Piss 'Em All Off: And Other Practices of the Effective Citizen - Softcover

If you're tired of getting screwed over by a government that's out of touch, weary of corrupt and incompetent politicians who seem to only make things worse and frustrated by a political system that often works only for the well-connected, then this book is for you. Our American democracy is failing and it's you and I who are responsible - not self-serving politicians, not all the money that pours into campaigns, not even inept government employees. Only we can make a difference and only if we take the time to do what is necessary. This book examines in detail the five practices of being an effective citizen, showing that they are simple, require little of our time, and make a dramatic difference in how government responds. In a concise and pragmatic approach the author explores how to become an informed citizen, be a community activist, work a political campaign, perform the responsibility of voting, and run for office. None of these practices are intuitive, so what we need is a guide that explores these practices in order to engage current and future generations in our democracy. This is that guide.

Don Gordon is an adjunct lecturer in political science at Northwestern University and has taught economics at the Keller Graduate School of Management. Lifelong Chicago residents, he and his wife have raised their daughters in the city's Rogers Park neighborhood. Gordon has been a community activist there for over twenty-five years and recently ran for alderman in his ward (49th). His interest in politics began as a volunteer in Senator Robert Kennedy's abbreviated campaign for president in 1968. He has a bachelor's degree in economics from Loyola University (Chicago) and a master's in project management from Keller GSM, but likes to remind everyone that he also has a "PhD" (Paid his Dues) from years as a community activist inside the beast of Chicago politics.