Author: John F. Wasik
Publisher: Bloomberg Press
ISBN: 978-1-57660-356-7

Click Here To Purchase The Audacity of Help: Obama's Economic Plan and the Remaking of America

Author: John F. Wasik
Publisher: Bloomberg Press
ISBN: 978-1-57660-356-7

John Wasik tackles a huge task in The Audacity of Help, taking it upon himself to both outline and follow up on all the campaign promises made by Barack Obama. Wasik divides the book into chapters covering each of the major thrusts of this administration’s policies such as infrastructure, small business, energy, health care and home ownership. Within each chapter, a preface to the scope and what Wasik sees as the need for the spending are reviewed then a list of promises and outcomes (at the time of the writing) are covered.

After having read the book, I must say that the gargantuan scope of the policies and initiatives of this administration are even broader and more costly than most can imagine. When the numbers expand into the trillions of dollars, as these numbers do, there is a real danger in becoming somewhat detached from reality. Yes, the numbers are real and the money is being spent. There are companies that are benefiting from this spending (as outlined in the book) although their stock prices most likely already reflect these expectations so the possibility of discovering a great investment through this effort is not realistic.

What is more useful, although sobering, is the state of the nation that we live in. Since this book is all about spending, you naturally read about project after project that is needed and the implication that many, many things that are broken. From schools, to water pipes - bridges to lack of health care coverage. It is an endless presentation of so many broken systems in need of repair. After reading the book you are left with a sense of wonderment as to how this nation continues to function!

Most disappointing is that the author is a true-blue "Obamaholic" - and it bleeds into most of the writings. The chapter prefaces are almost propaganda for the spending that follows. Sure, there are many programs that have great worth but I'm afraid there are just as many that add little value. They may sound good at 10,000 feet, but the devil is always in the details. A more objective examination of the programs would have made for a much better read rather than a blatant display of endorsement for any and everything that the administration has proposed. It is on this front that I find the book disappointing. If you want an accounting of what was proposed and what was enacted (at the time of the writing), then this book provides a good source. If you are looking for anything else, then you might as well look for another title.

Click Here To Purchase The Audacity of Help: Obama's Economic Plan and the Remaking of America