"After Roosevelt was elected, I began to realize how important money was to the rich people in the country."
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I Am An Obama Liberal by Paul Siegel Learning Society Publications
book review by Russell Roberts
Paul Siegel brings all of his nine decades of knowledge and experience to bear in I Am An Obama Liberal. The book begins with Siegel relating how Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal helped his family. It then sweeps over the political landscape during the next 80+ years. Included are analyses of events that have influenced American society and politics, such as the rise of technology, climate change, and terrorism. Siegel's premise is that the former breakdown of left-center-right positions in politics is outdated. Yet the groups continue to fight, leading to today's paralyzing political polarization. President Barack Obama recognizes that the American political landscape has changed dramatically since Roosevelt's time and that the old ways no longer apply. So he approaches his goals in a drastically different manner, which primarily involves compromise and working with the other side. It is Obama who, like Roosevelt, fights for all Americans–just in a different manner.
The book covers the time between then and now in a brisk and efficient fashion, hitting all the highs and lows expected from a liberal perspective. The book comes alive when Siegel draws on personal reminiscence. Images of how every radio was tuned into Roosevelt's confident words during the Great Depression evoke powerful images of a concerned yet hopeful America, united in the desire for change. A less specific title might have helped the book attract a wider audience; the book's title preaches to the choir, and likely misses those who might be swayed by its arguments. Still, hope and passion are necessary political ingredients, and Siegel infuses his book with plenty of both.