Book Forum 

# *The Unraveling:*

### *Reflections on Politics Without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis* 

Published By Rowman & Littlefield Publishers • 2024 

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Date and Time 

October 3, 2024 12 - 1:15 PM EDT 

Location 

Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 

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##### Featuring 

![Robert-F-Bauer-circle](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-09/Robert-F-Bauer-circle.jpg?itok=bQHn1sXP) 

Robert F. Bauer 

New York University School of Law

[![john-samples-cropped-final.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2022-08/john-samples-cropped-final.jpg?itok=YC0xH8Hf)](/people/john-samples) 

[John Samples](/people/john-samples)

Senior Fellow, Cato Institute

[ 

](mailto:jsamples@cato.org) 

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 examines what has gone wrong and what shaped his decisions and actions. He also recounts his heresies on campaign finance regulation and his efforts to work across the aisle on issues vital to democracy. 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 he has played in shaping it. *The Unraveling* will be essential reading for anyone interested in American politics of the past 50 years—and the next.

**Lunch to follow.**

![The Unraveling: Reflections on Politics Without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis - cover](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/promo_block_book_cover_1x/public/2024-09/the_unraveling_bookcover.jpg?itok=5tFJZonw) 

##### Featured Book 

### *[The Unraveling](https://www.amazon.com/Unraveling-Reflections-Politics-without-Democracy/dp/1538191849?tag=catoinstitute-20)*

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 defend our democratic system of elections from attack and distrust, and the struggles with social media, such as Meta, to combat disinformation in a post-truth politics.

[Purchase Book](https://www.amazon.com/Unraveling-Reflections-Politics-without-Democracy/dp/1538191849?tag=catoinstitute-20) 

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