Showing results by author "Karl G. Trautman" in All Categories

One-term Georgia governor Jimmy Carter would soon declare his bid for the presidency and miraculously get elected in 1976. America was full of hope for renewal. My book, Deacon Blues, transports you back to that remarkable seven year period between 1973 and 1980 as seen by an angst-filled American adolescent. A child of divorce, the protagonist Manfred Schmidt craves for belonging and respect and takes on Jimmy Carter as his hero.

The Underdog in American Politics is an original analysis of how the underdog concept applies to the Democratic Party and American politics and culture. In particular, it analyzes how the power of the underdog has shaped, and reflected, the politics of Democrats running for president. From Thomas Jefferson to Barack Obama, the author uses biography, ideology, campaign strategy, and public policies to depict the many different points of contact between Democrats and underdogs. The core values of equality, fairness and non-discrimination are analyzed.