BOOM! A Revolting Situation

Welcome to the political web-section for TR’s book BOOM! A Revolting Situation . . . the Failure of Ideological Politics, the Disappointment of Ideological Government.

“The premise of this book, disappointment with the government, will appeal to many readers…The author has an intelligent knowledgeable voice that educates readers without talking down to them and sympathizes with readers without ranting or wallowing…The author presents his ideals for government, but strives to explain the reasons and limiting realities behind his position. .. His balanced, independent view is unique in the market of political books. While readers on either extreme of the political spectrum will bristle at some of the book’s ideas, all readers will also find points of agreement.”
– Judge, Writer’s Digest 21st Annual Self- Published Book Awards

BOOM! Is a story, a chronicle of America’s political journey. BOOM! Is an exegesis of our historical and on-going ideological political conflict. BOOM! Is a polemic addressing the damage of this political conflict. It’s an opportunity to consider how America might positively and democratically overcome this political conflict. It’s an expose of the irreconcilable conflict imbedded in our ideological politics, the result of the historical and on-going objectives of our two major political parties. It addresses the frustrations of Americans with the results of government today, no matter which party is at the helm. Further, it deflates the concept of bipartisanship: it’s a nice but impossible concept under existing political circumstances.

Many lay out the basic (rather evident) conflict. But few go beyond tis to suggest there might be a practical (meaning workable within our political system) alternative to the Conservative vs. Liberal political spectrum voters face today BOOM! Clearly and in some detail presents such an alternative. It’s neither utopian nor impossible, given the continuing loss of support of our political parties and the concurrent rise of political independents, today a plurality of voters!

Like me, you probably never considered yourself a revolutionary, and would resist any such suggestion. After all, we’re peaceful law-abiding citizens. Amen! We proudly think of ourselves that way. In chis connection, most of us are what I describe as political conscientious objectors, and you know, that’s exactly what our political leadership counts on us being: pretty servile, non-combative. Yes, we (most of us) vote; some of us do go to political meetings and rallies but if you think about it, our options in all this are pretty limited. It seems to be an either/or political situation we face. And knuckling under, or grinning and bearing it, among those narrow options is about as radical as most of us get as we frustratingly express our political feelings, inclinations and wide-spread dissatisfaction with the results of government. Nevertheless, today that’s increasingly proving not to be enough—, not if we’re serious ab out wanting better from government. A whole bunch of voters (an electoral plurality, actually) have already begun to publically express dissatisfaction with what politics offers us today; Political Independents. Lots of political Independents! If you really think about it, it’s clearly becoming a revolting situation.

For those still with us, here is what you will find between the covers (Table of Contents), followed by a few excerpts from the book itself.

Good reading!

“Thomas Harry has a knack for taking a seemingly difficult to understand situation and turning it into a story made easily to follow and understand. Harry offers a simple assessment of what the system has become and how our society has reacted to its shift from getting on with governing t simply getting elected. Thomas Richard Harry’s book should be required reading for anyone currently in public office, anyone intending to run for office, and everyone registered to vote, regardless of their politics.”
– Reader Views

Preface vii
Introduction ix
Prelude Belfast, Northern Ireland 1
Ch. I It’s a Matter of Choice 7
Ch. II A Revolting Situation 10
Ch. III Government: For Better or for Worse—for whom? 18
Ch. IV An American Journey 30
Ch. V Looking Back a Little Further 40
Ch. VI Catching Up With Today 45
Ch. VII Digesting Almost Two Hundred Years 57
Ch. VIII Liberalism and Conservatism 64
Ch. IX Republicans, Democrats & Independents 75
Ch. X The Rising Visibility of the Independent Voter 105
Ch. XI Independent Parties and Support Groups Today 117
Ch. XII The Independent Voter: A Profile and a Purpose 130
Ch. XIII An Independent Political Option: A Ballot Box Revolt of the Disenfranchised . . . and possibly the rest of us 152
Ch. XIV The Superstructure: How it Fits Together 159
Ch. XV Leadership and Character 180
Ch. XVI An Independent’s View of the Propriety (or Impropriety)
of Special-Interest Influence on Government 188
Ch. XVII An Independent Tax Solution 205
Ch. XVIII Social Security 228
Ch. XIX Working Poverty: A Minimum Wage Issue 243
Ch. XX And There’s More to Resolve 265
Ch. XXI The Legitimate Scope and Proper Purpose of Government 284
Ch. XXII The Results of the Revolution 306
Notes 309
Bibliography 319

Many thanks for your interest, or at least your curiosity!
TRH