Publisher's Synopsis
There is a great deal to learn in studying the successes and failures of Presidents Kennedy,
Nixon, Biden, and Trump, four presidents whose administrations coincided with dramatic
societal changes and challenges.
This book is a warning that our democratic form of government is in danger of collapsing and
being replaced by an authoritarian state. In the era of Kennedy and Nixon, Americans feared
the Soviet Union could bring about democracy's downfall through subversion or war. During
the administrations of Trump and now Biden, our greatest threats come from within.
Douglas E. Schoen keenly analyzes the presidencies of Kennedy, Nixon, Biden, and Trump
through the lenses of political polarization, election campaigns, their early lives, their changing
administrations, the role of a fast-changing media, the impact of shifting racial relations, the
drama of increasingly divisive immigration issues, and America's evolving defense and foreign
policy.
Schoen incorporates lessons from the greatest successes and most dramatic failures of the Four
Presidents to create a masterful plan to unite America and save our democracy. His important
suggestions include political reforms that support equality, improved education, and job
training. He advocates for greater access to healthcare and compulsory national service. The
plan encourages less partisan and divisive media and encourages the export of American ideals
rather than American military power.
