
Local Politics Matters
A Citizen’s Guide to Making a Difference
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Doug Cooper
About this listen
It feels like politics counts more today than it ever has. At the same time, people are frustrated by “the mess in Washington” or think “I can’t make a difference”. Local Politics Matters shows a way out: a chance for everyday people to feed their hunger for political action while having a positive impact. Richard Meagher, a professor of political science, takes the knowledge that scholars have gathered from half a century of studying local politics, and translates it into clear action steps for citizens. In a time where people are seeing how important their state and local governments are on matters of policing, public health, and housing, Local Politics Matters is a book for listeners who want to make a difference. Local Politics Matters:
- Explains local government. There are over 90,000 local governments in America. Do you have a “strong-mayor” or “council-mayor” system of government? Who sits on your “board of supervisors”? What the heck is a “selectman”?!
- Shows why you should care. Local politics offers access - officials are literally the people in your neighborhood - and impact: you can make a difference.
- Lays out what to do. In local politics, sometimes there are right answers. The book explores six issues where only one path makes sense, and then follows up with specific steps to get involved.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Nation City
- Why Mayors Are Now Running the World
- By: Rahm Emanuel
- Narrated by: Rahm Emanuel, Johnathan McClain
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Nation City, Rahm Emanuel, former two-term mayor of Chicago and White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama, offers a firsthand account of how cities, rather than the federal government, stand at the center of innovation and effective governance. Drawing on his own experiences in Chicago, and on his relationships with other mayors around America, Emanuel provides dozens of examples to show how cities are improving education, infrastructure, job conditions, and environmental policy at a local level.
-
-
Maybe we should rethink the tax struture
- By Jean on 03-28-20
By: Rahm Emanuel
-
How to Run for Local Office
- 10 Steps to Run a Successful Campaign for Local Office
- By: HowExpert Press, Michael Cole
- Narrated by: J. William Lee
- Length: 1 hr and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the book How to Run for Local Office, you will learn insider tricks from 20-plus-year political veteran Michael Cole. He brings to you step-by-step instructions on how to look with a critical eye of the expert in planning, launching, and executing a successful bid for local office. As Michael says in his book, elected office is for everyone that has a passion for public service, the secrets on how to run should not be hidden away for a few insiders, but for anyone with the drive and determination to do it.
-
-
Dry and boring
- By Anonymous User on 08-23-18
By: HowExpert Press, and others
-
A People's History of the United States
- By: Howard Zinn
- Narrated by: Jeff Zinn
- Length: 34 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For much of his life, historian Howard Zinn chronicled American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version taught in schools - with its emphasis on great men in high places - to focus on the street, the home, and the workplace. Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's History of the United States is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of - and in the words of - America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers.
-
-
Amateur hour in the production booth
- By Thomas on 11-09-10
By: Howard Zinn
-
The Color of Law
- A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
- By: Richard Rothstein
- Narrated by: Adam Grupper
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this groundbreaking history of the modern American metropolis, Richard Rothstein explodes the myth that America's cities came to be racially divided through de facto segregation - that is, through individual prejudices, income differences, or the actions of private institutions like banks and real estate agencies. Rather, he incontrovertibly makes clear that it was de jure segregation - the laws and policy decisions passed by local, state, and federal governments - that actually promoted the discriminatory patterns that continue to this day.
-
-
Better suited to print than audio
- By ProfGolf on 02-04-18
-
Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- By: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
-
-
Same Material Different Title
- By rkeinc on 09-21-14
By: Steven Novella, and others
-
A Millennial's Guide to Running for Office
- How to Get Elected Without Kissing the Ring
- By: Henry Bouchot
- Narrated by: Henry Bouchot
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A political newcomer, Henry Bouchot, shocked the political establishment in Richard Nixon’s hometown of Whittier, California, defeating a nine-term incumbent to become the youngest member in the history of the Whittier City Council in 2018. In A Millennial’s Guide, Henry shows how he harnessed his business education and experience in the Marines to create an unbeatable campaign. He goes beyond just the nuts and bolts of campaigning and describes how to make running both an unforgettable experience and an unstoppable one.
-
-
Great advice
- By Nicholas Cannon on 06-23-24
By: Henry Bouchot
-
The Nation City
- Why Mayors Are Now Running the World
- By: Rahm Emanuel
- Narrated by: Rahm Emanuel, Johnathan McClain
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Nation City, Rahm Emanuel, former two-term mayor of Chicago and White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama, offers a firsthand account of how cities, rather than the federal government, stand at the center of innovation and effective governance. Drawing on his own experiences in Chicago, and on his relationships with other mayors around America, Emanuel provides dozens of examples to show how cities are improving education, infrastructure, job conditions, and environmental policy at a local level.
