Book Description
Should the Supreme Court have the last word when it comes to interpreting the Constitution? The justices on the Supreme Court certainly seem to think so--and their critics say that this position threatens democracy. But Keith Whittington argues that the Court's justices have not simply seized power and circumvented politics. The justices have had power thrust upon them--by politicians, for the benefit of politicians. In this sweeping political history of judicial supremacy in America, Whittington shows that presidents and political leaders of all stripes have worked to put the Court on a pedestal and have encouraged its justices to accept the role of ultimate interpreters of the Constitution.
Whittington examines why presidents have often found judicial supremacy to be in their best interest, why they have rarely assumed responsibility for interpreting the Constitution, and why constitutional leadership has often been passed to the courts. The unprecedented assertiveness of the Rehnquist Court in striking down acts of Congress is only the most recent example of a development that began with the founding generation itself. Presidential bids for constitutional leadership have been rare, but reflect the temporary political advantage in doing so. Far more often, presidents have cooperated in increasing the Court's power and encouraging its activism. Challenging the conventional wisdom that judges have usurped democracy, Whittington shows that judicial supremacy is the product of democratic politics.
Customer Reviews:
MORE THAN MISTAKES, MISINFORMATION........2007-05-01
I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK UNTILL I GOT TO ELEANOR ROOSEVELT. WHY WRITE A BOOK ON RATING THE FIRST LADIES BASED ON SOMEONE ELSES RATINGS WHEN YOU HATE THE WOMAN WHO IS RATED NUMBER ONE BY THEM. I SAW THE AUTHOR ON PBS AND THOUGHT THIS BOOK WOULD BE FUN. I WAS BESIDE MYSELF. WE ALL KNOW ELEANOR WAS BISEXUAL. WAS THERE ANY VALID REASON TO POINT OUT THAT HER FEMALE LOVER HAD A BEDROOM IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOUR TIMES IN A TWELVE PAGE CHAPTER? NOT ONLY THAT BUT AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED FOR REGAN, I SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN SURPRISED TO SEE THE AUTHOR SLANDER EVERY DEMOCRATE AND ATTRIBUTE THEIR TRIUMPHS TO THE REPUBLICANS. HE ACTUALLY TRIES TO JUSTIFY MCCARTHYISM AND FAILS TO EVEN POINT OUT THAT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT PLACED MARIAN ANDERSON IN FRONT OF THE LINCON MEMERIAL TO SING " GOD BLESS AMERICA " AFTER THE SNUB BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE REPUBLIC. THIS GUY ACTUALLY BRINGS UP ANDERSON WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT MAMIE EISENHOWER. I REALLY LIKE THE BOOK UNTILL YOU GET TO RECENT ADMINISTRATIONS.
I HAVE TO ASK THE AUTHOR WHAT COLOR IS THE SKY IN YOUR WORLD.
First Ladies Fanatic.......2006-05-07
I'm a fanatic for books on first ladies. I found out about this book when I saw the author's television interview on John McLaughlin's show, One on One. After reading it, I can't believe I hadn't heard about this before! What a great exploration of how women have been White House partners. There are also lots of juicy scandals and some truly bizarre behaviors glossed over in other books. This is must reading for any fan of first ladies!
5-Star Hidden History!!!.......2005-09-22
Why haven't other authors probed the hidden political history of first ladies like this book does? There is no other single book about first ladies which comprehensively examines the contribution each and every woman has made in shaping our history. This is the best and most concise analysis of first ladies and their political influence in the White House. The book uncovers the involvement of 19th-century first ladies in political campaigns, congressional debates, legislation, and even war. This book really hits its stride when it comes to 20th centiry first ladies, from the adventurous and globe-trotting Lou Hoover to the manipulative Helen Taft and the neurotic Betty Ford. Edith Roosevelt carries out secret diplomacy for Teddy, helping him earn a Nobel Prize for peacemaking, Edith Wilson learns codes and ciphers to translate diplomatic cables and intelligence reports for Woodrow, and Eleanor Roosevelt flies into combat zones to rally troop morale. Roberts doesn't have much sympathy for the public images first ladies project as glossy fashion queens, charity dilettantes and fundraisers for non-profit organizations -- he focuses on the meatier role about how political spouses help determine presidential fortunes -- and misfortunes. His analysis of Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Laura Bush presents completely new information about these first ladies and their influence. The book gives a panorama of U.S. history and many interesting political anecdotes that are glossed over, buried, or simply ignored in other accounts of first ladies.
America's Top Ten.......2005-08-15
Life is competitive, right? This is an engrossing book that really helps explain why Eleanor Roosevelt ranks #1,Abigail Adams #2, Dolley Madison #3, Jackie O #4, Hillary #5, Rosalynn Carter #6, Lady Bird Johnson #7, Betty Ford #8, Edith Roosevelt #9, and Sarah Polk #10. Find out why Laura Bush is only #24!
