Monday, November 21, 2016

Interview With Author Mac Regan


Global Citizen Patriots

  1. What inspired you to write your book? Like many Americans, I am “mad as hell” that our system of constitutional values, democracy and capitalism is increasingly failing to deliver for all of our citizens. Yet, also like most Americans, I was unsure of the sources of our problems and the best ways to sort through polarized opinions on the best ways to correct our dysfunction. Global Citizen Patriots was inspired by my frustration with the current system’s dysfunction and a belief that solutions lie in citizen engagement characterized by critical thinking, shared values and compromise coupled with elected representatives who are refocused and rewarded based on their ability to deliver real solutions to America’s greatest problems and opportunities. The essential building blocks to these solutions are more responsible citizens and representatives who work for all citizens. When we fail to create engaged and informed patriot citizens, we become partisans. When we allow our elected representatives to be corrupted by special interests and partisan groups, they become lackeys rather than leaders. The frustration evidenced during and following the 2016 presidential election will either seed further discord and deterioration to our system or be a launching point for citizens and their representatives to insist on reform and progress that promotes a truly exceptional America that benefits ourselves and the world. Global Citizen Patriots is a concise diagnosis of the sources of our current dysfunction. Included are recommendations intended to break gridlock, restore citizen influence and rebalance and reform our system of constitutional values, democracy and capitalism. For more than two centuries, that system has relied on inspiring leaders (for example, our Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton) to lead citizen movements to force needed change. Where are the global citizen patriot leaders of today? Global Citizen Patriots defines the essential citizen and representative roles and responsibilities needed to define, agree and facilitate the changes that will promote and enhance the work of our historical leaders.

  1. What is it about? This book is concerned about two fundamental problems; the failure of American citizens and their elected representatives to do their jobs. The disengagement of our citizens from even basic responsibilities such as voting combined with the fact that money and special interests have turned our elected representative from leaders to lackeys. These failures erode our constitutional values, corrupt our representative democracy, and enable crony capitalism that benefits fewer and fewer. The book catalogues the debilitating effect our dysfunction has on our efforts to, for example, reduce poverty, create a secure environment, provide opportunity for all, and in general use America’s unmatched assets to create the greatest good for the most citizens over the longest time. This book focuses on the conditions and policies that can promote effective representative democracy. I offer two solution sets to ensure that our elected representatives work for the common interest and that our citizens take responsibility. These solution sets are backed up by extensive consensus research sources and examples of the types of approaches that are most likely to lead to productive reform. The analysis of America’s current failings and opportunities coupled with pragmatic (albeit controversial) recommendations should be essential reading for all citizens.

  1. What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? My great hope for this book is that it will serve as a guide to rally other citizens in a non partisan (in fact, a pan partisan) manner to begin the essential task of reforming our representative democracy through the inspiration and guidance of global citizen patriots dedicated to rebalancing our system of constitutional values, democracy and capitalism. At the same time, open debate, development, and implementation of citizen-driven reforms has great potential to heal the wounds caused by representative corruption and uncompromising partisan politics. I hope the book will be seen as a fact-based starting point for debate and a motivator to citizens to engage and hold representatives accountable. Post election America has much to sort out and agree on. Global Citizen Patriots is designed to offer constructive ways forward.

  1. What advice do you have for writers? It takes time to write a book; in my case, four years. Three plus years of research and 9 months of actual writing seems, upon reflection, to be about the correct allocation of time for a rookie author. And this is simply to write the book. The editing, socialization and marketing of a book is an entirely different process requiring very different skills, experience and time commitments. I survived the process because I had the gift of time, no set schedule, no commercial pressures, a very supportive family, and some excellent professional help from my web and graphic designer, my self- publisher and my publicity firm. In the end, I found this to be an incredibly fulfilling experience.

  1. Where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? As a neophyte in this area, I am probably not the best judge of where the book publishing industry is headed. I will say that the self- publishing assistance I received was excellent. However, there were days when a more traditional publisher’s hands on guidance would have been very helpful. My overall impression is that there are lots of people who have the inspiration to write. The self-publishing industry facilitates this with mass capacity and is therefore likely to grow as an industry.

  1. What challenges did you have in writing your book? I encountered no particular challenges. As a retired person with a reasonably secure income, I was able to go at my own pace. I was able to get by with no formal training on the process of writing a book. In retrospect, some types of advice and experience would have been valuable in terms of making my process more efficient. In addition, I had very little oversight or review of my book until the end. This is not recommended.

  1. If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours? This book is about as topical as possible following the 2016 election. I feel America is at an important inflection point in its history and the majority of citizens, while in a various states of anger, euphoria or anxiety, have no idea how to focus on and address our Nation’s most significant problems and opportunities. The good news is that citizens are awake. The bad news is they lack a way to channel their thinking and their energy. I hope that Global Citizen Patriots will help.
For more information, see:  http://www.globalcitizenpatriots.com


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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2016 ©.
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