Revitalizing Governance, Restoring Prosperity, and Restructuring Foreign Affairs: The Pathway to Renaissance America

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Description

The American people generally perceive that the United States is headed in the wrong direction, US influence worldwide is waning, Capitol Hill is not adequately representing the publics interests, and their personal economic wellbeing is in jeopardy. This book squarely tackles the list of fault lines currently facing the United States, including, among others, Beltway dysfunctionalism, concentrated wealth and income not seen since the late 1920s, an ultra-expensive and inefficient health-care system, runaway entitlement spending, stagnant upward mobility, debilitating crony capitalism, and incoherent foreign policy. Even more importantly, the book offers explicit policy recommendations for solving each fault line, relying extensively on best practices in the public and private sectors both at home and abroad. Moreover, the author emphasizes that the United States is entering a special period which provides it with advantages not found anywhere else in the worlda major energy boom, favorable demographics, unparalleled high-technology innovation, huge inward investment flows from abroad, the revival of its manufacturing sector, and its magnetism in attracting to its shores the very best and brightest from around the world. Dr. Fry asserts that it is quite reasonable to assume that the United States will enter a Renaissance America period by 2030. Doing so, however, will require painful short-term sacrifices, major policy changes, and the restoration of vibrant representative government. In effect, the American people must overwhelmingly embrace Abraham Lincolns vision of governance of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Reviews

With Earl Fry we never lose our time. Clear, factual, andanalytical.This book is about big questions and important answers. A must read. -- Stphane Paquin, cole nationale d'administration publique
This book is beneficial because of its breadthtopics including foreign and defense policy, education, healthcare, and infrastructureas well as an approach that highlights best practices garnered from a synthesis of the scholarly literature, public policy reports by practitioners, and Earl Frys own research. As an expert on intergovernmental relations, Fry calls for renewal at the local, state, and national levels of American government. This book should be of interest to anyone displeased with the current climate in Washington, D.C., as well as those who want to rebuild U.S. competitiveness in the globalized world. -- Samuel Lucas McMillan, Lander University, author of The Involvement of State Governments in U.S. Foreign Relations
At a time when many pundits are either naively optimistic or dyspeptically pessimistic about the future of the United States, Earl Fry is a refreshing contrast. He frankly acknowledges Americas challenges but offers a way forward. Let the American Renaissance begin! -- David Campbell, University of Notre Dame

Author Bio

Earl H. Fry is professor of political science and Endowed Professor of Canadian Studies at Brigham Young University.