Please join us for a provocative dicussion about the future of democracy in the post-Bush years.  Michael Signer's debut book Demagogue illuminates how humanity's urge for liberty can triumph over the dark forces that threaten our freedom. The demagogue is a dangerous byproduct of democracy, an authoritarian leader who owes his initial rise to the democratic support of the masses and who will go to almost any extreme to expand his power. This book describes not only these fascinating, often violent usurpers of freedom, from Cleon of Athens to Huey Long to Adolf Hitler, but also the heroes who have resisted them, from Aristophanes to Thomas Jefferson to Hannah Arendt.

Demagogue also unravels the mystery of how 21st century leaders have made such profound mistakes in Iraq and elsewhere, unleashing democracy's ancient enemy rather than securing a new democratic world. Signer presents a bold new theory of democracy and American power, "exemplarism," revealing a host of new, innovative measures that can undermine demagogues, strengthen democracy, and create a freer world.

In the end, Signer presciently reveals how America's historic victory over the demagogue at home can help a new generation of leaders rescue democracy across the world.

Praise for Demagogue:

"Michael Signer has written a strikingly original book. Demagogue tells the story of democracy by analyzing its antithesis - the often frighteningly charismatic leader who draws his strength from his purported connection to the demos itself. Amid the myriad studies of democracy and waves of democratization, of rising incomes, civil society, institutions and elections, Signer brings the human element back into the equation. The demagogue, he argues, is an eternal element in democracy's rise and fall, one that we ignore today, from Venezuela to Russia, at our peril."

--Anne-Marie Slaughter

"Michael Signer has given us a deeply thoughtful book. . . . Written with refreshing clarity and flair, this is a book to enjoy—and not soon forget."

– Derek Chollet

Copies of Demagogue will be available for purchase at the event.

In the midst of recession, American families have taken on a near-record amount of credit card debt to cope with their bills. Credit cards may be convenient—they have replaced cash and checks for everyday transactions at the supermarket and pharmacy—but cardholder agreements may obscure, rather than clarify, important terms and conditions. These problems could be avoided by a two-pronged solution: first, legislation that would eliminate some of the abuses in the credit card market, and second, orienting cardholders toward making better decisions with their credit cards.

We invite you to join us as Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) speaks about her bill that will eliminate many common credit card abuses. This will be followed by a panel discussion of a new paper to be released by the Center for American Progress.

With U.S. unemployment reaching 7.6 percent and a loss of 3.6 million jobs since the beginning of the recession, job creation is a priority for the Obama administration and 111th Congress. The still-pending American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes substantial investments in infrastructure, green jobs, and technological improvements that are aimed at getting America back to work. What will these efforts mean for disadvantaged and low-wage workers? How do we ensure that low-income people and communities of color benefit from this major national investment to get our economy back on track?

This panel will provide an overview of the current state of unemployment and jobs, the impact of the recession on low-wage workers, the job creation potential of a recovery package, and federal and state-level advocacy efforts to ensure that disadvantaged communities are not left behind.

Two decades after leaving office, the legend of Ronald Reagan looms larger than ever over America's political life. The misplaced hero worship was perpetuated even more last year by 2008's Republican presidential hopefuls - running on platforms that distorted or exaggerated the real Reagan in an effort to be seen as the political heir to the Gipper. In Tear Down This Myth – How the Reagan Legacy Has Distorted Our Politics and Haunts Our Future, author Will Bunch dispels the Reagan mythology driving much of our modern politics and takes readers inside the Reagan myth machine.

Copies of Tear Down This Myth will be available for purchase at the event.