Americans Speak

In this intriguing book, readers meet 65 diverse Americans who respond to the prompt: If I were in charge, one thing I would do for our country is... Each reply is accompanied by a photo and bio. Forty-eight high-school students also weigh in with their thoughts. These passionate responses underscore that there are not easy answers to our difficult, complex challenges, but there is a deep yearning for us to Do Better, Be Better, Get Better. The choices the respondents make often come from the personal circumstances of their lives. Here is an unfiltered look at what people care about. As interesting as the responses are, so too are the reasons people chose not to respond. "It was much more difficult to find participants than I imagined," said author Susan Lieberman, "and it is fascinating to discover how hesitant so many of us are to speak publicly about our concerns." The final chapter provides clear explanations of revenue sources for the federal budget and budget expenditures, courtesy of the National Priorities Project.