Re: Empire of Illusion

[Guest guest]

" Overall it is a decent read. Chapter 2 is quite graphic so it might not be for

everyone. I don't think it would be worth buying, asking the library for a copy

would be better. "

Anyone who writes a bok is going to let their personal perceptions shine through

despite the attempt to be objective. I think it would have been better for him

though to take a look historically at previous attempts by the government to do

what they have done in the past two decades. Both political parties are at fault

for where we are now, although I think that statement is true because the people

making it into power are from the " I want " generation where they will do what

they want or what the people want without doing what our founders did: Figuring

out what was " best " for everyone even if everyone didn't particularly like the

decision that was made.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

That is true. He does put blame on both modern political parties over the last 20 years or so but for different reasons. He says that the Democrats used to be the guardians of the poor, working class, and that the programs of FDR and 's Great Society welfare state were the best things to happen to the US. Of course, it is interesting that the poorest and most crime ridden and dangerous places in the US have been run by the Democrats, often without interruption for decades. These problems didn't just happen in the last 20 years but had been building for a long time.

The "I want" generation gets some blame, but he puts most of that on the elites who changed the game in the name of profits. He does have a point there in that after WWII the US shifted from a production economy to a consumption one and so on. However the people didn't have to go along and could have lived within their means, that is if they had been taught how, but since the schools stopped teaching such things and as prices rose and incomes stayed fixed or declined in real purchasing power, debt became attractive. But that's all material we've been over again and again here.

You're right that personal opinion will come through. Like I said, he has many valid points, I just disagree with his conclusion on how it should be solved. I think a return to the Constitution with some new amendments to rein in the politicians and effectively control the money in the system (which is really the driving force now because the politicians are so desperate for campaign money because the campaigns are so ridiculously expensive they don't have much time for anything else) and a few other things, but the last thing we need is bigger, more expensive and less accountable government.

In a message dated 12/5/2010 3:36:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

Anyone who writes a bok is going to let their personal perceptions shine through despite the attempt to be objective. I think it would have been better for him though to take a look historically at previous attempts by the government to do what they have done in the past two decades. Both political parties are at fault for where we are now, although I think that statement is true because the people making it into power are from the "I want" generation where they will do what they want or what the people want without doing what our founders did: Figuring out what was "best" for everyone even if everyone didn't particularly like the decision that was made.Administrator