You know America is broken.
But do you understand why – or how we fix it?
The Republic at Risk is a clear, practical series that explains how American democracy was weakened, what forces are shaping the present moment, and what ordinary citizens can actually do next.
by J.A. Snider
How did we get to this point?
The American Dream didn’t collapse overnight. It was hollowed out — slowly, deliberately, and largely out of public view.
Many Americans still believe the system will correct itself, or that defeating one man at the ballot box will end the crisis. It won’t.
What we are living through is the result of a decades-long effort by a complex web of corporate conservative entities to weaken democratic institutions, concentrate power, and replace accountability with spectacle. Understanding the motivations behind this movement — not just reacting to the symptoms — is the first and most important step toward reclaiming our republic.
What readers are saying:
Forty-Eight Forward
A clear-eyed assessment of the current state of the US, and how we can recover.
In short, JA Snider gets it. We didn't get here overnight, but after decades of failed policy and propaganda that only served to divide us so that billionaires and politicians can fleece We The People. I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants more than just confirmation bias, and values practical solutions to this political poison we're all suffering from. There ARE things we can do!
Sgt. Paddy
The Road to Forty-Seven
Get yourself a copy.
Well-written, informed, and sharp. Really liked this book.
Jennifer Manning
The Road to Forty-Seven
Important political read!
Really incredible unbiased look at the realities facing the U.S. and analysis on how we got to this current situation. Highly recommend reading this book!
Will Ellenburg
Forty-Eight Forward
Great read!!
Really good read if the current climate in the US keeps you awake at night!
Jennifer Manning
The Road to Forty-Eight
A common sense approach for fitting change in government.
I just wanted to tell you how impressed I was with your book, and how it addresses so many areas with both common sense and creative solutions. Good luck on us starting a fourth level of government that updates and modernizes the constitution. This stood out to me the most, because it would improve so many areas of our government and delete antiquated rules and laws that keep us from moving forward in the 21st century. Great book. I would recommend it to all those who are looking for change against the Project 2025 mindset.
Abraham Marshall
These books are designed to give citizens what the news cycle doesn't:
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A clear explanation of how American democracy was weakened
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The historical through-lines connecting policy, money, media, and power
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A realistic picture of what recovery actually requires
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Practical ways ordinary people can engage without burning out or being manipulated
They are not theory. They are tools.
Start with The Road to Forty-Seven — the volume that explains how we got here and why this moment matters.
Or begin with a free 15-page excerpt from The Road to Forty-Seven.
America is at a Turning Point
and the Next Chapter
is Ours to Write.
WE HAVE UNTIL THE 48th PRESIDENCY TO MAKE THE TURN.
We've been told we are enemies.
We're not...
Even as Donald Trump weaves hatred, violence, and disregard into the defining fabric of America, we the people face a far greater threat.
The deepening divisions that have brought us to this place—a place where we're told that neighbors, educators, public servants, even family and friends who don’t believe as we do should be viewed as enemies—were sown with intent, as a part of a decades-long political strategy.
In the era of likes and shares, streaming tv, and DoorDash, many Americans can no longer wrap their heads around the idea of long-game politics. A decade of reactive, policy-by-tweet governance, and hyperbolic, conspiracy-laden discourse have made us unable to accept that patience and dedication-to-cause still exist.
Theories and hypotheses that require consideration beyond “the now,” that take a contextual, long-view approach to the state of our nation—no matter how well researched or rationalized—are belittled and dismissed in kind, as conspiracy.
That is not the case.
The Republic at Risk Series backs that up.
Across the nation, trust in institutions is collapsing, inequality is deepening, and authoritarian blueprints are already in motion. The Road to Forty-Seven, Forty-Eight Forward, and The Path to Forty-Eight form a trilogy that tells the story of how we got here, what lies ahead if we fail to act, and what we can do now to reclaim our democracy.
365d
24h
60m
60s
These books are not dense tomes or academic treatises. They are direct, accessible, and urgent field manuals designed for citizens who want to understand what’s happening to their country and how to take part in its renewal. Each volume can stand on its own, but together they provide a clear arc.
The Road to Forty-Seven
Get yourself a copy.
Well-written, informed, and sharp. Really liked this book.
Jennifer Manning
Forty-Eight Forward
A clear-eyed assessment of the current state of the US, and how we can recover.
In short, JA Snider gets it. We didn't get here overnight, but after decades of failed policy and propaganda that only served to divide us so that billionaires and politicians can fleece We The People. I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants more than just confirmation bias, and values practical solutions to this political poison we're all suffering from. There ARE things we can do!
