America, the Owner's Manual

America, the Owner's Manual PDF

Author: Bob Graham

Publisher: CQ Press

Published: 2016-07-15

Total Pages: 422

ISBN-13: 1483324060

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In 2016, Americans fed up with the political process vented that frustration with their votes. Republicans nominated for president a wealthy businessman and former reality show host best known on the campaign trail for his sharp rhetoric against immigration and foreign trade. Democrats nearly selected a self-described socialist who ran on a populist platform against the influence of big money in politics. While it is not surprising that Americans would channel their frustrations into votes for contenders who pledge to end business as usual, the truth is that we don’t have to pin our hopes for greater participation on any one candidate. All of us have a say—if we learn, master and practice the skills of effective citizenship. One of the biggest roadblocks to participation in democracy is the perception that privileged citizens and special interests command the levers of power and that everyday Americans can’t fight City Hall. That perception is undoubtedly why a 2015 Pew Charitable Trusts survey found that 74 percent of those Americans surveyed believed that most elected officials didn't care what people like them thought. Graham and Hand intend to change that conventional wisdom by showing citizens how to flex their citizenship muscles. They describe effective citizenship skills and provide tips from civic experts. Even more importantly, they offer numerous examples of everyday Americans who have used their skills to make democracy respond. The reader will see themselves in these examples of citizens who chose to be victorious participants rather than tranquil spectators in the arena of democracy. By the end of the book, you will have new confidence that citizen participation is the lifeblood of America -- and will be ready to make governments work for you, not the other way around.

Fight City Hall and Win

Fight City Hall and Win PDF

Author: Connor Murphy

Publisher: Wheatmark, Inc.

Published: 2017-12-07

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 1627875476

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How often have you seen a development built that no one wanted or needed -- ruining the neighborhood, harming the landscape, and wrecking property values -- despite grumbling and protests by the neighbors, and sometimes without anyone even knowing it was going to happen until it was too late? All across America, bad development is approved because ordinary people don't have the knowledge they need to stand up and fight back. At any time, you can get a public notice telling you a notorious real estate developer has applied for a permit to build nearby. Will you know how to respond? Will you know what steps to take to protect your rights? Fight City Hall and Win gives ordinary folks the insider knowledge they need to protect their neighborhoods. It is filled with humor, irony, and true-to-life bedtime stories that teach readers how to take on the good old boys at city hall -- and win.

Fight City Hall and Win

Fight City Hall and Win PDF

Author: Dolores M. Reed

Publisher:

Published: 1985-06-01

Total Pages: 86

ISBN-13: 9780935543001

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The Institute of Political Research, Publisher of Political Action Books. Now is the time to read Kingmaker/Kingbreaker. With the advent of a Perot Independent Candidacy, others will want to run as independents or as Write In Candidates. Kingmaker/Kingbreaker is a primer for those interested in seeking political office. Those who have the blessing of the political "THEY" will not need this book. Those who do not, will. Three other books from this publisher serve as useful guideposts for persons interested in the political process; whether dealing with a community issue or running for a political office. FIGHT CITY HALL & WIN is a candid book for those who deal with public issues & for those who question what goes on behind the scene; an expose of political tactics. NO MORE SET-ASIDES is a dialogue about the relationship that should exist between women, minorities, business & politics. The system is a deliberate token system to assure protection of establishment businesses. The third book, THE AFRO AMERICAN VIEW OF THE WOMEN'S LIBERATION-MOVEMENT, is the text of a speech delivered to the Afro-American Studies Department at the State University of New York in Albany. The Institute of Political Research is a small publisher & does not have facilities for billing. Orders must be pre-paid to 104 Meays Drive, Syracuse, NY 13209.

The Boondoggler's Bible

The Boondoggler's Bible PDF

Author: Wanda Sue Parrott

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-03-01

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 9781480003217

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Fighting “city hall” is no fun. If you've ever had a legal encounter with a government agency—be it city, county, state or federal—you know how frustrating bureaucratic red tape can be. You can't change city hall, whether you are trying to do business with it or are employed by it, but you can change your attitude. A positive attitude can stave off broken relationships, premature stroke or even death due to unnecessary agency-induced frustration. This little book is the result of my own survival technique, and I hope it helps you win against city hall in your own case. This is a general overall look at standard operating delay tactics known as boondoggles, so you must creatively adapt your own approach to fit your own problems and situation.Boondoggles are not confined to city hall. Such stall-and-delay techniques are operable on all levels of society, including in one's personal family life. They are summarized by the old advice given by experts on etiquette about answering ticklish questions: Don't say yes; don't say no; say maybe—and then never give a final answer. Or, to put it more bluntly: Keep them waiting until they go broke, give up, move on, lose interest, or die. Whether you win money is not the point; coming out of your ordeal with a sense of humor, good will and health are paramount. So, since there's a strong chance you, too, are the victim of boondoggling, or will be in the future, let's get started. Enjoy the challenge. It could save your sanity and life, just as it did mine. The secret is to practice this old adage: If you can't fight them, join them. In other words, learn as much as you can about the Boondoggle Game and then use that knowledge to your own advantage. To be or not to be a Boondoggler? That is the question!

Routledge Handbook of Asian Cities

Routledge Handbook of Asian Cities PDF

Author: Richard Hu

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-05-31

Total Pages: 547

ISBN-13: 1000878090

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This handbook provides the most comprehensive examination of Asian cities—developed and developing, large and small—and their urban development. Investigating the urban challenges and opportunities of cities from every nation in Asia, the handbook engages not only the global cities like Shanghai, Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, and Mumbai but also less studied cities like Dili, Malé, Bandar Seri Begawan, Kabul, and Pyongyang. The handbook discusses Asian cities in alignment to the United Nations’ New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals in order to contribute to global policy debates. In doing so, it critically reflects on the development trajectories of Asian cities and imagines an urban future, in Asia and the world, in the post-sustainable, post-global, and post-pandemic era. Presenting 43 chapters of original, insightful research, this book will be of interest to scholars, practitioners, students, and general readers in the fields of urban development, urban policy and planning, urban studies, and Asian studies.