America, the Owner's Manual: Making Government Work for You

 Watch Senator Graham on The Colbert Report! The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cShe Said, CIA Said - Bob Grahamcolbertnation.com Click here to preview chapter 1.Professors: Order your exam copy today by clicking on the &BAD:quot;Request an Exam Copy&BAD:quot; link above.Would you teach someone to play basketball using just chalkboard diagrams? Or would you get them on the court and have them play? In basketball, the answer is easy&BAD:mdash;you do both. So why teach politics only as a spectator sport?Senator Bob Graham believes that students should expand on their classroom learning about the political system: he spurs them to hit the court and actually play the game. If students work on an issue they care about, politics will become a meaningful and positive experience. This short, how-to guide takes students out of theoretical discussions of policy and into a world where they can affect change. Graham&BAD:rsquo;s goal is to have students identify a problem, and then walk them through each step from researching the issue, to getting others involved, to engaging the media. Each chapter starts with a real case, showing citizens tackling a step in the process, and ends with a summary checklist and a series of questions that help students put Graham&BAD:rsquo;s game plan in action. By offering students concrete guidance, an array of resources, and advice for troubleshooting and overcoming barriers, this compact user&BAD:rsquo;s guide gets students way beyond textbook learning.Thirty-five years ago, as a member of the Florida Legislature, Bob Graham took on the challenge of civic education for eighteen weeks at a Miami-area high school. His time as both a governor and a senator has only strengthened his resolve to pique students&BAD:rsquo; curiosity about politics and teach them to get what they want from government.