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Review Date: 6/28/2015
Good general history of the 1960's.
American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
21
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
21
Review Date: 6/28/2015
Helpful Score: 1
Lots of tidbits and analysis of George W. Bush and his influential family, giving a good argument that the Bush family is a dynasty. His father is George Bush Sr., in many offices before becoming president, and grandfather was Prescott Bush. Bush Jr's family legacy may have helped him become president, it sure didn't hurt it.
Phillips brings up the theory of October Surprise, where Bush Sr. allegedly made deals with the Iranians during the embassy hostage crisis. This was to delay their release so as to help elect Reagan over Carter. Reagan was elected, hostages were released when inaugurated, and Bush Sr. became Vice President. He went on to become President. Phillips brings up the interesting point that if this is true, the career of Bush Jr. is owed to an act of deceit.
Of course, there are other reasons for his rise, such as Carters lackluster term, the 60's backlash, implementing the Southern Strategy for the Republican Party that created a white ethnic voter base, the rise of Reaganism, and a shift in foreign policy goals.
It also gives information about the relation of Robert Gates to the Bush family. Bush Jr. after 9/11 signed an executive order limiting public access to presidential papers, and he sent his papers to Texas A&M University, where Gates served as president. Gates was previously CIA director under Bush Sr. This was written about by Phillips in 2004. In 2006 Bush nominated him for Secretary of Defense.
Good resource for anyone wanting to know about the Bush family dynasty.
Phillips brings up the theory of October Surprise, where Bush Sr. allegedly made deals with the Iranians during the embassy hostage crisis. This was to delay their release so as to help elect Reagan over Carter. Reagan was elected, hostages were released when inaugurated, and Bush Sr. became Vice President. He went on to become President. Phillips brings up the interesting point that if this is true, the career of Bush Jr. is owed to an act of deceit.
Of course, there are other reasons for his rise, such as Carters lackluster term, the 60's backlash, implementing the Southern Strategy for the Republican Party that created a white ethnic voter base, the rise of Reaganism, and a shift in foreign policy goals.
It also gives information about the relation of Robert Gates to the Bush family. Bush Jr. after 9/11 signed an executive order limiting public access to presidential papers, and he sent his papers to Texas A&M University, where Gates served as president. Gates was previously CIA director under Bush Sr. This was written about by Phillips in 2004. In 2006 Bush nominated him for Secretary of Defense.
Good resource for anyone wanting to know about the Bush family dynasty.
Boy Genius: Karl Rove, the Brains Behind the Remarkable Political Triumph of George W. Bush
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
6
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
6
Review Date: 6/28/2015
Good read about the career of Karl Rove, and how he launched the career of George W. Bush, and changed American politics.
The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
10
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
10
Review Date: 7/4/2022
Pat Buchanan, being a former propagandist for Nixon and other conservative presidents, writes this book in that style rather than a scholarly one. One thing about the citations is they go to secondary sources when primary sources would have been easily accessible, and those sources are usually from right wing publications and think tanks. Thus, this book is an echo chamber of the American far right.
With the current debate over abortion in 2022, The Death of the West is useful to obtain the debate points of the far right. Being a white nationalist, Buchanan bemoans the declining birth rate of white people not only in the United States but in Europe. He sees this decline in white births as the first stage of the coming death of western civilization. This is why he and others oppose abortion, to create more white Christian babies to save the West!
With declining birth rates in the U.S. and Europe, it would seem that immigration would help this in creating more younger tax paying workers. But Buchanan opposes immigration, especially from the Third World, and sees these brown hordes as an invasion of the United States and Europe, as they will not assimilate.
Along with the decline of white babies and the Third World invasion, the cosmopolitan elites are destroying the pure white Christian culture through the spread of pornography and ideas of equality for women, non-white people and gays. Buchanan was an early adherent of the idea of Cultural Marxism infiltrating the culture, with the need for a reactionary Christianity to counter it in a culture war.
Overall this book is a rant of a Catholic white nationalist bemoaning the changes in society that created less coercion on women and minorities. It appeals to those right wing extremists and trailer park simpletons who think "their" America is disappearing. The rise of Trump was based on many of the ideas in this book and appeal to the same constituencies, with less appeasement to the religious Right, seen as hypocrites, and an emphasis on white nationalism. Still, this book is useful to get an understanding of where these ideas came from.
With the current debate over abortion in 2022, The Death of the West is useful to obtain the debate points of the far right. Being a white nationalist, Buchanan bemoans the declining birth rate of white people not only in the United States but in Europe. He sees this decline in white births as the first stage of the coming death of western civilization. This is why he and others oppose abortion, to create more white Christian babies to save the West!
With declining birth rates in the U.S. and Europe, it would seem that immigration would help this in creating more younger tax paying workers. But Buchanan opposes immigration, especially from the Third World, and sees these brown hordes as an invasion of the United States and Europe, as they will not assimilate.
