Title: The Age of Amy: The Thumper Amendment
Author: Bruce Edwards
Genre: YA Contemporary
Congress has lowered the voting age to 14! Not one to refuse political involvement, 16-year-old Amy patriotically joins a campaign to elect the next President of the United States. Her real reason for participating, however, is much more personal: the opposing candidate’s son bullied her when she was a 3rd grader. Thwarting his father’s bid for the presidency would be the perfect way to get even with him!
Campaign reform laws now require presidential contenders to face off on a TV reality show. The “race” for the White House has become just that! Absurd challenges await the candidates as they speed cross-country toward Washington. But the campaign trail turns bumpy, when their buses take an unexpected detour into fantasy world! There they are confronted by half-human creatures, haunted by dead presidents, and rocketed into an economic dystopia of the future—all while being viewed by a worldwide television audience.
Amy is on board for the journey, as her grade school nemesis rides on the competition’s campaign bus. But along the way she develops second thoughts about avenging the boy. Her brutal offender has changed in the last seven years, becoming thoughtful and compassionate. (And cute!) Amy’s contempt for him surprisingly turns to affection. Is she falling in love?
Author Bio
Award-winning author Bruce Edwards is a former Hollywood film animator, and brings the whimsy of a character artist to his stories. A music major in college, he is also an accomplished musician and composer. His other creative endeavors include a stint as a puppeteer and performing magic at Disneyland. Bruce's thought-provoking books for young adults are never short on fun, fantasy, and imagination.
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Book Excerpts
Chapter 2
GRUDGE
With my new standing as the head “teenage politician” in town, I decided it was time to address an issue that was receiving national attention, and a problem I knew something about: school bullying. The way I saw it, kids being mean to each other was merely an extension of a larger problem. Meanness among adults had become so common on TV, in the news, and in politics that it was now considered acceptable behavior. If grownups could be openly mean to each other, why wasn’t it okay for kids to do the same thing?
I was as qualified as anyone to shed light on this subject, and it was the perfect time to do it: It was a presidential election year when people are at their meanest!
Every four years, Americans must endure an onslaught of beastliness:
TV attack ads,
character assassinations,
smear tactics,
mud slinging,
dirty tricks,
out-right lies.
It’s embarrassing!
Tolerating political corruption had long been considered a part of living the American Experience—until now. The presidential primaries were coming up, and the American people had had enough! So, new campaign reform laws were proposed, put on the ballot, and approved by the voters. From now on, no candidate or political party could throw their weight around to sway an election. No eligible voter would be excluded from participating. American democracy would finally rise from the ashes—for the voters had unanimously passed:
Tolerating political corruption had long been considered a part of living the American Experience—until now. The presidential primaries were coming up, and the American people had had enough! So, new campaign reform laws were proposed, put on the ballot, and approved by the voters. From now on, no candidate or political party could throw their weight around to sway an election. No eligible voter would be excluded from participating. American democracy would finally rise from the ashes—for the voters had unanimously passed:
Propositions 7 and 18!
Prop 7 lowered the voting age to 14, nullifying the 26th amendment of the Constitution, which gave 18-year-olds the vote in 1971. For the first time, high school-age kids could vote in public elections, and have a real voice in shaping the country they would one day inherit.
Passage of Prop 18, however, was the real triumph. After suffering through decades of stomach-churning campaign TV commercials, the new law required candidates to do battle on a TV reality show instead. That’s right! The reality show format was the perfect remedy for an ailing America, desperate for change. Candidates could still bash each other, but now in a controlled environment.
Passage of Prop 18, however, was the real triumph. After suffering through decades of stomach-churning campaign TV commercials, the new law required candidates to do battle on a TV reality show instead. That’s right! The reality show format was the perfect remedy for an ailing America, desperate for change. Candidates could still bash each other, but now in a controlled environment.
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