Part memoir part rumination on the declining moral compass of the American political class
The Unraveling is the first book to place restoring political ethics at the center of the
renewal of American democracy. Politics is a brutal game but Bauer asks where does the line
fall between the "hardball" of politics and attacks on the very foundation of democracy?
Looking back on 46 years in the political arena Bauer tries to better grasp what has gone
wrong and to understand what shaped his own decisions and actions. He offers anecdotes
perspectives and insights that are vitally relevant in our world today including efforts in
2020 (and 2024) to stop one president from overturning democratic elections and the struggles
with social media such as Meta to combat disinformation in a post-truth politics. He writes
about the various personal experiences along the way-the highs the lows and the absurd. Bauer
presents a smart and serious look at our political culture and the role that he has played in
shaping it. The Unraveling will be essential reading for anyone interested in American politics
of the last 50 years--and the next.
