Review of Rebooting the American Dream: 11 Ways to Rebuild Our Country, by Thom Hartmann. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. 2011, paper, 227 pages.
Answers to fixing America in 2011? Answers to fixing it in 2024?
Helping the homeless, our families, our offspring, our colleagues, and other taxpayers would be typical issues for most street helpers, social workers, educators, and Americans in general. Looking at some ideas from recent history can be very revealing—and helpful—indeed.
Strong opinions during post-Recession and pre-COVID times paint just one set of ideas about how to fix what some people saw as huge problems and the obvious solutions to them. During that time. From one strong perspective.
Thom Hartmann is famous for his interesting and usually controversial points on things American and current. He bases his arguments in this particular book on the 11-pont plan developed by Alexander Hamilton, giving an up-to-date version of policies and programs that should be put in place to rescue the USA from the forces that would destroy it—from within.
The topics covered here are mainly financial, such as how to adjust taxes, deal with the issue of undocumented workers in our country, and provide free healthcare to all Americans. The second set of topics are automatically policy-related, then, because his is an approach that includes a strong federal response to the majority of the most pressing problems we are currently facing. This federal reliance does seem to hark back to the days of Hamilton, so the connection is indeed clear if one looks at this through a “big government” lens.
Social workers, researchers, street helpers, and other helpers will have their own definite opinions about what is—and is not—wrong with our nation and what needs to be adjusted, dealt with, and provided. Just ask around. Ask people who are out there on the street helping others. Those of us out there using the Narcan and sharing the sandwiches and coupons have some very strong opinions indeed.
However, it is always good to look at suggestions over time to see how they can fit into—or contrast with—our ideas. Maybe we can learn something from reading books. I hope so.
Teachers of Social Studies, Economics, Civics, History, Political Science, and Current Events can make good use of this book in a variety of ways…
First, they can consider on a personal level some of his solutions. Ramifications of changes in how taxes are levied—and against whom—have had some powerful force in our recent history. Questions on what to do about health care costs in this nation are important on and individual basis. Free trade vs. an emphasis on American-produced goods is another important theme to ponder. As taxpayers, voters, and consumers, teachers have their own ideas about possible solutions to many issues currently. As teachers, we can start to see how this sort of book can provide some good background we need to be able to develop our own opinions further.
Second, the book makes some good points on how solutions chosen by certain presidents have led to success in some cases, and disaster in others. How to not repeat some of those past sins is an important topic for the Social Studies and History classes. There are also some crucial questions that arise. For example, what do we learn from new policies and spending? How can health care costs be covered by the average working American?
Third, the book is helpful for identifying clearly those key issues that can be debated by students in advanced Civics and other courses. Hartmann’s cast of characters will provide great directions for students researching these topics...
Looking for resources on NAFTA, Clinton, Reagan, and Medicare should be facilitated by the way Hartmann introduces these topics and players here. Students will be able to sort through many resources based on the information and opinions here.
I recommend the book to those who would consider another version of how to solve some of the most pressing problems in our nation. Thom Hartmann has strong opinions, but he does draw on some important facts to support them.
Like all political perspectives, Hartmann’s show his determination to help. If the reader keeps this idea in mind, the reading may help you see another point of view that should be considered.
Helping the homeless, the poor, the average American, the middle class… was a very different reality in 2010-2011. In 2024, we can ask key questions about this book like: 1. How is life better or worse financially for most Americans than it was back then; 2. How have we learned from the Recession, COVID-19 policies, prevention, and deaths; and 3. How do we pick up from where we are—with an eye on history—and move forward toward progress?