Cory Booker
Auteur de United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good
A propos de l'auteur
Crédit image: Cory Booker. Photo by David Shankbone.
Œuvres de Cory Booker
Miss Representation 2 exemplaires
Oeuvres associées
Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice (2018) — Avant-propos — 61 exemplaires
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
- Date de naissance
- 1969-04-27
- Sexe
- male
- Nationalité
- USA
- Lieu de naissance
- Washington, D.C., USA
- Lieux de résidence
- Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Professions
- U.S. Senator (New Jersey ∙ 2013- ∙ Democrat)
- Organisations
- U.S. Senate
Membres
Critiques
Listes
Prix et récompenses
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Auteurs associés
Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 4
- Aussi par
- 3
- Membres
- 157
- Popularité
- #133,743
- Évaluation
- 3.9
- Critiques
- 3
- ISBN
- 11
But almost nothing is mentioned of Booker's campaign for Mayor, his opponents dirty-tricks, and his ultimate victory. Similarly, little is discussed of his becoming the junior U.S. Senator from the State of New Jersey. And he doesn't make a big deal of his choice to live among the people, in the crime infested streets of Newark, rather than living a comfortable life in a comfortable house in a comfortable neighborhood. Instead, the focus of the book is more of his vision for hope and change for the underprivileged. The book is not quite chronological, but more focused on topics and circumstances, so there was some mixing of his time as a Councilman, as Mayor, or as Senator. But what is not mixed is his consistent attempts to help those that needed his help the most.
If this book was meant to improve his chances for being elected for higher office, I suspect it would have included much more about state and national tax policies, health, budget deficits, growing jobs and businesses, education, etc. That's not part of this book. Booker talks a lot of policies which hurt minorities in the inner cities, and specifically addresses reforms of the judicial system and sentencing reforms. In keeping with the theme of the book title "United", he talks of how effective policy can be crafted by working with individuals from all Political parties, such as he has been doing with Republican Senator Rand Paul in these areas. Unlike many politicians, including several running for President in 2016 who are pure ideologues with a winner take all philosophy, to whom compromise is a flaw and a dirty work, Booker seems intent on finding the best ideas from all, working together to build, unite, and improve our Country.
He talks about his upbringing, his roots, his family, his work, and what formed his vision of society and the future for our Country. He quotes on old African proverb... "If you want to get somewhere fast, go alone. But if you want to go FAR, go with others. That seems to reflect his philosophy, one of inclusiveness. Working with a small group of like-minded individuals may allow some movement or progress, but he and we can go much further by working together.
Booker also talks about the dead-end future of many in the inner city. Failing schools, high crime rates, widespread drug use, economically challenged families and communities, etc., puts inner city youth on a slippery slope to failure. And should a stupid mistake by an inner-city youth lead to criminal charges, the spiral continues through the rest of the individual's life due to essentially all job forms asking about any previous arrests. Even if falsely accused and never convicted, that question on a job application essentially ends employment prospects. With no job, no money, almost 75% end up becoming involved in some sort of petty crime / illegal activity, continuing the spiral. Booker's point is that many deserving individuals are denied a second chance, and it's costlier for society as a whole to simply lock a segment of society away, with high prison costs, police costs. court costs, etc., than it is to provide some sort of training and job opportunities, allowing all to be productive members of society.
He's one of a number of politicians trying to address this issue, and the effort seems to be making headway. Booker points out that the impact of a criminal record, even if only for a petty, non-violent crime as a youth, can have lifelong implications, beyond preventing people from being able to get a job. Also, being able to obtain housing, higher education, to obtain credit, to vote, etc., are additional effects, effectively preventing these people from finding a useful place within society. In many cases, released prisoners find their way back to some criminal activity as their only option for making money. The efforts of Booker and others seem to be having an impact, and even the Justice Department has recently been pushing to rethink harsh sentences for nonviolent defendants and being "smart on crime". … (plus d'informations)