Along with the decline of white babies and the Third World invasion, the cosmopolitan elites are destroying the pure white Christian culture through the spread of pornography and ideas of equality for women, non-white people and gays. Buchanan was an early adherent of the idea of Cultural Marxism infiltrating the culture, with the need for a reactionary Christianity to counter it in a culture war.
Overall this book is a rant of a Catholic white nationalist bemoaning the changes in society that created less coercion on women and minorities. It appeals to those right wing extremists and trailer park simpletons who think "their" America is disappearing. The rise of Trump was based on many of the ideas in this book and appeal to the same constituencies, with less appeasement to the religious Right, seen as hypocrites, and an emphasis on white nationalism. Still, this book is useful to get an understanding of where these ideas came from.
Review Date: 11/16/2014
Book talks about 3rd party efforts in the United States. Reviews the Socialists and Populists in the 19th and 20th century, the Progressive Party of 1948, and more recent efforts. The Jesse Jackson campaigns in the Democratic Party, although not 3rd party, challenged the party establishment, and Reynolds focuses on the local efforts of the Rainbow Coalition in New York. Further discussion on the New Party and "fusion" voting, having one candidate on more than one party ticket. Other efforts describe Bernie Sanders, independent socialist from Vermont, and the Green Party.
But for a book about third parties, there is no mention of La Raza Unida party, a Chicano led party movement, and one that scholars of third parties should study. That oversight is a big error in this book.
But for a book about third parties, there is no mention of La Raza Unida party, a Chicano led party movement, and one that scholars of third parties should study. That oversight is a big error in this book.
Review Date: 8/15/2024
Good read. Guided by her saints, Esperanza goes on a quixotic trip from her small town in southern Mexico to Tijuana and Los Angeles to find her daughter who is presumed dead but she believes is still alive. Her innocence is challenged in the culture shocks she receives, and in the end finds herself and love.
Review Date: 8/7/2024
As a big fan of Californication, looked forward to reading this book. Easy read, flowed well, and an interesting story. Nothing too profound, but in the Hand Moody universe I'm sure it would be up there with Palahniuk. Wish there were more of his novels ghostwritten.
Review Date: 1/23/2014
Hilariously funny stories about one man's journeys on the other side of right wing cultures in America. Couldn't help from laughing reading each chapter. Leon writes with great wit and humor.
Review Date: 12/7/2016
This book is on the surface about the Jonestown massacre of 1978 in Guyana. But it is about much more than that. Naipaul brings a brilliant mix of on the ground journalism and insightful analysis to examine this tragedy and how it came about. From looking at the history of Guyana and its mix of socialist rhetoric and Third World corruption. To the eclectic mix of movements in California, from left wing radicals to zany new age to zealous fundamentalism, which Jim Jones swam in and steered through. Interviews with people from Huey Newton to Clark Kerr, to former survivors, detractors, government officials in Guyana, and many more, there is no book like this.
Review Date: 6/28/2015
Good introduction to the ideas of Karl Marx. Also gives good overview of early and late Marxism.
Review Date: 11/16/2014
Oh my god (and it's a Christian God), Christians are being persecuted by the Illuminati, through their control of media and politics, which are run by godless liberals. Satan is everywhere! Rev. Pat also has nice things to say about Mobutu.
Review Date: 3/12/2013
Great explanation of the cause of the Great Recession in simple concise language.
Suicide Cult: The Inside Story of the Peoples Temple Sect and the Massacre in Guyana
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
4
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
4
Review Date: 5/18/2013
This was a quickie book that came out just after the massacre, so it misses a lot of information that a more thorough study would have done that other books have done. So if you are looking for thorough research on the topic look elsewhere. Nevertheless the book, written by journalists who covered Peoples Temple before the tragedy, is a quick read and decent introduction to the topic.
Review Date: 6/28/2015
I am a reader of conspiracy literature, and Alexander Constantine is one of the smarter writers of this genre. Now I believe that conspiracy literature should be read as entertainment and to get bits of useful information, not to be taken seriously as political analysis.
Constantine has a knack for digging up useful information, even if his conclusions are off base.
His essay on the McMartin scandal is one of his worst ones. He cherry picks many facts about this discredited child abuse witchhunt to fit his conclusion that it was a CIA child slave operation.
On the O.J. Simpson, it is a little better read, as he lists many interesting potential connections the case had to organized crime. But no real analysis of what may have really happened.
The last essay on the military connections of the militias of the 1990's is better. It does make one wonder why many of the leaders and members of these proto-fascist entities were former military, or were they former? Something to think about as organized right wing violence increases in this era.
Constantine has a knack for digging up useful information, even if his conclusions are off base.
His essay on the McMartin scandal is one of his worst ones. He cherry picks many facts about this discredited child abuse witchhunt to fit his conclusion that it was a CIA child slave operation.
On the O.J. Simpson, it is a little better read, as he lists many interesting potential connections the case had to organized crime. But no real analysis of what may have really happened.
The last essay on the military connections of the militias of the 1990's is better. It does make one wonder why many of the leaders and members of these proto-fascist entities were former military, or were they former? Something to think about as organized right wing violence increases in this era.
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