CHANGING SOURCES OF POWER: American Politics in the 1970's

by Frederick G. Dutton ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1971

All hail to the ""new elements"" in politics -- the postwar baby boom with its somewhat nebulous and mercurial assets: ""still-unfathomable energy, growth, imagination, and time."" Dutton predicts their ultimate triumph over the ""votes, money, experience and guns"" of Nixonian America. Specific policies and public figures are less important than the inexorable ""historical forces,"" which like John Brown's soul, keep marching on -- not on the Right or Left but in the mainstream where Dutton himself cheerfully flounders about. Undismayed by Harris polls which show that the under-30 generation votes much like its parents, Dutton is enthralled with the new breed, a marvelous amalgam of ""the New Deal liberal (without his economic determinism), Barry Goldwater (without his Air Force proclivities), and Henry Thoreau (without his recluse side""). Just how the balance of politics is to be shifted from ""the stomach and pocket book"" to the ""psyche"" and ""perhaps sooner or later even to the soul"" is unclear, as is the nature of the ""grisly national showdown"" which may be looming. What is clear is that Dutton, a former special assistant to JFK, wants the New Frontier back again. Surely ""historical forces"" will bring it around in the distant but not-too-distant, sweet bye and bye.

Pub Date: June 1, 1971

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1971

Categories: NONFICTION