The Politics of Change

Infobox Book
name = The Politics of Change: Preparing Real Candidates for Change


image_caption = Cover of "The Politics of Change" by Dennis W. Chiu
author = Dennis W. Chiu
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
subject = Political Science, United States, History, Leadership Training
publisher = Prodigy Books
pub_date = September 17, 2008
media_type = Print, ebook, audiobook
pages = 158
isbn = ISBN 9780615245317
oclc =
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Politics of Change: Preparing Real Candidates for Change" is a non-fiction book by Dennis W. Chiu, a political commentator, consultant and attorney, that was released by publisher Prodigy Books, a SV Prodigy group of companies, on September 17, 2008. [ Chiu, Dennis W. The Politics of Change: Preparing Real Candidates for Change. (Prodigy Books, 2008), Copyright page. ISBN 9780615245317 Library of Congress Number 2008907550 ] It is the first non-fiction book and third non-fiction publication by Chiu. ["See" John Zaller & Dennis Chiu. "Government's Little Helper: U.S. Press Coverage of Foreign Policy Crises, 1946-1999". Decisionmaking in a Glass House (Rowan & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2000) pp. 61-84; and Chiu, Dennis W. "Obscenity on the Internet: Local Community Standards for Obscenity are Unworkable on the Information Superhighway". 36 Santa Clara L. Rev 185 (1995).]

Introduction

As "The Politics of Change" was published, the author notes that the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election with Senator Barack Obama as the Democratic Party nominee, and Governor Sarah Palin as the Republican Party Vice President nominee has turned the race for the White House into a referendum of who can bring the best change to the federal government.

The book provides instruction on what Chiu believes is required to be a genuine political candidate for change, and how to avoid the temptations leading to political and moral corruption and build as strong political foundation from self-improvement and associating with a real base of supporters that support the candidates true beliefs. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 1-3.]

One of the catalysts for writing "The Politics of Change" was Chiu's meeting with President Bill Clinton at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, California, after he and Hillary Clinton had taken their daughter Chelsea Clinton to start as a freshman at Stanford University. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp 4-8.]

Why aren't there more public policy innovators?

Chiu postulates the top reasons for why there are not more public policy innovators are: (1) how innovation in public policy has been run out of government through the rise of anti-government ideology [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 10-13.] , (2) the transformation of the term "liberal" in to a slur [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 14-15.] , (3) the lessening teaching innovation in schools because of national standardized testing [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 16-18.] , and (4) a shared negative national experience with political recriminations and mud slinging. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 19-20.]

Deciding to run for office

The book covers basic questions that each person, who is interested in running for elected office as a candidate for change, should consider prior to deciding to run. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 22-30.] Chiu argues the following considerations: (1) discussions with family, (2) warnings of the lure of power, (3) dealing with internal insecurities, (4) withstanding the harsh spotlight, and (5) assessing study habits so the piles of reports and documents that are part of holding elected office are read and understood prior to making a decision that will affect people's lives. ["Id".]

Skeletons in the closet

The book focuses on eliminating or lessening the barrier to running for elected office, because of the fear that skeletons in the closet will emerge and kill a candidacy. Chiu presents an honest and open solution to fear of exposed skeletons and spinning them towards making the candidate more human. Three examples are presented, including (1) a past extra-marital affair, (2) prior illegal drug use, and (3) employing an undocumented worker. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 22-39.]

Public Figure status

In this brief portion of the book, Chiu provides a brief and general explanation of how and why the news media and individuals or groups can legally publish defamatory allegations against candidates through explanation of public figure status. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 40-42.]

Swimming with the sharks

This part of the book focuses on the gray areas of sticking firmly to a candidate's own values due to the necessity of working with elected officials that use political tactics that run counter to the candidate's values. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 44-48.]

Political communications

The books spends five chapters on training candidates to better connect with people through political communications.

The political communications lessons begin with a good old-fashion lesson in proper English and the importance of word choice. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 49-54.]

The book then tackles the basics on how to create a good sound bite. This book offers a practice scenario where the reader is given an issue and asked to write a statement as a candidate for city council announcing his or her opposition to the issue. The author provides two examples of how he would respond and follows with detailed explanations of why he chose the words he used. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 55-67.]

Two of the author's Golden Rules of Politics are introduced as well. The First Golden Rule of Politics explains in general that political communications need to be symbolic, and the Second Golden Rule of Politics explains that voters' understanding of marketing communications advances, so old gimmicks no longer have the same effect. This chapter also discusses in detail how innovative policy announcements will be attacked, so real candidates for change can tailor their communications to block or respond to criticisms. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 68-74.]

The remainder of the political communications chapters instruct the reader on how to be a great public speaker. It begins with understanding the fear of public speaking and how to bring a candidate's inner passion and joy out so he or she can connect with an audience of any size. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 76-81.]

The final portion on political communications provides a step-by-step lesson on how to deliver a great speech by changing pace, intonation, inflection, and volume. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 84-102.]

The currency of building power

The book introduces the building blocks to obtaining influence and power. According to Chiu, the building blocks to political power are money, people and information. With any one of the three a person can have some political influence. If a person holds two of the three elements, then the person has even greater influence. However, if a person uses all three in the political process, then he or she has tremendous influence and enough power to seek elected office. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 103-107,]

After introducing the building blocks to political power, Chiu explains how to build the currencies of building up resources of money, people and information by joining groups that you naturally agree with. These groups may become sources of money, voters, supporters, volunteers and inform you about the group's concerns, which is vital information for creating innovative public policy to solve issues. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 108-116.]

Local commissions

Chiu argues that prior to running for office a candidate needs experience in combining values with public policy and legally required findings prior to running for elected office. The primary vehicle for implementing public policy is through boards and commissions through local or statewide government. The book outlines how to be selected for a board or commission, tips for how conduct oneself on a board or commission, and the best commissions to apply for. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 111-123]

Conclusion

The conclusion to The Politics of Change provides a few last insights into the political process, including the story of when Chiu met Vice President Al Gore during Mr. Gore's 2000 bid for the White House. The story provides insight on how staying true to a candidate's own beliefs is crucial to generating the positive energy required to win at life and politics. [Chiu, The Politics of Change, pp. 124-128.]

Citations

The Politics of Change contains original political science and historical research which is supported by comprehensive Endnotes and an Index. The book is registered with the Library of Congress, the U.S. Copyright Office, and has a unique ISBN number.

About the author

Dennis W. Chiu (born August 11, 1971) is an author, attorney and community, political, business leader in the Silicon Valley, California (Santa Clara County, California). His most notable accomplishments include: serving as the youngest appointed county planning commissioner on the Santa Clara County Planning Commission [http://www.sccplanning.org/portal/site/planning/] at the age of 29, political and community activism in Santa Clara County, California, and his seminal publication on Constitutional Law and the Internet that was on the reading list of top law schools and cited in many legal articles and cyberlaw books all around the world. ["See" http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue5_8/li/; http://grove.ufl.edu/~techlaw/vol4/issue2/cox.html; http://www.xschina.org/show.php?id=8109; Burke, Debra D. "Thinking Outside the Box". 8 Vir. L. Jrnl, Vol. 11 (2003).]

Chiu has received awards for his community service from BAYMEC [http://www.baymec.net] in 2007, from the Santa Clara County Planning Department for serving as Chair from 2002 – 2003, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for his work on the 2000 Census Commission.

Chiu's previous publications include co-author of Government's Little Helper, with Professor John Zaller on media bias, and author of "Obscenity on the Internet," one of the seminal articles on U.S. Constitutional Law and the Internet.

Chiu holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in Political Science & History, and a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University, School of Law.

Notes