-
-
Maybe we should rethink the tax struture
- By Jean on 03-28-20
By: Rahm Emanuel
-
How to Run for Local Office
- 10 Steps to Run a Successful Campaign for Local Office
- By: HowExpert Press, Michael Cole
- Narrated by: J. William Lee
- Length: 1 hr and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the book How to Run for Local Office, you will learn insider tricks from 20-plus-year political veteran Michael Cole. He brings to you step-by-step instructions on how to look with a critical eye of the expert in planning, launching, and executing a successful bid for local office. As Michael says in his book, elected office is for everyone that has a passion for public service, the secrets on how to run should not be hidden away for a few insiders, but for anyone with the drive and determination to do it.
-
-
Dry and boring
- By Anonymous User on 08-23-18
By: HowExpert Press, and others
-
A People's History of the United States
- By: Howard Zinn
- Narrated by: Jeff Zinn
- Length: 34 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For much of his life, historian Howard Zinn chronicled American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version taught in schools - with its emphasis on great men in high places - to focus on the street, the home, and the workplace. Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's History of the United States is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of - and in the words of - America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers.
-
-
Amateur hour in the production booth
- By Thomas on 11-09-10
By: Howard Zinn
-
The Color of Law
- A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
- By: Richard Rothstein
- Narrated by: Adam Grupper
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this groundbreaking history of the modern American metropolis, Richard Rothstein explodes the myth that America's cities came to be racially divided through de facto segregation - that is, through individual prejudices, income differences, or the actions of private institutions like banks and real estate agencies. Rather, he incontrovertibly makes clear that it was de jure segregation - the laws and policy decisions passed by local, state, and federal governments - that actually promoted the discriminatory patterns that continue to this day.
-
-
Better suited to print than audio
- By ProfGolf on 02-04-18
-
Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- By: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
-
-
Same Material Different Title
- By rkeinc on 09-21-14
By: Steven Novella, and others
-
A Millennial's Guide to Running for Office
- How to Get Elected Without Kissing the Ring
- By: Henry Bouchot
- Narrated by: Henry Bouchot
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A political newcomer, Henry Bouchot, shocked the political establishment in Richard Nixon’s hometown of Whittier, California, defeating a nine-term incumbent to become the youngest member in the history of the Whittier City Council in 2018. In A Millennial’s Guide, Henry shows how he harnessed his business education and experience in the Marines to create an unbeatable campaign. He goes beyond just the nuts and bolts of campaigning and describes how to make running both an unforgettable experience and an unstoppable one.
-
-
Great advice
- By Nicholas Cannon on 06-23-24
By: Henry Bouchot
-
Decolonizing Wealth (Second Edition)
- Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance
- By: Edgar Villanueva
- Narrated by: Edgar Villanueva
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The world is out of balance. With increasing frequency, we are presented with the inescapable truth that systemic racism and colonial structures are foundational principles to our economies. The $1 trillion philanthropic industry is one example of a system that mirrors oppressive colonial behavior. It’s an industry whose name means “the love for humankind”, yet it does more harm than good.
-
-
The most important book for white people to read
- By Leandro Lopes on 05-06-24
By: Edgar Villanueva
-
The Great Reset
- Joe Biden and the Rise of Twenty-First-Century Fascism
- By: Glenn Beck, Justin Trask Haskins
- Narrated by: Glenn Beck
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An international conspiracy among powerful bankers, business leaders, and government officials; closed-door meetings in the Swiss Alps; and calls for a radical transformation of every society on earth - the Great Reset sounds like it is one henchman-with-an-eyepatch away from being the plot for the next James Bond movie. But The Great Reset is not a work of fiction. It is a highly influential movement among the world’s elite to “reset” the global economy using banks, government programs, and environmental, social, and governance metrics.
-
-
Where Do We Go From Here?
- By David on 02-04-22
By: Glenn Beck, and others
-
Arguing with Socialists
- By: Glenn Beck
- Narrated by: Glenn Beck, Jeremy Lowell
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Arguing with Socialists, New York Times best-selling author Glenn Beck arms listeners to the teeth with information necessary to debunk the socialist arguments that have once again become popular, and proves that the free market is the only way to go. With his trademark humor, Beck lampoons the resurgence of this bankrupt leftist philosophy with thousands of stories, facts, and arguments for anyone who is willing to ask the hard questions.
