
PR Log (Press Release) – Jan 22, 2010 – Healthy Living USA Publishing Division Nevada announces the release of a new book,
The 2008 Presidential Election Handbook and Commentary: The Connection to Hope (The Connection to Hope), to accentuate two of the five areas of healthy living as outlined in their mission statement—social and financial health through “politics of life.” The author, Linda E. Schexnayder, uses a pixelated photo of President Obama on the cover in shadowy blue, symbolizing a president of all true-blue Americans, a subtitle in the book. She unfolds the history of national governance, an America in trouble today, and the America of the future.
Refreshing symbolism runs throughout The Connection to Hope with unique poetry from the author’s collection of inspirational poems entitled, The Poetry of the Heart Collection. Striking titles such as “Sunflower,” written for 9/11, Iraq War, and Afghanistan War victims jerks at the heart in a moment of realization. “Snowflake,” written for victims of abuse, impacts the soul to eject pain, sorrow, and guilt prompted by the experience.
Though a picture of Obama is on the cover of the 316-page paperback, the author seems to be focused on the average American pulling himself up by the bootstraps and making his life better on a level playing field made so by the national government thru laws and policies of economic and environmental advantage across the spectrum of American life.
Pride, responsibility of American citizenship and oneness of purpose threads the book from beginning to end. Upstarts, local economic development, and daily participation in the “politics of life” are encouraged by the author to jumpstart the economy and personal wealth. The Connection to Hope is about the American people’s ability to run their own country according to the Constitution. As a handbook, the author includes the directory of the 111th Congress to facilitate contact with congressional representatives, the Constitution of the United States of America for easy reference, and patriotic songs of the nation and the military—“Off we go into the wild blue yonder,” “Eternal Father strong to save,” “Then it’s HI! Hi! Hey! The Army’s on its way,” “From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” could conjure up memories long forgotten and stories to be told for history’s sake. Anyone needing assistance with flag etiquette can get that too.
Quotes of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy — Chapter 8, The Party of Kennedy — and the Bible are invoked by the author throughout the book to inspire and encourage readers to political action as a lifestyle, rather than every four years. She strongly denounces anger, bias, name-calling, and spin as means of shaping the national agenda. The National Debt, joblessness, federal trade deficits, and the USA PATRIOT Act are covered ever so delicately.
One could be pleasantly surprised when reading Chapter 16, the last chapter—written on the lighter side, which admonishes citizens to be prepared if or when invited to the White House, how to contact the president to offer opinions and/or suggestions, and how to get greetings from the president to loved ones on special occasions. The author even offers suggestions to the president on how to restore the economy from the local level up rather than from the national level down. This is a “feel good” political book, if such a thing is possible, that could leave you with a new perspective of American politics—that is the goal. The author doesn’t present herself as an expert of American politics or history, but as an American exercising her 1st Amendment rights. Clearly much research has gone into the writing of the book. It’s inspiring, informative and thought-provoking to say the least! Expect emotions to rise in crescendos without warning.
The publisher offers the “National Citizens-Response Ranking” on its website, www.healthylivingusa.com/The2008PresidentialElectionHandbookAndCommentaryTheConnectionToHope to rank American citizens according to their knowledge of the United States Constitution and their participation in the “politics of life.” Results of the 10-question test and a score sheet are returned to examinees by email.
According to the author, who is CEO of Healthy Living USA Publishing Division Nevada, delegate to the 2008 Nevada State Democratic Convention, and an educator, she began writing the book in 2007 as cathartic therapy to minimize an emotional experience encountered at the Nevada Clark County Library District in 2004 that was secretly mandated by the USA PATRIOT Act -- ruled unconstitutional recently by a federal court. As she continued her book research, other factors of national governance became alarming—the manner in which members of the legislative and executive branches ignored the mandates of the people, the assaults on the Constitution with impunity by national leaders, and the lack of response from a fearful and passive people whose hearts had become indifferent, hopeless and paralyzed; unable to govern themselves.
The 2008 President Election Handbook and Commentary: The Connection to Hope is available online at www.healthylivingusa.com/theconnectiontohope and www.amazon.com or you may get it at your local bookstore.