Posted on 12/14/2009 5:54:25 PM PST by jazusamo
One way to reduce the wear and tear of shopping at the mall is to give books as presents. Books can be bought on the Internet, and they can be matched to the person who receives them without having to know that person's measurements.
Dick Morris' new book — "Catastrophe" — is an education in itself, on politics, on economics and on foreign policy. It is a strong antidote to the pious rhetoric and spin that come out of Washington and the media. Partly this is because Dick Morris was once a Beltway insider — an adviser to President Bill Clinton — who knows first-hand the ugly realities behind the pretty words that politicians use and that much of the media repeat.
Morris' argument in "Catastrophe" — whose title tells us where he sees us headed — is backed up by numerous hard facts and supported by an understanding of history and economics. Most of all, it is supported by an understanding of politics as it is, rather than the way it is depicted by politicians and the media.
Dick Morris can also cut through a blizzard of political spin with a few plain words. In describing Barack Obama's economic policies, Morris says simply: "Curing the recession was not his end; it was his means to the end. The end was bigger government." Obama's actions often make no sense if you believe Obama's words, but they do make sense if you follow Dick Morris' analysis.
A revised edition of Angelo Codevilla's classic book, "The Character of Nations," has been published this year, and it too is an education in itself. "The Character of Nations" is less focussed on immediate domestic political issues — though it does analyze the contrasting responses of the intelligentsia to Sarah Palin and Barack Obama...
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
I try Dr Sowell, I try but they refuse to listen
Looks like I’ll have to get the new edition of Applied Economics.
Yo, Petunia, if you’re going to spend money on books ...
Thanks for the ping jaz.
Merry Christmas
I think one of my Christmas presents — a signed copy of “Going Rogue” — came in the mail today. :-)
A Great Christmas gift! :*)
Just re-read the first edition of Character of Nations this past week.
Forgot how good it was. Am recommending it to EVERYONE!
Morris is a lucky man to get such an endorsement.
Me too bert. Just talking to people you hear so much brain washed, sloppy thinking. I’m not a Lord Monckton or a Thomas Sowell. I don’t know where to start with some people. If you shocked them with too much reality they would think you were the one that was nuts. If things get really bad in this country and these people are shocked into reality the hard way, are they going to realize that they’ve been part of the problem?
Morris is a lucky man to get such an endorsement.
I think Dr. Sowell deserves more respect than to suggest that getting his endorsement of your book reflects luck rather than quality.Although, I admit that I myself would have recommended Rogue by Palin. But then, that recommendation is only a for people who understand the tendentiousness of journalism - others assume that a couple of journalistic hit pieces are dispositive.
The problem with trying to "give wisdom" directly is that arguing from the assumption of your own wisdom is the source of the definition of sophistry.
- sophist
- 1542, earlier sophister (c.1380), from L. sophista, sophistes, from Gk. sophistes, from sophizesthai "to become wise or learned," from sophos "wise, clever," of unknown origin. Gk. sophistes came to mean "one who gives intellectual instruction for pay," and, contrasted with "philosopher," it became a term of contempt. Ancient sophists were famous for their clever, specious arguments.
- philosopher
- O.E. philosophe, from L. philosophus, from Gk. philosophos "philosopher," lit. "lover of wisdom," from philos "loving" + sophos "wise, a sage."
"Pythagoras was the first who called himself philosophos, instead of sophos, 'wise man,' since this latter term was suggestive of immodesty." [Klein]
It can be hard to do, but we need to stick to the high road of the philosopher rather than getting in the mud with the sophist. I suggest an approach to the deconstruction of the "objective journalist" image in this thread.
I may take a hit on this,but since I believe Dick Morris has been a bit of a flake at times, that book of his is right on the money...
It gives folks plenty of ammo for arguing the liberal “Assumptive Reasoning” we see way too much of these days...
As for Mr. Sowell...I’d take a bullet for that guy!
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