-
-
Its great...whatever
- By Jon on 04-08-20
By: Glenn Beck
-
It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism
- By: Senator Bernie Sanders, John Nichols
- Narrated by: Senator Bernie Sanders
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s OK to be angry about capitalism. Reflecting on our turbulent times, Senator Bernie Sanders takes on the billionaire class and speaks blunt truths about our country’s failure to address the destructive nature of a system that is fueled by uncontrolled greed and rigidly committed to prioritizing corporate profits over the needs of ordinary Americans.
-
-
A true and unbiased understanding of politics today
- By Sassy monster on 02-21-23
By: Senator Bernie Sanders, and others
-
Democracy in Chains
- The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America
- By: Nancy MacLean
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Behind today's headlines of billionaires taking over our government is a secretive political establishment with long, deep, and troubling roots. The capitalist radical right has been working not simply to change who rules but to fundamentally alter the rules of democratic governance. But billionaires did not launch this movement; a white intellectual in the embattled Jim Crow South did.
-
-
A must read if you believe in democracy
- By H. L. Nelson on 10-11-17
By: Nancy MacLean
-
Our Revolution
- A Future to Believe In
- By: Bernie Sanders
- Narrated by: Bernie Sanders, Mark Ruffalo
- Length: 18 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Bernie Sanders began his race for the presidency, it was considered by the political establishment and the media to be a "fringe" campaign, something not to be taken seriously. After all, he was just an independent senator from a small state with little name recognition. His campaign had no money, no political organization, and it was taking on the entire Democratic Party establishment. By the time Sanders' campaign came to a close, however, it was clear that the pundits had gotten it wrong.
-
-
It's our future.
- By Dan on 11-15-16
By: Bernie Sanders
-
Breaking Through Power
- It's Easier Than We Think
- By: Ralph Nader
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Breaking Through Power, Ralph Nader draws from a lifetime waging - and often winning - David vs. Goliath battles against big corporations and the US government.
-
-
Ralph explains Power & Plutocracy
- By Sleeper on 01-18-19
By: Ralph Nader
-
Libertarianism
- A Primer
- By: David Boaz
- Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Boaz presents the essential guidebook to the libertarian perspective, detailing its roots, central tenets, solutions to contemporary policy dilemmas, and future in American politics. He confronts head-on the tough questions frequently posed to libertarians: What about inequality? Who protects the environment? What ties people together if they are essentially self-interested?
-
-
Clear, in-depth analysis
- By Dennis on 04-28-04
By: David Boaz
-
The Socialist Temptation
- By: Iain Murray
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Just 30 years ago, socialism seemed utterly discredited. An economic, moral, and political failure, socialism had rightly been thrown on the ash heap of history after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Unfortunately, bad ideas never truly go away — and socialism has come back with a vengeance. A generation of young people who don’t remember the misery that socialism inflicted on Russia and Eastern Europe is embracing it all over again.
-
-
Full Of Important Insights
- By Ralph Alderson on 12-17-20
By: Iain Murray
-
Trump's America
- By: Michael Giorgione
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one understands the "Make America Great Again" effort with more insight and more experience than former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. In Trump's America: The Truth About Our Nation's Great Comeback, Gingrich describes our country's tremendous turnaround under President Donald Trump's leadership - and confronts the desperate efforts by the elites in academia, the media, and the Washington establishment to undermine and distort his achievements.
-
-
Interesting perspective, observations
- By William on 06-28-18
-
Bigger Than Bernie
- How We Go from the Sanders Campaign to Democratic Socialism
- By: Micah Uetricht, Meagan Day
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bernie Sanders' 2016 candidacy expanded the scope of political possibility in the United States, putting socialism and class politics back on the map. His radical campaign - not just for the Democratic presidential candidacy but against "the billionaire class" - helped catalyze other transformative left-wing politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to seek and win office, just as he inspired teachers from West Virginia to Los Angeles to win hard-fought, historic strike campaigns. Sanders has, in short, helped cohere a new movement in American politics.
By: Micah Uetricht, and others
-
Positive Populism
- Revolutionary Ideas to Rebuild Economic Security, Family, and Community in America
- By: Steve Hilton
- Narrated by: Steve Hilton
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fox News host and former government insider Steve Hilton shows how populism can be a positive force for improving lives, with revolutionary ideas to restore the economic security that working Americans once took for granted and rebuild the ties of family, community, and nation that have been ripped apart by decades of policies that favored big government, big business, and the powerful.
-
-
Steve Hilton I want a refund!
- By fittiger on 07-05-19
By: Steve Hilton
What listeners say about Local Politics Matters
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 03-23-25
Tactical overview to introduce local government
Clear summary of why local government matters and tactical steps you can take to get involved
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!