Sgt. Paddy
The Road to Forty-Seven
Important political read!
Really incredible unbiased look at the realities facing the U.S. and analysis on how we got to this current situation. Highly recommend reading this book!
Will Ellenburg
Forty-Eight Forward
Great read!!
Really good read if the current climate in the US keeps you awake at night!
Jennifer Manning
The Road to Forty-Eight
A common sense approach for fitting change in government.
I just wanted to tell you how impressed I was with your book, and how it addresses so many areas with both common sense and creative solutions. Good luck on us starting a fourth level of government that updates and modernizes the constitution. This stood out to me the most, because it would improve so many areas of our government and delete antiquated rules and laws that keep us from moving forward in the 21st century. Great book. I would recommend it to all those who are looking for change against the Project 2025 mindset.
Abraham Marshall
Book 1:
The Road to Forty-Seven
The Road to Forty-Seven exposes the hidden history too few Americans were ever taught—how corporate, political, and religious elites steadily weakened democratic norms, concentrated power, and undermined public trust. From the Powell Memo to the rise of partisan media ecosystems, it traces the long-term strategies that set the stage for a crisis of self-government.
This book is about understanding how American democracy was eroded—not by accident, and not overnight. Read it if you want clarity about what broke the system, how it was done, and why recognizing those patterns matters more now than ever.
Book 2:
Forty-Eight Forward
Forty-Eight Forward is the blueprint of the trilogy, moving from diagnosis to prescription. It lays out practical reforms to restore trust in institutions, rebalance the economy, strengthen representation, and begin rebuilding the American Dream. From voting rights and labor to healthcare and climate resilience, it maps a path forward grounded in accountability rather than partisan paralysis.
This book argues that renewal is still possible—but only if citizens demand structural change instead of symbolic politics. It is a field manual for those who believe democracy can be repaired, not by slogans, but by informed, collective action.
Book 3:
The Path to Forty-Eight
The Path to Forty-Eight is the action guide of the trilogy—a practical field manual for civic engagement, resilience, and renewal. It lays out concrete steps citizens can take to counter authoritarian drift, rebuild democratic habits, and prepare for the work ahead. From strengthening local networks to restoring civic literacy, it focuses on what ordinary people can do where they live.
Clear-eyed and forward-looking, this book makes one point unmistakable: the future of American democracy will not be decided only in Washington. It will be decided by citizens who choose to act.
Book 1:
The Road to Forty-Seven
The first book exposes the hidden history too few of us were ever taught—how corporate, political, and religious elites aligned to chip away at democratic norms, concentrate wealth, and sow distrust in our institutions. From the Powell Memo to the rise of right-wing media ecosystems, this book uncovers the strategies that set the stage for a crisis of self-government.
Accessible, urgent, and deeply researched, it is the opening chapter of the Forty-Eight Forward trilogy. Read it if you want to understand not just who broke American democracy, but how it happened—and why the reckoning is not over.
Book 2:
Forty-Eight Forward
Forty-Eight Forward lays out a bold but practical blueprint for renewal. It moves from diagnosis to prescription—offering proposals to restore trust in institutions, rebalance the economy, strengthen representation, and rebuild the American Dream. From voting rights to healthcare, from unions to climate resilience, it maps a path forward that rejects partisan paralysis in favor of common-sense reform.
More than a book, it is a field manual for citizens who still believe America is worth fighting for—not with slogans or tribal loyalty, but with principle, responsibility, and courage.
Book 3:
The Path to Forty-Eight
The Path to Forty-Eight is the action guide of the trilogy—a hands-on "cookbook" for civic engagement, resilience, and renewal. It offers clear steps citizens can take to resist authoritarian drift, prepare for uncertainty, and help secure a democratic future. From building local networks to strengthening civic literacy, it shows how everyday people can push back against division and build something stronger in its place when they work together.
Urgent but hopeful, this book insists that the future of democracy won’t be decided only in Washington—it will be decided by us.
This isn't about Red and Blue.
It's about Right and Wrong.
These books argue a simple truth: the 48th Presidency will be a hinge in American history. The choices made before and during it will determine whether the United States renews its democratic foundations—or drifts further into a hollowed-out democracy in name only.
Written in plain language and grounded in history, this trilogy is meant to be read, shared, and used. It is not about left or right—it is about clarity, responsibility, and the choices citizens still have.
If you’re looking for where to start, why this moment matters, or how ordinary citizens can act with purpose, these books are for you. They are field guides for a country at a crossroads.