Donald F. Kettl – författare

LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES BEHIND ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PRESIDENTS IN HISTORY

How the Commander-in-Chief commands

George W. Bush has surprised even his harshest critics with his leadership talents and discipline. As this country''s first MBA president, Bush formed his unique leadership style managing businesses, not government offices. Team Bush is the first book to explore these unique methods and tactics he has employed to become one of the nation''s most popular commanders in chief in recent history.

From "hiring" the most diverse and effective cabinets in history, to dealing with the crisis and war sparked by the events of September 11th, this compelling leadership book takes readers into the mind and methods of America''s 43rd president, and shows managers how these methods can be used to boost productivity in their own organizations.

This fast-paced book pulls no punches as it showcases President Bush''s successes and strengths while detailing his mistakes and weaknesses. Focusing on the actual events and outcomes of Bush''s first two years in office, it discusses:

Why federalism is pulling America apart—and how the system can be reformedFederalism was James Madison''s great invention. An innovative system of power sharing that balanced national and state interests, federalism was the pragmatic compromise that brought the colonies together to form the United States. Yet, even beyond the question of slavery, inequality was built into the system because federalism by its very nature meant that many aspects of an American''s life depended on where they lived. Over time, these inequalities have created vast divisions between the states and made federalism fundamentally unstable. In The Divided States of America, Donald Kettl chronicles the history of a political system that once united the nation—and now threatens to break it apart.Exploring the full sweep of federalism from the founding to today, Kettl focuses on pivotal moments when power has shifted between state and national governments—from the violent rebalancing of the Civil War, when the nation almost split in two, to the era of civil rights a century later, when there was apparent agreement that inequality was a threat to liberty and the federal government should set policies for states to enact. Despite this consensus, inequality between states has only deepened since that moment. From health care and infrastructure to education and the environment, the quality of public services is ever more uneven. Having revealed the shortcomings of Madison''s marvel, Kettl points to possible solutions in the writings of another founder: Alexander Hamilton.Making an urgent case for reforming federalism, The Divided States of America shows why we must—and how we can—address the crisis of American inequality.