"Al Gore speaks with the brashness of a 21st century Founding Father"

[dalaigh lllama]

Great review of Al Gore's book The Assault on Reason" by Evan Brown

Manifesto Destiny
Al Gore speaks with the brashness of a 21st century Founding Father.

...The manifesto language Gore uses throughout the book is striking and deliberate—after all, the book is in fact a manifesto. This is a claim even Gore may not make, but yet here he describes the tradition of Thomas Paine: "Reformers laid out with clear logic a description of the abuses they saw, the suffering that resulted, and the need for governmental action to impose remedies..." It is precisely this formula that Gore follows, although it is not the government he is appealing to for action. He speaks eloquently and bluntly about the serious anti-democratic forces present in our current system and the extent of the damage they are causing; yet the change he seeks is not in policy but in attitude and understanding, on a society-wide level. Pronouncements like "It is time to change the nature of the way we live together on this planet," followed by "we have an opportunity to forge and follow a new agenda for national and world security" expose the heart of Gore's aims. The surprise here is that these assertions are not mellowed by any qualifying phrases, and the indignant anger towards forces of corruption and manipulation is unrestrained. It serves as a reminder of a time when this sort of rhetoric was commonplace. That time was the founding of the United States...

Gore ... is assuming a role as the conscience of the nation—a Jiminy Cricket, a still small voice warning us of the consequences for shortsightedness....

more

http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=2124


Had to agree with everything except Brown's assumption that Gore won't be running for president. :-)

[Az]

1. A still small voice that can fill stadiums

While his focus on doing something about the world is vital I have to admit I feel a closer tie to this book. I fancy myself a champion of reason and it gladdens my heart to see someone else defend it so well.

[dalaigh lllama]

3. I appreciate the idea of Gore as a modern day founding father

battling the ongoing idiocies of the foundering fathers currently at the helm.

[AndyTiedye]

2. I'm Halfway Through "Assault on Reason" Now

[SnowGoose]

5. Glad I'm not the only one...

I read during lunchtime at work (and I eat too fast) so it's taking me a while. I'll admit to going a few pages after my sammich is done. It's an exciting book.

[dalaigh lllama]

9. I'm on my second read-thru of it

and this time I'm highlighting it... hard not to make some sections entirely yellow with my highlighter.

One short observation in TAOR that was aptly put: the cynical "if it bleeds, it leads" of the M$M has been expanded to include "if it thinks, it stinks."

[Blue Belle]

13. Oh my God...

I'm doing that too. I thought I was the only one who was going through Highlighters on this book.

:)

[RestoreGore]

4. I don't think he will run based on his book either

His dedication to Democratic issues as they relate to the health of Democracy which in turn leads to the health of our planet is the most improtant goal to him now. And The Assault On Reason is truly a Democratic Manifesto this generation must embrace as those who embraced Thomas Paine's Common Sense. We must find our agora again, and it will take many voices in concert with Mr. Gore's to do that now.

[Drum]

6. Damn straight!

Run Al, run!

:patriot:

[dalaigh lllama]

10. A hearty amen to that !

Run Al, run!

[eridani]

7. He's being extremely effective as a "recovering politician"

Would he lose it by becoming a candidate again?

[dalaigh lllama]

11. Who better to lead a "recovering" constituency?

Not only that, folks might have their hearts in the right place about changing their personal habits to help the environment, but without a national carrot/stick agenda to actually make it happen, most folks aren't going to voluntarily conserve. Gore as president could spearhead that agenda.

After reading TAOR, this is what I think: Gore loves the democratic ideals of this country so much, he will feel compelled to run -- just as the retired politician Lincoln re-entered the political arena because he loathed the expansion of slavery in America.

[rosesaylavee]

14. Good point!

I had forgotten that Lincoln had considered himself 'done with politics' too!

Sorry I came to this late - would have liked to give it a rec in addition to a kick.

Thanks for posting!

[Kurovski]

8. K&R. (nt)

[malaise]

12. Run Al Run!

K & R

[Kurovski]

15. AMEN to that, darlin'!

:D

[malaise]

16. Even from 2005 he's never said no

``I asked him if he was going to run for office again, and he said he doesn't think so,'' James said. ``But I told him, `You know you've got my vote!'''

http://thepassenger.typepad.com/the_passenger/2005/09/al_gore_quietly.html