us of his accomplishments.
Rating:
Summary: Ugh
Review: Actually, lemme re-phrase my one line review: UGH! ARGH!
Mr. Miller, I really hate to give you such a harsh review, but it is my opinion that a harsh review is warranted in this situation. I bought this book because it had the phrase "conservative Democrat" in the title and I never thought those two words could coincide in any context. Because I bought the book for this reason, I was expecting to learn what Miller means by "conservative Democrat" within the first 5 chapters. Well, I didn't. Not really. I have never given a book a 1 in my reviews but I had to with this one. Perhaps he's saying that he's a Democrat 'cause Mommy and Daddy and Auntie and Unckie were Democrats. Perhaps he's saying he's a Democrat because he agrees with many of the Democratic Party's platform points. Whatever the reason, my point here is that I got up to Chapter 5 without having a clue why this man is not a card carrying George W. Bush loving Republican. Yes, the book is eloquent and articulate, and yes the stories in it about his life are all warm and snuggly and cutesy, but the whole point of the book, apparently, is specifically to avoid explaining in plain English what a "conservative Democrat" is. Yes, I am a 22 year old college senior who loves politics and history. But I also happen to be capable of understanding big words like "conservative Democrat". The problem comes when the big words aren't clearly defined. If this book had given a short explanation in EITHER complicated OR simple English in the first chapter (or better yet, the first paragraph) of what Miller means by "conservative Democrat", I wouldn't be annoyed that I spent 20 bucks on this waste of paper. In fact, I wouldn't have even just called it a waste of paper. Basically, if you want a warm and fuzzy story of Southern life and hospitality, buy this book. But if you're looking to read about political ideology and political parties, please be sure to put out a restraining order on this book.
Rating:
Summary: Get a clue already liberals!!!
Review: The liberals don't have a clue and it shows. They wouldn't know a national party if it hit them in the face. Their extreme liberal agendas simply do not resonate in the South. Here in Crimson Tide country we'd rather see Tommy Tuberville elected President before Howard Dean. Period.
Rating:
Summary: Democrat No More
Review: Sen. Miller was available to autograph my book when I purchased it. I told him I had been a lifelong Democrat who became a Republican for the reasons he touches on in his book. He said that he may be following me in the near future. I commented that I had recently repudiated my support for Jimmy Carter by returning my autographed picture. He made no response and I learned he had a lingering admiration and loyalty for Carter. I felt better when Jimmy publicly condemned Sen. Miller a few weeks later. For Jimmy loyalty is not a two way street.
Rating:
Summary: So , if this is a national party, sushi is our national dish
Review: A National Party No More is a book, without a doubt, that all of the Democratic Presidential candidates should read pronto. Will they? Of course not. And if they did, they would merely scoff at the Zell Miller prescription for their malady of histrionics and rampant liberalism. Zell Miller, to his credit, possesses a most laudable nobility that is rarely seen in Washington. Miller, unlike virtually all politicians, is a man who speaks, and more importantly, votes, his conscience. Miller served admirably as Governor here in Georgia as he fulfilled his campaign objectives of tax cuts for economic growth, the seminal HOPE scholarship, a Pre-K program, the only 2 strikes law for violent offenders in the nation, as well as more than tripling the amount of land set aside for state parks in the beautiful state of Georgia. Miller, as he writes in this eye-opening treatise, explains how it is not he who has changed - but rather the Democratic Party itself. Miller, who listened to FDR's inspiring fireside chats with his mother as a youngster and sided with JFK's message of a strong national defense and lower taxes, has always voted Democrat and has always believed in good, old-fashioned family values - the same values the current Democrats shun like the plague. The Democrats, so irrevocably beholden to unscrupulous PACs and their extreme left wing agenda, don't have a clue as to the depths of the chasm of venality into which they have sunk. They have fallen so far out of mainstream America it would take a search party to find them. Miller, never one to mince words, says of Howard Dean: "He likes to say he belongs to the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, but I say he belongs to the whining wing of the Democratic Party. Angry and red-faced, these doom-and-gloomers need to take some 'calm-me-down' pills."
2004 is all but won for President Bush. Once again, just as in 2000, the Democrats will fail in their futile attempt to win even one Southern state.
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