Do I Stand Alone? Going to the Mat Against Political Pawns and Media Jackals

Minnesota's pugnaciously quotable governor stood in the national spotlight when he took office: his subsequent book, I Ain't Got Time to Bleed, told his life story. This follow-up offers a smorgasbord of quick stands on specific issues; longer critiques of the political process, the parties and the media; and feelings about his time in government. The governor is against ""pork-barrel politics,"" ""government bloat"" and ""public careerism,"" and he's upset about the structural advantage enjoyed by incumbents over challengers. He's quite angry at local and national press, especially when he believes they misquote him to create scandals. If some of his positions seem far-out, others can pack a commonsense wallop. He thinks ""we're far too dependent on automobiles"" and hopes for ""more mass transit."" He dislikes most gun-control laws, he hates the IRS and even hopes to replace income tax with a national sales tax. And, he's against the death penalty, three-strikes laws and the drug war: ""Prison should be reserved for violent offenders."" One chapter offers readers an amendment-by-amendment guide to the Bill of Rights, along with the governor's views on how to interpret them; a later chapter proffers generalized advice for resisting hype and spin; another gives programs for electoral and campaign finance reform (four-year synchronized terms for all officeholders, unicameral legislatures and restrictions on private donors). Ventura and coauthor Mooney, of the American Enterprise Institute, capture Jesse the Body's bare-knuckled attitude and his appeal. Though much of the book consists of soothing sound bites, the remainder is a real message from the most successful third-party politician in America: it turns out he's got some useful things to say. (Sept.)