This book dishes lots of embarrassing details passed over by other more flattering accounts of first ladies. Don't be bothered by hisotorical nit-pickers who can't see the forest for the trees -- this isn't an encylopedia, it's a way to measure first ladies. You'll never think of them in old-fashioned stereotypes again after reading this book.
Significant Error.......2005-08-10
I would not normally review a book that I had not read in its entirety, but when I saw the glaring error in the section on Dolley Madison, I felt I needed to inform potential readers about it.
Lately I have been doing quite a bit of research on Dolley Madison and therefore I was surprised to see Mr. Roberts state that she was the one who saved the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence when the British burned the White House in 1814. This is a commonly told myth. While she did save as many documents as she was able to at the expense of her personal items, neither the Declaraton nor Constitution were kept in the White House. They were kept in the State Department.
In Richard N. Cote's biography, Strength and Honor, the Life of Dolley Madison, he states, "Some have credited Dolley with being the savior of the Declaration of Independence, but that honor goes to Stephen Pleasanton, a brave clerk in the secretary of state's office. Despite the scorn of Secretary of War Armstrong, who scoffed at any danger of invasion, Pleasanton and other clerks "stuffed bags with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, international treaties, and the correspondence of George Washington."
Anthony S. Pitch's book, The Burning of Washington, the British Invasion of 1814, also tells this story although he spells the last name "Pleasonton".
In the website, The Dolley Madison Project, it states that she saved "the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington along with official papers, silver, and other valuables."
I am quite a fan of Dolley Madison, but it is Stephen Pleasanton or Pleasonton to whom we owe the survival of those two most treasured documents.
Book Description
Dick Cheney is the most powerful yet most unpopular vice president in U.S. history. He has thrived alongside a president who from day one had little interest in policy and limited experience in the ways of Washington. Yet Cheney’s quiet, steady rise to prominence over a span of three decades occurred largely behind the scenes. Now veteran reporters Lou Dubose and Jake Bernstein reveal the disturbing truth about the man who has successfully co-opted executive control over the U.S. government, serving as the de facto “shadow president” of the most dominant White House in a generation.
Cheney has always been an astute politician. He survived the collapse of the Nixon presidency, finding a position of power in the administration of Gerald Ford. He was then elected to the House of Representatives, and later he earned a spot in the cabinet of the first Bush presidency. But when he became George W. Bush’s running mate, Cheney reached a new level of influence. From the engineering of his own selection as vice president to his support of policies allowing torture as a permissible weapon in the “war on terror,” Cheney has steered America consistently rightward. In Vice, Dubose and Bernstein uncover startling revelations, including
• the extraordinary intimidation of CIA officials by a vice president bent on obtaining intelligence to support a foregone conclusion: the invasion of Iraq
• details on Cheney’s secret energy task force, including his meeting with Enron chief Ken Lay months before Lay was indicted–and how Cheney went to court to erode the powers of Congress
• how Cheney helped to kill 2003 diplomatic overtures from Iran to discuss concessions on its nuclear program and policy toward Israel
• Cheney’s role in engineering multibillion-dollar military contracts in Iraq to benefit Halliburton, the company he once ran
• eyewitness reports from prominent Republican and conservative sources who go on record for the first time to tell the truth about how Dick Cheney has hijacked the American presidency
In the words of one of Cheney’s colleagues from the House: “Dick keeps his own counsel. He’s completely in control. He’s completely sure of himself in everything he does. It’s what got him to where he is today: the most powerful vice president to ever hold office. It’s also what’s bringing about his downfall.” In Vice, we get an unprecedented exposé of how Cheney operates and what his vice presidency will mean to America–now and in the future.
Customer Reviews:
An Absolutely MUST READ.......2007-10-04
This is perhaps the most insightful book published so far of the Bush-Cheney era, and certainly the most in depth look into the exploits of a man who has been at the center of power and steered our country into more disasters than any man alive.
For seven years we've been blaming the man at the top when we should have been looking at the man pulling the puppet strings. One can not ignore a man whose political career has involved him in every war this country has been in since Viet Nam as advisor to Presidents, Chief of Staff, Secretary of Defense, and planner and coordinator of our disaster in Iraq.
And lest we forget, former CEO of Halliburton, the only entity in the world to profit from that war.
Read this book and ask yourself the question why any sane person, Republican or Democrat, would want to inherit the Presidency in 2009.
