America and the limits of the politics of selfishness.9780739115732 America and the limits of the politics of selfishness self·ish adj. 1. Concerned chiefly or only with oneself: "Selfish men were . . . trying to make capital for themselves out of the sacred cause of human rights" Maria Weston Chapman. . Waldman, Sidney R. Lexington Books 2007 125 pages $65.00 Hardcover JK468 Effectively, the public has little and often no control over what their elected representatives do, and in many cases, because of gerrymandering gerrymandering Drawing of electoral district lines in a way that gives advantage to a particular political party. The practice is named after Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry, who submitted to the state senate a redistricting plan that would have concentrated the voting and hyper-moneyed elections, have no control even over who is elected. For all that, finds Waldman (political science, Haverford College Haverford College Private liberal arts college in Haverford, Pa., near Philadelphia. Founded by Quakers in 1833 as a men's college, it became coeducational in 1980. It is consistently ranked as one of the top U.S. colleges. ), legislators and even presidents do on occasion serve the public interest. He attributes the paradox paradox, statement that appears self-contradictory but actually has a basis in truth, e.g., Oscar Wilde's "Ignorance is like a delicate fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone. to a deep-seated morality that none but the most crass human can overcome, and argues that it is these few who must be kept out of office. ([c]20072005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR) |
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