This book describes a career politician's pragmatic remedies for broken government, drawn from a half-century of political leadership experience.Performance is better than promise has long been the motto of Ernest F. Fritz Hollings, former governor of South Carolina and 6-term U.S. Senator. In this political autobiography of his 50-year career in public service, Hollings takes to task our flawed political machine and pulls from his own experiences compelling - and often colorfully candid - accounts how one makes government work in spite of itself. Confrontational at times toward those individuals and issues he cites as to blame for deadlocking government and putting America in the ditch, Hollings proves through his crystal clear prose he is deeply committed to improving our system of government, strengthening regulations on free trade, countering dependence on wooing campaign contributions, and enhancing our communication and education systems to better compete in an information-driven global market. Hollings details specific instances from his past of moments when bold leadership and smart use of resources and authority led to positive differences in the lives of Americans. It is his mission through this volume to reinvigorate a floundering system and call good people and good ideas back into the service of America's future.