Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency

by Robert Kuttner
Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency
book data
32 ratings, 3.81 average rating, 21 reviews (more data...)
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published
August 25th 2008 by Chelsea Green Publishing

binding
Paperback, 224 pages

isbn
1603580794    (isbn13: 9781603580793)

description
Barack Obama approaches the Presidency at a critical moment in American history, facing simultaneous crises of war, the environment, health care, but ...more




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Tommy
09/01/08
Tommy rated it: 5 of 5 stars

Read in September, 2008
recommends it for: people interested in politcs or transformational leadership
Honestly this book isn't precisely about Obama as much as it is a historical account of transformational presidents. I think it frames the circumstances very well and lays out a coherent (and often counterintuitive) idea of how this country can be turned around and how it is at a prime position for a transformational leader (especially a progressive one since the current situation is so similar to when FDR was elected).

I think Kuttner also lays a fairly convincing case of how Obama c...more
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Craig
02/21/09
Craig added it

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in February, 2009
recommended to Craig by: Dean Falvy
recommends it for: Anyone interested in democracy
Written over the summer of 2008 (before the election), this book describes what Obama needs to do to become a transformative president---what he needs to do to redirect the country, much as LBJ, FDR, and Lincoln redirected it. Lord knows, after 8 years of Reagan and 12 years of the Bush dynasty, it is time for a new direction. Read this book to again gain confidence in the good the government can do, and to see how a leader can inspire and involve the citizenry. Read it to gain courage to b...more
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Rebekah
04/02/09
Rebekah rated it: 5 of 5 stars

Read in June, 2009
I give this book four stars plus one for Gennady being in the acknowledgments.

The premise was pretty inspiring. I don't know whether this is a new concept or not, but I liked the idea that appealing to all (well, Kuttner says "both") parties doesn't have to entail compromise, that instead a "transformative leader" such as Obama can bring republicans around to embrace traditionally leftist policy, quickening the otherwise sluggish but apparently eternal leftwar...more
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Doug
01/19/09
Doug rated it: 3 of 5 stars

Read in January, 2009
I read this book because I wanted a primer in Keynesian economics before the stimulus debates started in earnest. But the book is light on economics and heavy on Kuttner's reading of Presidential politics. His ultimate point is that given the circumstances Obama will be a great or horrible president, with little room in between. His other major point is that any economic recovery package needs to be huge, and we should stop worrying about deficit spending.
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Otis
11/19/08
Otis rated it: 3 of 5 stars

Read in November, 2008
I read this after hearing Kuttner on NPR, because I was so glad to hear someone dismiss all the fashionable media rhetoric about the supposed need to balance the federal budget. It's concise and clearly written, just as John Kenneth Galbraith said all books on economics should be.
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Margaret
04/04/09
Margaret is currently reading it

bookshelves: currently-reading
Just got this from Beth and I can't wait to start delving into it.
Here's the good news/bad news dilemna about our new office:
It's a quick metro ride away - just three short stops.
BUT.. it's a crowded line and there's just not often room or time to read.

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Josh
02/08/09
Josh rated it: 3 of 5 stars

Read in February, 2009
I'm glad I read this book now, as I can compare what the author suggests with current events. It seems to me that Obama has read this book, or the author knows him well enough to describe ahead of time what he might do to help solve the economic crisis. The last couple of chapters felt a little hard to get through, but overall an informative look at what Obama has done, is doing, and still needs to do.
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Timothy Jensen
12/15/08
Timothy Jensen is currently reading it

bookshelves: currently-reading
Read in December, 2008
Good, timely read. Kuttner does a good job letting us in on what a brave man President Johnson was. I would highly recommend listening to several recent podcasts that have featured him.
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Symeon
03/11/09
fbuser534197907 is currently reading it

bookshelves: currently-reading
Thus far:
More references to FDR, LBJ and Lincoln than you can shake a stick at.
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Kristine
02/17/09
Kristine rated it: 3 of 5 stars

Read in March, 2009
Finished this one on a trip to Cambodia. I like the comparisons to transformative presidents, though have to admit that some of the economics flew right by! The author certainly doesn't "gush" over President Obama, but rather writes in a more cautionary, albeit, "we hope you do well" spirit.
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Mike
12/20/08
fbuser1244206496 rated it: 4 of 5 stars

Read in December, 2008
A bold program to help solve the economic crisis.
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Linda
03/21/09
Linda marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read
recommended to Linda by: NPR - Fresh Air
I just listened again to the great interview on Fresh Air Terry Gross did with Kuttner, and I'm inspired to track this down.
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David
11/17/08
David rated it: 5 of 5 stars

Read in December, 2008
Kuttner argues that we are at a crossroads in this country. The economic crisis requires a transformative president like
Lincoln, FDR, Lyndon Johnson of the civil rights era. He
hopes that Obama will be such a president.

A very worthwhile book. He doesn't just deal with Obama but with
a history and analysis of economic policy and presidents facing big
crisis.
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Katie S
01/16/09
Katie S marked it as to-read

recommended to Katie by: NYT Review of Books
Read about it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/books/...

Sounds very informative!
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David
11/13/08
David rated it: 4 of 5 stars

robert kuttner really took a gamble by actually releasing this before the election but it paid off. i thought he did a good job of putting stuff in layman's terms (ie i could understand) about sometimes complicated issues like the economy and health care reform.
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Lesley
11/18/08
Lesley added it

this guy is one smart cookie - he wrote this before the economic meltdown and it was released at the beginning of the DNC - joni was the developmental editor
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mandy
11/08/08
mandy added it

Read in November, 2008
eh. fine book, but nothing terribly new or insightful here. Not holding my interest, so I'm letting it go.
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Kathy
10/04/08
Kathy marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read
Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency by Robert Kuttner (2008)
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Callie
11/16/08
Callie marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read
I heard this author interviewed on Fresh Air and I'm excited to read the book.
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Angela
12/28/08
Angela rated it: 4 of 5 stars

bookshelves: to-read
Read in January, 2008
an economist's look on what the next President needs to do.
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