For Beyond 50's "Building Community" talks, listen to an interview with Martin Laurent. He'll talk about his book, "A Hand Up," a fictional story about Democratic President Bob Jordan and Republican House Speaker Mitchell Lawrence who share the philosophy that collaboration between the parties is the best way to govern. Their view, however, isn't as popular as they'd hoped. After 50 years of failed governmental attempts to improve inner-cities, Jordan and Lawrence choose a private development as the mechanism to institute change.
The project, dubbed A Hand Up, has an ambitious vision: transform the inner-cities that are beset with urban blight into safe, vital municipalities with great schools, thriving businesses and other options for recreation. In other words, give people a reason to want to be there. Recreating a "new" city from the ashes of urban squalor, however, requires the cooperation of and support from government and the loss of power and control is more than current leaders are willing to abide. Money and power are vested in the status quo. Politicians from both parties, big companies, unions and the media thrive in this environment. Change threatens their power and they must do all they can to stop them. Out of this need for the status quo a plot to assassinate begins to grow. Tune in to Beyond 50: America's Variety Talk Radio Show on the natural, holistic, green and sustainable lifestyle. Visit Beyond 50 Radio (https://www.Beyond50Radio.com) and sign up for our Exclusive Updates.