We're Better Than This LP

With a foreword by Speaker NancyPelosi.  “There was nogreater friend to the poor, to the lost, to the left out, and tothe left behind.If you want to understand this great man, read his historic,important book andlearn the lessons and values from his ‘moral voicecrying in thewilderness’ on behalf of our American democracy.”—Rep. John Lewis(D-GA) Knownfor his poise, intellect, and influence until his death in October 2019, ElijahCummings was one of the most respected figures in contemporary politics, apolitician who held fast to his beliefs but was not afraid to reach across theaisle in the name of friendship and progress. Since his earliest days ingovernment through his time as a representative and chairman of the HouseOversight and Reform Committee, he proved his abilities as a politician whocould operate at the highest levels of democracy, serving the people ofBaltimore and illustrating the importance of working with—and for—the underdog.Yet inhis final years of life, Cummings recognized that democracy was the underdog. We’reBetter Than This draws from Cummings’s own life to show the formativemoments that prepared him for the disturbing first years of the Trump presidencyand spurred him to hold the administration accountable for their actions.Weaving together the urgent drama of modern-day politics and character-definingstories from his past, Cummings offers a never-before-told perspective on howhis personal history, coming of age in South Baltimore, laid the foundation ofa life spent fighting for justice. He goes behind the scenes with the HouseDemocratic leadership, offering an eye-opening chronicle of the grim realitiesof holding the Trump administration to account. Detailing this moment of unprecedentedobstructionism by both the president and Republicans, Cummings presents a vitaldefense of how government oversight defines our collective trust, examining thedangerous precedent for both parties that exists if the executive branchremains above public scrutiny.Partmemoir, part call to action, We’re Better Than This is the story of ourmodern-day democracy and the threats that we all must face together, aswell as a retrospective on the life and career of one of our country’smost inspirational politicians. As we approach another test of ourdemocracy, the next race for the White House, We’re Better Than This remindspeople that in this country we don’t elect kings, and we cannot affordfour more years of this false one.