The First Universal Nation; Leading Indicators and Ideas about the Surge of America in the 1990s

xiv, 418 pages. Maps. Tables. Notes to Indicators. Index. Inscribed by the author. The inscription reads For Gail & David Afshin, Shapers of the first universal nation! With best wishes, Ben Wattenberg 1/94 Hilton Head/S.C. Benjamin Joseph Wattenberg (born Joseph Ben Zion Wattenberg;[1] August 26, 1933 - June 28, 2015) was an American author, political commentator, and demographer associated with both Republican and Democratic presidents and politicians in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. National Affairs argued that Wattenberg "challenged and reshaped conventional wisdom . at least once a decade". Wattenberg first came to national attention in 1965 with the book This U.S.A.: An Unexpected Family Portrait of 194,067,296 Americans Drawn From the Census co-authored with census director Richard M. Scammon. The publication caught the attention of Lyndon B. Johnson and Wattenberg became a White House speechwriter in 1966. In 1995, his book Values Matter Most drew the attention of President Bill Clinton which examined how centralist themes of the Republican party had helped win congressional victories of 1994. The publication also expressed concern at the waning of American values both abroad and at home but felt that the government could help cure the "culture of irresponsibility". He is credited with the introduction of the term "social issues" to the political lexicon. He hosted the weekly PBS television program, Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg, from 1994 to 2010, and previously hosted PBS series In Search of the Real America and Ben Wattenberg At Large. Derived from a Kirkus Review: A deft weaving together by author/syndicated columnist Wattenberg of his columns from the 80's, with plenty of hindsight stitched on, as well as a long introduction that states the book's theme: "We are the first universal nation. 'First' as in 'number one.' And 'universal' both within our borders and globally." The several score of columns deal mostly with politics and economics , but some discuss family, children, baseball, and a few dig into Wattenberg's policy love, statistics and demographics (which also surfaces in various charts--on fertility rates, crime and drug rates, etc.). Good-humored, nimble (one column offers a clever comparison of the political biases inherent in the Mercator and other world maps). This is sound, safe commentary that will especially appeal to those who agree that "Washington is the capital of the nation that won the heavyweight title and remains the most important place in the world.".…