We Can All Do Better

By: Bill Bradley

Narrated by: Peter Ganim, Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley is arguably one of the most well-versed public figures of our time. The 18-year New Jersey Senator, financial and investment adviser, Olympic and NBA athlete, national radio host, and best-selling author has lived in the United States as both political insider and outsider, national sports celebrity and behind-the-scenes confidante, leader and teammate. His varied experiences help to inform his unique and much-sought-after point of view on Washington and the country at large.

In We Can All Do Better, for the first time since the financial meltdown and since the worst of the intensifying political gridlock, Bradley offers his own concise, powerful, and highly personal review of the state of the nation. Bradley argues that government is not the problem. He criticizes the role of money and politics, explains how continuing on our existing foreign policy, electoral, and economic paths will mean a diminished future, and lays out exactly what needs to be done to reverse course. Breaking from the intransigent, long-held viewpoints of both political parties, and with careful attention to our nation’s history, Bradley passionately lays out his narrative. He offers a no-holds-barred prescription on subjects including job creation, deficit reduction, education, and immigration. While equally critical of the approaches of the Tea Party and Occupy movements, he champions the power of individual Americans to organize, speak out, bridge divisions, and he calls on the media to assume a more responsible role in our national life.

As this moving call to arms reminds us, we can all—elected officials, private citizens, presidents—do a better job of moving our country forward. Bradley is perhaps the best guide imaginable, with his firsthand knowledge of governments' inner-workings, the country’s diversity, and the untapped potential of the American people.

©2012 Bill Bradley (P)2012 Audible, Inc

Critic reviews

"Bill Bradley is gone from the NBA and Senate but in this timely book he reminds us that the demands of citizenship never stop— and he offers a plan to get America back in the game." (Tom Brokaw)

"For all of us who care about the renewal of our country and the revitalization of our politics, this extraordinary book provides an indispensable guide. Bradley speaks with unusual clarity, candor, insight and passion about the problems we face and the road we can take to move forward. This book should be widely read." (Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and presidential historian)

"Bill Bradley’s We Can All Do Better is a clarion call to Americans of every political stripe and walk of life to stand up and demand of themselves and of their leaders the fair play, idealism, discipline and optimism that made America a beacon for the world. This thoughtful book deserves wide attention." (Henry Kissinger)

A generally balanced view of the things in the US

Would you consider the audio edition of We Can All Do Better to be better than the print version?

Did not read the print version but this version was excellent

What did you like best about this story?

A generally balanced view of what is wrong with our wonderful democracy. Well considered and presented in such a way that a republican can read it and understand the democratic view and vice versa.

Which character – as performed by Peter Ganim and Bill Bradley – was your favorite?

The author

In Defense of American Liberalism

Bradley a rationale logical case for American Liberalism - something sorely missing from the 2016 Election campaign. Highly recommend for those looking to see how American capitalism can be preserved without the drastic changes outside constitutional and historical order.

Enjoyable

The book was very interesting and informative. I wish politicians could speak like this while they are still in office.

Today and History no BS

If you could sum up We Can All Do Better in three words, what would they be?

Demonstrate how we can get back on right path to greatness if we work together.

What did you like best about this story?

Positive view and demonstrates how we can get back on the right path by looking at our own past and apply that to our future.

What about Peter Ganim and Bill Bradley ’s performance did you like?

The performance was good could have had more drive and energy.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Made me cry but also gave optimistic view in the future. I can't wait for things to become positive.

Any additional comments?

I like the historic facts that can point to a positive future. More facts and less blind beliefs.

Breaking out of the new normal

Bradley shares his advise on how politics and society can be done differently rather than settling for the new normal. His years on the hill gives the read an I testing perspective.

Dully written and read

Would you try another book from Bill Bradley and/or Peter Ganim and Bill Bradley ?

Too left leaning. I was especially turned off by remarks about race, when we are perhaps the least racist country in the world.

Has We Can All Do Better turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not at all. Just read a very good one, HOW EVIL WORKS.

Would you be willing to try another one of Peter Ganim and Bill Bradley ’s performances?

Neither

Just "eh"

I feel pretty "eh" about this book. I had actually never heard of this ex- basketball star slash Senator before. There was some interesting history about how policies and the state of affairs has evolved over our country's life, but sometimes he would just go on and on about financial markets and bad debt or something in a way that let my attention wander, to say the least.

I could see what he was getting at overall, and I agree with some of the goals and reforms he suggests are necessary (taxes), but we have some different ideas as to how. He spent a while in a later chapter talking about how the political climate has more polarized since his time of service and how politics has become more combative and how collaboration is endangered on the Hill if not extinct. This I could tell you just from my knowledge of politics during my lifetime, not surprising.

I was amused at some of the characterizations he used to illustrate the different platforms / ideologies of the two major parties. I cracked up when he made the claim that logical and fact-based arguments were at the core of Democrats' speech whereas Republicans use the language of emotion and conviction. In the twenty or so years that I have tuned in to such things, I have nearly always found it to be just the opposite.

However, he hit the nail on the head when he said the liberal mentality is one of communal caring, and conservatives are all about individual responsibility. And that distinction exactly describes the difference between what he and I think. But beliefs aside, his aims I think are in the right direction. Gotta fix taxes, get out of the "nation-building" business, and prepare for the next battles being fought economically and technologically. And I was interested, though skeptical, about the practicability of some of the third-party things he discussed.

Unfortunately, the narration was sub-par. Bradley narrated the intro and conclusion himself, which was fine (I can't criticize him, though I just didn't care for the sound of his voice), but the pro who did the middle five and a half hours or so was just not up to my standards. He droned on, and had no variety whatsoever in his intonation - just used the same prosody line after line, whether appropriate or not - it made it hard to keep focused, because his reading just didn't keep my interest or attention. At one point I even imagined the Peanuts' teacher...

I only got this cause it was on sale, and I think I'm returning it, as I feel no real desire to even rewind to listen to the bits that I nodded off for...