The Land of Flickering Lights

Restoring America in an Age of Broken Politics

By: Michael Bennet

Narrated by: Michael Bennet

The Land of Flickering Lights is a unique contribution to American political writing at this or any other time. Democratic Senator Michael Bennet from Colorado lifts a veil on Congress to reveal, in his words, "through a series of actual stories - about the people, the politics, the motives, the money, the hypocrisy, the stakes, the outcome - the pathological culture of the capitol and the consequences for us all."

Bennet eloquently chronicles the dramatic full stories behind five debates and decisions crucial to all Americans: the highly politicized nominations and appointments of judges at all levels; the recent tax cut that massively increased our debt and financial inequality across the country; the shredding of the Iran nuclear deal that undermined our longstanding bipartisan approach to foreign policy; the corruption caused by money in politics and why it has caused inaction on climate change and much else; and the ugly sabotage by a minority of the "Gang of Eight's" bi-partisan plan to reform our immigration policies, which would have resolved all the issues we currently face.

By revealing how these decisions were truly made, Bennet sheds vital new light on each of these five crucial events and what Americans have lost in the process, illuminating how and why our government is at loggerheads today.

©2019 Michael Bennet (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

A must read for every voter.

Balanced and informative, nevertheless Senator Bennett's urgency comes through cogently. I highly recommend this book for every regular voter.

Michael Bennet is someone to watch

I loved the message, the intelligence, and the compassion. I just I wish he would have read it a little slower.

Keen observation on the state of our Republic in 2020

The depth and breadth of Senator Bennett’s perspective is heartening in our current environment. While he clearly articulated the frightening chasm we tread along he acknowledges foundational American characters and beliefs to chart a path for the healing and survival of our nation.

A ‘Must Read’ by everyone who wants to ‘Make America Better’.

Senator Bennet articulately and with supporting research tells us how we got to our current divisiveness, how this impacts on our individual and collective wellbeing, and what actions we must take to correct. A must read by every leader, corporate and political - in fact by every caring citizen.
Our world does not get better because we want it to. It gets better because we do.

#Bennet2020

I couldn’t stop listening. Will listen again. His intellectual depth and empathy for the human condition makes him a much needed voice in our divided politics. Every citizen looking for a ray of hope in this difficult time in our nation’s history should read this book. Put Michael Bennet in the center of the stage for the DNC debates and regain the moral and moderate center of the American populace.

Great summary on Congress the past decade

Fantastic summary on what Congress has done and what has not been done. The book is extremely fair to the other side of the aisle, is forward thinking, and is a good read for anyone who wishes to see our government to be working effectively.

The book is deeply critical of Mitch McConnell, fair to President Bush (even if critical) and explains the Tea Party takeover over Congress and the subsequent rise of Donald Trump.

Solutions are offered up... mostly for Americans to have a renewed sense of shared destiny and civic responsibility and engagement.

The failed 2013 Senate Immigration bill is highlighted in this book and its quiet death in John Boehner's House. You would think the Speaker wished he had put that on the floor given the rise of Trump.

Senator Bennet may not get my vote... but he wrote a solid book on where we've been, where we are, and asks us where we are going, as a nation.

The wisdom of a man committed to our ideals

Michael Bennet gives an engaging and thoughtful voice to his words. He is persuasive in his arguments, but weighs his beliefs with facts and sound judgments. His book is important because it reflects his passion for nurturing the injury of our times back to health. He is not just making speeches here or progressive pronouncements. Listen to what he is saying. When reason does not prevail, the end is nigh. He is not preaching to the converted, he is sounding a call to responsibility, to be a founder, to cultivate the equality and freedom that persist in the American ideal.
Don't simply listen to this book, LISTEN to this book.

Hope.

This book strengthened my hope that politicians can find unity and help move the country forward together.