Profiling the biggest Dick in history.......2007-04-04
Former president Richard Nixon was often referred to as Tricksy Dick by his critics. Such a name is probably more appropriate for our current vice president, Dick Cheney. This book explores the personal and political history of Dick Cheney, beginning with his schoolboy days in Wyoming, and ending with his supposed involvement in the outing of Valerie Plame Wilson. The facts and interpretations put together in this book portray a stubborn, cunning man, the ultimate bureaucratic warrior who is always ten steps ahead of everyone else. Probably the most interesting part of the book is the number of individuals who reflect negatively on Cheney's personality, such as his vindictiveness, his dishonesty, his bullishness, his inability to compromise, and his fear-based hysteria. The overall portrait is of one scary man and probably not the best choice to pick for an elected official. Excellent book.
Cheney: Secretive and paranoid.......2007-03-09
"Vice", a perfect name for this book, confirms what so many of us have long thought about Dick Cheney...he's cold, secretive, ruthless, heartless and ultimately paranoid. Making the case against the Vice President with an astonishing narrative, authors Lou Dubose and Jake Bernstein peel away the layers behind the throne's real power. If the emperor has no clothes, it's the work of his tailor.
As the authors point out, Cheney doesn't seek power so much as power seems to follow him. With incredible luck and skill, Cheney rose from being President Ford's Chief of Staff (the youngest in U.S. history) to a ten-year stint as Wyoming's only Congressman, to George H.W. Bush's Secretary of Defense to his current role in the White House. While not a meteoric rise, it followed the building blocks that Cheney so desired. He could not really have been disappointed that his brief thoughts of a run for the White House didn't pan out.....he's gotten his wish to be in charge.
To be fair, Dubose and Bernstein give Cheney some credit...he was well thought of as SecDef (contrast that one to Donald Rumsfeld's malfeasance!) and his crisis management on 9/11 was intact. But one angle that the authors argue is this...that Cheney's series of heart attacks may very well have made him a changed man...and not one for the better. Certainly his hatred of the CIA gets full coverage in "Vice" and we also receive a comprehensive look at Cheney's relationship with Halliburton. There's even a chapter on the dark one's dark partner, Lynne, titled "Lady MacCheney"...if you thought lowly of the Veep before, this chapter will seal the deal.
The scariest thing to be reminded about after reading "Vice" is that Cheney is still in power, although reading this book just after Scooter Libby's conviction adds an extra bit of interest... will the Vice President's power now begin to wane as he becomes the most reviled person to hold that office in history. Time will tell but in the meantime, read "Vice" and learn more about the enemy within. It puts you right in the thick of the swirling current surrounding Dick Cheney and is wonderfully written. I highly recommend it.
Must read.......2007-01-18
Whether you believe Dick Cheney is trying to protect our country by "fighting terrorism" or is simply unhinged by hubris (and perhaps ill health), you need to read this book. Don't be swayed by terms like "Torture Presidency" or "Lady MacCheney". Yes, the book has bias, but its reporting is too thorough for dismissal as a partisan hack job.
Anecdotal evidence suggests his influence is banking. Yet he bestrides this administration like a Claude Raines villain in an old Warners adventure movie, a guardian-chamberlain dominating Dubya, the cocksure, brittle dauphin on the throne. Fellow reviewer Robert D. Steele says Cheney should be placed in irons, and presents persuasive evidence crystallizing the themes of the book.
Vice documents how Dick Cheney and his long-time counsel David Addinhgton have put into action an authoritarian "unitary executive" theory to give the president unwaarranted powers, and have arrogated these powers to the vice president's office, accountable to no one.
It's all here: torture, signing statements, shadow governance in "the dark side, if you will," as Cheney puts it, eavesdropping on the White House staff, the lies leading to the Iraq War, the wiretapping, the seeret energy task force, sweetheart Halliburton contracts, the failure - almost surely deliberate - to reconstitute Congress in prospective post-attack plans. The 25 questions for Dick Cheney at the end (page 225 or thereabouts) should be at the top of Congress's list when Cheney and Addington get their subpoenas.
At the the same time, the book raises as many questions as it answers, largely due to the authors' lack of access, a largely absent paper trail (a tip learned from Cheney's mentor Don Rumsfeld) and the secretive nature of this enigmatic American version of Yuri Andropov. (An aside: The handling of the Texas hunting accident and subsequent reassignment of all the Secret Service agents had touches of Kremlin black comedy).
The book raises, but cannot answer, Cheney's evident shift from an extreme, but pragmatic, right-wing Rpublican who said Saddam Hussein's downfall was not worth "very damn many" American lives, to the rigid, hell-bent-for-war authoritarian ideologue we see today. (Is it 9-11? Partly. The heart attacks? Perhaps. Cheney's onetime friends are baffled. But the authors can only raise the questions.)
So, if the final book has yet to be written, this one gives us a useful map. The surprise is that it has not received more notice; it is on par with - and in some ways superior to - the recent works of Suskind, Ricks, Isikoff, Woodward, Rich and Chandrasekaran, among others, who have tried to shed light on this administration's apparently endless dark corners.
