“What Sex is a Republican?” by Terri McCormick
Product Description(Amazon.com)

What Sex Is a Republican? takes a look at the political game from behind the curtain with one intention; to call on each of us to serve in our local, state and federal governments. The principles of republican government have been lost on the money changers in our state and national capitols.

There is only one way to change that — We the people must take responsibility for what our government has become while we weren’t looking. As he left Liberty Hall upon signing the Constitution of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was asked, “What kind of government did you give us?” Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it!”

Let’s keep it together, shall we?

What Sex Is a Republican? presents a case for courage by a lawmaker who is uniquely qualified to do so. The author, Terri McCormick is a former legislator and congressional candidate who is a woman. According to her friends and foes alike, “Terri has been battle tested in state and federal politics.” An advocate for political and government reform and change, former Representative Terri McCormick has proven time and again that “ideas” trump “career politicians” and their trysts and turns.

MY THOUGHTS: Do you vote? Do you grumble and moan after the elections? Did the person you voted for get elected? Do you know their track record? These are questions you should ask yourself at election time. Because if you don’t like the outcome, then do something about it. This book gives you lots of info about the way our political system works. And what’s wrong with it! If you want to know just read this book. Terri McCormick tells you all the in’s and out’s of the system, who is who and what is what. This is a very interesting book. I would highly recommend this book is you want to find out how the system works. Terri McCormick doesn’t hold anything back, she tells it all.

Book Review originally published by SherriesBooks.Blogspot.com

Perhaps Terri McCormick didn’t have those who became politically attuned thanks to their local TEA Parties in mind when she started to write her book, but it comes at an opportune time for those who would like to expand their newly-minted political involvement into a bid for seeking elective office.

While TEA Parties weren’t being contemplated yet in the early 1990’s, Terri McCormick was leading a grassroots effort of her own. After becoming involved in her children’s school, Terri worked for change within the system but was stymied by the powerful teacher’s unions. She was forced to build a broad coalition and take her fight to the statewide level – through her leadership the state’s legislature finally adopted the necessary reforms and allowed the formation of charter schools.

At times, What Sex Is A Republican? does read like a how-to textbook for would-be politicians, including a short summary of bullet points after each chapter. It’s a method of giving some of the nuts-and-bolts of campaigning from a woman who has been there: after spearheading the drive leading to charter schools and educational reform in Wisconsin, Terri McCormick ran for and won a seat in Wisconsin’s state legislature in 2000.

But even more telling in the story is McCormick’s heavy emphasis on the political gamesmanship once a candidate wins office and arrives ready to serve constituents. Her book talks at length about the treatment she encountered while in the Wisconsin House, couching the dealing and backbiting she witnessed in Machiavellian terms.

And while she decries the “vertical silo” of radical partisanship exhibited by many in both parties, her most bitter venom comes at the expense of what Terri calls “front row politicians,” the party leadership which controls how the legislative game is played. Those who have that sort of political power determine which bills are moved, which amendments are added, and even select the staffers who work with their inferiors, who are relegated to the back benches.

Yet the political shenanigans didn’t stop there. In 2006 McCormick opted to leave the Wisconsin legislature to make a bid for Congress, only to find out after she’d made the decision that she was not the “chosen” candidate in the race and that Beltway Republicans had already decided to back her opponent. Terri noted during a campaign appearance afterward that, “I am running for the Eighth Congressional District against George W. Bush.”

In writing What Sex Is A Republican?, Terri McCormick manages to reinforce practically every stereotype of the person we’ve come to expect as a career politician: arrogant, vainglorious among his peers, and exhibiting an insatiable lust for power. Sadly, she also correctly points out that most regular folks are drummed out of the political business because they just have too many morals to get along in such a system.

Still, McCormick obviously believes that, despite its faults, there is a place for good people in our political system. Moreover, she feels that, with the assistance of a populist campaign built upward from the grassroots, it is possible for people who want to be there for the right reasons to run and win despite today’s political climate. While her book could have been tightened up a little bit, Terri McCormick’s case for convincing a would-be candidate he or she can make a difference is strong and those who aspire to political office, particularly women, may well find this a helpful guide to read and follow.

