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POLITICS by Jim Nowlan

POLITICS

The Starter Kit: How to Succeed in Politics and Government

by Jim Nowlan

Pub Date: June 21st, 2023
ISBN: 979-8823010191
Publisher: AuthorHouse

A starter kit offers advice for novices looking to enter the world of politics.

Nowlan has enjoyed a long and diverse career in politics—in 1968, at the precocious age of 26, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. Since then, he’s tried his hand at various jobs, including campaign manager, lobbyist, newspaper journalist, and college professor. In this slim volume—under 70 pages—the author aims to provide a basic introduction to the American political cosmos “for persons new to politics and government, or who are interested in becoming involved.” Nowlan clearly shares his considerable experience—he discusses the best entry points into politics for newbies, the general structure of political campaigns, and the path to becoming a successful lawmaker. In addition, he includes a discussion of lobbying that captures the informally anecdotal nature of his writing, which is both collegial and lightsomely self-effacing: “I was a terrible lobbyist. The game is not for everyone.” Nowlan’s book radiates an impressive depth of experience, and is brimming with sparkling aperçus. For example, he notes that given the diminishing power of political parties, candidates are desperate for volunteers, making this a uniquely fruitful time for young people to enter the fray. But the volume indulges in some banalities as well. When discussing the importance of ethics in politics, the author presents readers with an anodyne test of self-interest: “Think! Is there any dimension of a decision that could be seen by others to represent personal benefit at public expense, even indirectly? As a savvy political friend mused, ‘How would this decision be viewed by a grand jury?’ ” Yet the work’s principal failing is that it both does too much and too little—those looking for a toehold in political life hardly need a brief consideration on how to be the director of an agency, but they do require much more counsel regarding their first political steps. Given the vast scope and complexity of the American political landscape, Nowlan could have used a lot more pages to express his vibrant opinions. Readers will wish for a much lengthier and more systematic book that truly shares his deep reserve of experience.

An illuminating but uneven political guide.