Praise for Unlock Congress
“In his analysis of the ‘money flood,’ Michael Golden has taken one of the most complex and challenging public policy issues of our time and distilled it into a clear and compelling narrative that should stir the public to action.”
MARK MCKINNON, Co-founder of Mayday PAC and former advisor to President George W. Bush
“Unlock Congress is about making bipartisan politics operational once again...His book is readable. And needs to be read. It offers a vial of vaccine for the diseased politics that is crippling us.”
CAROL MARIN, Chicago Sun-Times columnist and NBC-5 Chicago political editor
“While Unlock Congress offers the most powerful and concise account of the deep failure that is Congress today, the book also gives hope. Amazingly.”
LAWRENCE LESSIG, Harvard Law Professor, Author, Republic Lost
“In this beautifully written, highly readable, and notably well-researched book, Golden points the way toward real-time steps for congressional reform. Whatever your partisan affiliation or political philosophy, you will be stirred by the realizable vision of Unlock Congress.”
JAMES STROCK, Author, Theodore Roosevelt on Leadership
“We currently have a republic that is not representative of, nor responsive to the general public. Unlock Congress outlines various contributing factors and offers several potential solutions to help revitalize our system of governance.”
DAVID WALKER former U.S. comptroller general
“In Unlock Congress, Michael Golden artfully takes us on a historical journey, offering readers a clear understanding of the dysfunction that is crippling Congress. Golden’s gem is a must-read for political junkies and all Americans who seek the bright futures that our founding fathers envisioned.”
LOU WEISBACH, Former Chairman, Democratic National Committee Jefferson Trust
“This book is incredibly passionate and articulate and persuasive. It's both sides of the aisle – it makes sense to everybody. And it will give you some hope.”
RICK KOGAN, Chicago Tribune columnist, WGN Radio Host
“Unlock Congress provides precisely what it seeks from Congress: deliberative, historically-grounded, and well-reasoned policy prescriptions as to how a free society should be governed.”
DAN PROFT, Conservative Morning Drive Radio Talk Show Host, AM 560 The Answer, Chicago
“If you want proof that the system is broken, this well-researched book will convince you. If you are already convinced, but want practical solutions, Mr. Golden delivers on that score as well.”
DR. WOODS BOWMAN, Professor Emeritus, DePaul University, School of Public Service
“Unlock Congress delivers on its promise...Golden diagnoses our national illness and writes a sensible prescription to cure it.”
Foreword Reviews
The Premise
Americans are receiving a defective product from the U.S. Congress, and it costs us in countless ways every day. The backwards rules in the system are the strongest drivers of this appalling performance – far more so than our individual representatives. Unlock Congress is a new book and non-partisan effort geared toward reforming the rules, in order to steer our warped congressional process back onto the rails.
Most members of Congress work hard and make genuine sacrifices to represent the rest of us. Sadly, however, they are now trapped in a skewed system where wrongheaded rules distort the process, preventing them from promoting the country's general welfare. Once in office, our would-be legislators are forced to behave like cash-chasing, election-obsessed hamsters, sprinting atop a greased political wheel that is pegged to the maximum speed setting – with no “off” switch.
Rather than narrowly affixing blame to individual politicians, Unlock Congress takes a methodical approach to diagnosing the causes behind the breakdown. Since we know that 85-95% of Americans believe Congress is delivering a poor PRODUCT, it only makes sense to investigate the system’s defects and define the PROBLEM. Informing Americans about the major causes of this problem and advocating a corresponding PLATFORM of solutions are the twin goals of Unlock Congress. Once we correct the flaws in the system, America’s elected leaders will be able to more effectively communicate, negotiate, and develop solutions to meet the nation’s great challenges.