Peril and Promise: A Commentary on America

NBC news commentator Chancellor holds both Reagan and Congress responsible for tripling the national debt and for failing to address adequately a host of urgent problems such as housing, pollution and poverty. In this short, opinionated, well-argued commentary he proposes a mixed bag of controversial reforms: a national technology policy to overcome U.S. corporations' myopic obsession with short-term profits; increased taxes; a tax on Social Security benefits for those who don't need entitlements. He suggests keeping primary and secondary schools open all year and establishing a national youth service corps. He would reduce or eliminate the payments that political action committees give to members of Congress, abolish Presidential primaries and make national conventions more democratic. 100,000 first printing; $100,000 ad/promo; author tour. (May)