Ronald Gruner recently wrote We The Presidents: How a Century of Presidents from Harding to Trump Forged Today’s America. A newly released edition commemorates the 250th Anniversary of American Independence. Both books have received critical acclaim from people who take presidential history seriously. Learn more about why he undertook these massive projects. Barbara Lloyd McMichael writes about education, acknowledging that throughout much of this nation’s history, access to schooling has been predicated on gender and race. And yet, it’s important to acknowledge the strides we’ve made over the last 250 years. In John de Graaf’s latest film Econoclast, he has captured the life and work of ecological economist Herman Daly.Happy September! –Patricia Vaccarino
Ronald Gruner: An American Story by Patricia Vaccarino Ronald Gruner had been successful in business for decades and was known for his innovation. He hasn’t always been an author, nor is he an historian or well connected in academia. How he came to write both versions of We The Presidents is a circuitous journey of his own design.
Book Review: We The Presidents 250th American Anniversary Edition Ronald Gruner shows us that there are many forces that shape a presidency. Some have less to do with the president and more to do with larger-than-life-size events taking place in real time. This is an important book and should be lauded for its ability to have captured the challenges faced by every American president. How each president responds to crisis is the litmus test that defines his character and his presidency. –Patricia Vaccarino
The history of American education – out of sight, out of mind? by Barbara Lloyd McMichael Over 54 million kids in the United States are heading back to school in the United States this month. From the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School to the Blackwell School, factors such as socioeconomic level, cultural hegemony, and immigration status have had a significant bearing on differences in educational opportunities for school-aged children living in America.
Premiere of Econoclast on September 22!! Documentary filmmaker John de Graaf has captured Herman Daly’s life and his span of influence that has transcended time and traveled around the globe. de Graaf shows us why Daly is heralded as the father of ecological economics. Econoclast premieres in Minnesota on September 22! Please check the Eoncoclast.film website to check for a screening opportunity near you!
Educating the Next Generation of Compassionate Healthcare Leaders by Gregory Gallivan If we want to fix America’s healthcare crisis, we have to stop pretending the repair begins in hospitals or insurance markets. The foundation of a healthier nation begins in our schools.
Is Canada Ripping Off America? by Ronald Gruner It’s easy to discount President Trump’s rhetoric as bluster; Trump has often claimed nations, large and small, are abusing the United States. Certainly, the President has never explained how the U.S. is spending $200 billion a year to subsidize Canada. However, President Trump has been right at times, particularly when he claimed NATO countries were underspending on defense. Is the president right about Canada?
Who is responsible for America’s $40 Trillion Debt? by Nick J. Licata The parties feud over who is responsible for our current debt. The Republicans issued a statement through the House Budget Committee accusing “Bidenflation” of causing Americans to feel the pain of higher prices at the grocery store or at the pump over the last four years, without mentioning that about half that time President Donald J. Trump was in office. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on Bloomberg TV and put it bluntly: “People are drowning in this failed Trump economy.”What is the truth about America’s $40 Trillion Debt?
Will We Care Enough to Vote by Annie Searle There is significant and widespread destabilization in this country, as Trump plays with the military and our cultural institutions. The midterm elections offer an opportunity to strengthen Congressional checks and balances on Trump. He is currently back at the Supreme Court arguing on behalf of a range of restrictions on mail in ballots.
Roundup: Ronald Gruner’s top picks for September Below are four books, and four different perspectives that Ronald Gruner recommends for serious history lovers:
My Years with General Motors by Alfred Sloan
https://www.amazon.com/Years-General-Motors-Alfred-Sloan/dp/0385042353/
Inside the Third Reich by Albert Speer
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Third-Reich-Albert-Speer/dp/0684829495
Eisenhower: The White House Years by Jim Newton
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J4X9YC
No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin
https://www.amazon.com/No-Ordinary-Time-Franklin-Roosevelt/dp/0684804484/