An Even Better Place: America in the 21st Century

For over two decades, Richard Gephardt has represented the people of St. Louis, Missouri, in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is also a major figure in the national Democratic party, serving as the House Minority Leader and (should the Dems ever regain the majority) the most likely candidate to become Speaker of the House. Having foregone the presidential campaigns of the 2000 election to take a shot at House leadership, Gephardt has laid out in An Even Better Place his conception of the most pressing concerns affecting the American people on the brink of the 21st century.

Although he does have specific recommendations in areas like public education and international trade, Gephardt's overarching theme is one of reinvigorating what he sees as the two main components of liberalism, community activism, and citizen participation. His goal is to move away from the destructive politics of personal attacks and reassert an active commitment to fulfilling values and ideals. He lays out his ideas, formulated through years of contact with the people he represents, in a clear, straightforward style. And though he's extremely engaging, even friendly, the stakes are of the utmost seriousness. "Democracy and freedom depend upon all kinds of citizen participation," Gephardt warns. "Without it, they will die--maybe sooner, maybe later, but they will die." Whether or not you agree with Gephardt's specific policy suggestions, that principle seems unassailable--and his commitment admirable.