It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change

Chutzpah Nation is an inspirational call to action by a senior U.S. politician, describing how Americans of all age groups, persuasions, and occupations can defy convention, chart new pathways for their communities, schools, at work and in life.

US Senator Ron Wyden is widely praised for coming up with sensible-sounding ideas no one else had thought of and making the counter-intuitive political alliances that prove helpful in passing bills. In Chutzpah Nation, he offers a progressive leader’s manifesto for being a courageous warrior during turbulent times. It is an inspirational guide to get important things accomplished with a combination of strong allies, persistence, and attention—that is, chutzpah.

“Chutzpah” is a Yiddish word that describes a trait that many Jews consider in-born. Ron explores chutzpah’s long history and many interpretations and reclaims the word chutzpah for a new American generation, showing how it can be used for good to reclaim idealism and enact positive change. He shares “Ron’s 12 Rules of Chutzpah” that enable any individual or group to achieve their objectives:If you want to make change, you’ve got to make noise.

In a world where everyone thinks and acts for the short-term, always play the long game. Leading is coaching: Whether in legislation or in life, you’ve got to bring people and ideas together around a shared goal. Show up every day prepared to play.

There are only two paths you can take to progress: Start good things and stop bad things. Do both. Embrace the unscripted moments.

Ideas are the seeds of change; find them and plant them wherever and whenever you can. Pay attention to your friends, because they can be far more unpredictable than your enemies. Don’t push rocks up hills.

Push boulders. They will fall back on you, but you’ll gain the strength to get to the top. Be a principled bipartisan: Work with anybody who is serious about moving forward.

Political capital doesn’t earn interest and is worth nothing if you don’t spend it. “Compromise” isn’t about horse-trading bad ideas for each other; it’s about blending good ideas into a whole that’s better than the sum of its parts. Ron identifies several key values—free speech, health care, reproductive rights, a clean environment, and reigning in Big Tech—and draws on his decades of public service to stress that preserving those values means that loud brashness and boldness will be needed now more than ever.