We've Got Issues

by Meredith Bagby

They're Gen Xers, twenty and thirtysomethings, recent college graduates on their own for the first time, newlyweds, or brand-new parents. And whether they're slackers or strivers, many are clueless... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1891620797
• ISBN13: 9781891620799
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

Great starting point for college students

Having just finished college, I found this book very useful/helpful in understanding how our country functions. It touches just enough on a wide variety of subjects being careful not to bore you with mundane details. The only flaw was that I read it 3 years after it had been written and many things have changed since Clinton's presidency. Still, I highly suggest it!

Great Book....going to use it as a teaching resource

As a young high school government teacher I have been searching for a book that I could use in my classes. There is a disconnect between politics and the youth. How do we bridge that gap and make the youth politically aware of the important issues that are to be faced?.............I think this book is the answer. Meredith Bagby does a tremendous job addressing the issues that affect the young. I think my students will love this book, now the problem that I face is getting my school to pick up the tab so that I can order a 100 copies.

Mandatory Reading for GenXers

Alas, in a sea of books written by aging baby boomers that feel the need to bolster their sense of importance by putting down Generation Xers, I've finally come across one that wasn't bitter and biased-and gratefully so. "We've Got Issues" was so informative and enjoyable, I bought a second copy for my Xer brother.The author's chief point--the importance of voting--is prolifically illustrated throughout the book. Apparently, Generation Xers do not vote as much as Boomers and their predecessors, so their political voices are not heard (nor to politicians care to hear them). The author urges her contemporaries to get to the polls on Election Day, lest they find themselves content to withstand a government agenda that does not address the issues they care most about. The book also contains many lesser-known statistics. I was surprised to learn that Xers have a higher rate of volunteerism than Boomers do (this despite the Boomer assertion that Xers are selfish and uncaring!), that most Xers acknowledge that Social Security is a failing program which should be dissolved, that Xers are the most environmentally-conscious generation ever. In no other book have I found so many positive statistics about this generation. Ms. Bagby's book puts others on the subject to shame. While I didn't agree with some of the author's assertions (she seems to have bought into the media's spin that the Clinton impeachment hearings were about sex, not the fact that our president lied under oath), I found her analysis of the issues thoughtful and well organized. Her work reads easily and explains each issue for the benefit of those who might be ignorant of the facts. In summation, I'd say that "We've Got Issues" is mandatory reading for anyone born between 1964 and 1976-and is highly recommended for all others.

Interesting, Intellectually stimulating, Inspiring

"We've got issues" is a fantastic read - and quite enjoyable! The book appeals to those who are in their teens, twenties and thirties - addressing *the* issues that are at heart of our futures. Major focus on the government's spending and how it impacts the present and the future, related to issues such as medicare and social security. The book is a wealth of information which Bagby writes in a "down-to-earth, but sophisticated" manner. Bagby's writing style is similar to that of Arianna Huffington's ("How to Overthrow the Government") - investigative, presenting facts, and demonstrating how the government operates. Bagby's message - the fundamental message she is sending to the reader is to VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!! Make your voices heard by exercising your right to vote. Bagby shows what researchers have found about the Gen X'ers (as she refers to them) - only 1% being apolitical, with the vast majority being involved in a way that is not so visible. Meaning, most Americans view the Gen X'ers as apathetic and not getting involved with the process and the system, whereas research shows this very same group is actually quite involved - especially in volunteerism and community service. Most Gen X'ers are watching out for themselves nowadays and do not have much faith in the notion of the government helping them when they are ready to retire. So most Gen X'ers are preparing their own retirement security by investing in stocks, getting Roth IRA's, etc....Bagby's book is a very interesting, intellectually stimulating and inspiring book. It is not a boring, preaching book, telling Gen X'ers what they need to do in order to make a difference in our system - quite the contrary, it inspires us to realize what a challenging task we have at hand and what the ramifications are if we choose not to be involved by voting.....A great book!