Today, I began my foray into “Restoring the Promise, Higher Education in America,” by Richard Vedder. I’m only the “praises,” the introduction, and chapter one in so far. And, so far, so good. This is a preliminary review preview, but for the most part, I like what I’m reading.

Sayeth Amazon and the Publisher:

American higher education is increasingly in trouble. Universities are facing an uncertain and unsettling future with free speech suppression, out-of-control Federal student aid programs, soaring administrative costs, and intercollegiate athletics mired in corruption. Restoring the Promise explores these issues and exposes the federal government’s role in contributing to them. With up-to-date discussions of the most recent developments on university campuses, this book is the most comprehensive assessment of universities in recent years.

An initial thought: The forward is a list of quotes by industry “leaders,” heavies in academia, many from government or NGO-ish positions, like Bill Bennett. That’s fine and to be expected. However, many of these folks have been around the business for a long time – all while the problems worsen. Not blaming, just saying. Vedder too, by his admission, is a seven-decade veteran. I’m wondering if those who are certainly in the know, because of their long involvement, also know how to extricate from the current dilemma (if that’s even possible). On the other hand, when a deep insider recognizes systemic failure, that says volumes.

We shall see. More on that, here, later.

Amazon/Independent Institute/Vedder.

PS: And, I mean HERE. Amazon would not run my (Amazon custom) review of  A Fatal Mercy, allegedly because it linked back to my review here. There’s also the “Terms” thing about authors not doing reviews, which never made full sense to me so long as one refrains from reviewing one’s own book(s). Anyway: Stars (only and only so long as that’s allowed), there, and review text, here (the CH thing with WP…). I am also wondering if this is part of the SJW/Tech push to shadowban. Promise and Fatal Mercy are both right-of-center. I note no reviews for either, even as I’m prompted to enter at least a star review, immediately upon purchase and without the benefit of reading. Odd.