Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates’s new book provides a behind the scenes look at President Barrack Obama’s administration that is thrilling to political junkies, but harmful to democracy. While open debate and freedom of speech are hallmarks of a healthy democracy, there is also a place for discretion. Even frequent Obama critic Senator Marco Rubio acknowledged the negative consequences of publishing a book too soon, saying, “My preference would be that people would refrain from writing these sorts of things until the president is out of office because I think it undermines the ability to conduct foreign policy.” Gates’s book is neither groundbreaking in its timing nor in its content; it follows a trend of former government officials exposing the inner workings of the administrations they served as the rest of their former team is tasked with continuing to run the country.
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History Repeating
highlights similarities between current events and historical events and provides commentary on lessons learned. Since history repeats itself, citizens should look to the past to inform our actions in the present. Archives
August 2014
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