Perhaps Terri McCormick didn’t have those who became politically attuned thanks to their local TEA Parties in mind when she started to write her book, but it comes at an opportune time for those who would like to expand their newly-minted political involvement into a bid for seeking elective office.

Book review originally published at http://monoblogue.us

What Sex Is a Republican?: Stories from the Front Lines in American Politics and How You Can Change the Way Things Are

Product Description
What Sex Is a Republican? takes a look at the political game from behind the curtain with one intention; to call on each of us to serve in our local, state and federal governments. The principles of republican government have been lost on the money changers in our state and national capitols.

There is only one way to change that — We the people must take responsibility for what our government has become while we weren’t looking. As he left Liberty Hall upon signing the Constitution of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was asked, “What kind of government did you give us?” Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it!”

Let’s keep it together, shall we?

What Sex Is a Republican? presents a case for courage by a lawmaker who is uniquely qualified to do so. The author, Terri McCormick is a former legislator and congressional candidate who is a woman. According to her friends and foes alike, “Terri has been battle tested in state and federal politics.” An advocate for political and government reform and change, former Representative Terri McCormick has proven time and again that “ideas” trump “career politicians” and their trysts and turns.

Read more about this and see other reviews here: What Sex Is a Republican?: Stories from the Front Lines in American Politics and How You Can Change the Way Things Are

What Sex is a Republican? Ask Terri McCormick – If You are Thinking About Running for Office, You Need to Read this Book First

You know, the title of the book is attention getting to be sure, but the contents are just as interesting. Terri McCormick, a former state legislator from Wisconsin gives you a look inside what its like to try to run for and hold office in America. “What Sex is a Republican?” takes you on a short but detailed look into the ins and outs of state and national politics that few other books ever will. Even if you are not running for office, this book gives insight into just how hard or confusing navigating the political waterways can be, on either side of the isle. It also shows why it is so hard to get anything accomplished, moving a massive political machine is not an easy task.

Terri is a grassroots type of politician, she believes in campaigning one on one, she explains that no matter what your budget may be for television or radio ads, meeting the people, shaking hands and talking with them is the number one way to get their vote. She laid out the approximate costs related to running for office, that alone may be an eye opener for many people who have no idea how much money a candidate must raise to just be competitive in today’s world. She also goes into detail on how running head on into a parties establishment can end up having your political career cut short for you. Terri was in the state legislature for six years and ran for a US congressional seat, which as she found out brought on a entirely new level of inside the game maneuvering. It seems she had the nerve to think she was really elected to serve her constituents. What a novel concept. She was a reformer and a grassroots politician who rattled the cages of the party leadership and when she stepped out to run for national office they pulled the rug out from under her rather abruptly. “What Sex is a Republican?”, takes you places very few others will even talk about, backroom deals and doing favors so you get a favor somewhere down the road all come into play.

This book really does fit in very well with whats happening inside our nation today. Look at the party line votes on health care, a bill that by all rights should never have passed, yet it did. It did because too few Democrats had the courage to express their independence from their leadership, something that McCormick never seemed to have a problem with. When you are done reading this book you will be struck by and remember a few things. First, the entire concept of what she is talking about, representing people and ideas, looking out for the citizens who you represent and being responsible for your votes, is a concept that we find in the Tea Party groups. The terms “grassroots politics” and “astro-turf” get tossed around a lot these days, in her book she makes it clear that you should run because you have ideas, not a desire for power.  Terri made it obvious she got into office and upset people, some in her own party, but she always believed she was doing the right thing. As she expresses throughout the book, you have to face yourself the next day. There are true hero’s in politics and Terri had one that left a lasting impression on her, he helped her when she and her family really needed it. That left an impression on her that she never lost and its an impression she passes along to her readers.

As I said when I started out, if you are considering running for any office, you need to read this book. She lays out everything from advertising strategies and costs to asking yourself why your running in the first place. One thing that stuck out was a section of the book where she lists everything you should have when running for office in a checklist form, one item in particular jumped up. She said to make sure you have a copy of a book written by Winston Churchill, because you would need the courage.  True, but you might want to get a copy of hers as well, it provides information and provokes thought as well as providing a little courage on its own. You can find her book on Amazon and it is put out by Capitol Press, buy a copy, its a good read.

Book review originally published at StandByLiberty.org