Extraordinary Detail That Should Put Cheney in Irons Immediately.......2007-01-10
EDITED 5 September 2007 to add ten links to other related books.
This book is vastly more detailed, and covers more high crimes and misdemeanors, than either State of Denial, which misunderstands Bush as being in charge, or Crossing the Rubicon, which focuses primarily on Cheney's role in first permitting 9-11, and then working assiduously to cover up his malicious malfeasance. See also Ron Susskind's book, "One Percent Doctrine," which crucifies Cheney, Rumseld, and Rice.
I take this book so seriously that I urge everyone to get the "Do It Yourself Impeachment" kit. He should be required to immediately resign or be impeached. He should not be allowed to serve another month in office.
For the sake of brevity, here is a list of impeachable offenses documented by this book:
1) Secret meetings in violation of the law to include exclusion of government experts
2) Refusal to honor demand from Congress for a list of participants
3) Lies to the public about Iraq, while holding maps of oil fields and already having in mind a US-only domination of those oilfields (he first focused on Iraqi oil while serving Secretary of Defense Brown)
4) Over-ruling of the Environmental Protection Agency on very important matters including its concern over Halliburton's reliance on hydraulic fracturing that uses chemicals that contaminate aquifers--Cheney personally ensured that the EPA's wording was replaced with Halliburton's wording.
5) Consistent and pervasive usurpation of Congressional authorities and consistent and maliciously deliberate avoidance of appropriate disclosure.
6) Fostered attacks on Sy Hersh, and considered authorizing a break-in on his home.
7) From the 1970's, see also Ron Susskind's One-Percent Doctrine, subverted the authority of the Vice President, Nelson Rockefeller, and teams with Justice Scalia (then an assistant attorney general) to increase executive privileges and push back reforms.
8) As a Congressman personally blew off Russian offer in 1983 for arms cuts, and subverted the authority of the President and the Secretary of State then serving.
9) As an extremist Republican, supported Ollie North and the White House in violating the Congressional prohibitions on aid to the Contras, and obstructed justice thereafter.
10) Page 78 has a lovely discussion of how Cheney and North were "in the zone" in deceiving the public and Congress during the televised hearings.
11) Adopted as his own the lunatic report by Khalizad (who is a very lazy scholar, see my review of his rotten RAND book on revolution) and Libby, on how the US as a superpower should be able to do ANYTHING.
12) Attempted to undermine due process and keep tactical nuclear weapons in the Army inventory.
13) Subverted the authority of the Secretary of State (Colin Powell) by allowing his daughter to overrule Ambassadors and meet privately with various heads of state.
13) Lied repeatedly to the public about his continuing financial equities with Halliburton, and was so involved in giving Halliburton up to 16 billion in no bid contracts.
14) Shut both foreign competitors and more cost-effective indigenous contracting solutions, severely harming the national security of the United States by fostering an environment of unproductive looting by Halliburton, Bechtel, and others.
15) Ignored his dual mandates on terrorism and intelligence. The book suggests that Bush was not briefed on Al Qaeda for the first eight months he was in office (the Vice President's priorities were energy and missile defense).
16) Personally impeded negotiations with North Korea after they proved amenable to diplomatic engagement.
17) Personally rejected Iranian overtures for negotiation conveyed by the Swiss in 2003
18) Personally reinforced Rumsfeld on use of torture, by-passing the President's more measured restrictions.
19) Conspired with Speaker Hastert to subordinate the House of Representatives, using a special office of his own (first time in history) so that Representatives could be brought to him rather than his calling on them.
20) Manipulated the President into numerous "signing statements" inconsistent with the will of Congress that ignored legislation then in force.
21) "Bureaucratically emasculated" the President (page 177--if the President has a friend that reads this review, PLEASE get the book and the review to the President--he really may have no idea his balls have been cut off)
22) Contemptuous and manipulative of the CIA, refusing to accept their best professional judgments based not only all source intelligence, but on a extraordinary effort by Charlie Allen in running line crossers into Iraq to document beyond a shadow of a doubt that there were no weapons of mass destruction there.
23) Lied repeatedly, over and over, to the public, to Congress, to the President, to foreign leaders, even after the lies were exposed he continued to repeat them.
The book does not discuss the 9-11 situation and emerging findings that place the Vice President at the center of our deliberately inept response.
Two gems apart from the impeachable offenses:
1) The search for a Vice President was a complete fraud, he was picked from day one, and made a fool of every serious candidate, while also personally leaking to destroy Keating just to ensure the only real rival would not be considered at the last minute.
2) The discussion of Joe Lieberman's refusal to confront Cheney with all that was known to be wrong with him was explained at the time as "taking the high moral road." I am not so sure. I speculate that Lieberman is actually a neo-con and has been playing the Democrats for fools while minding the interests of his Wall Street masters.
On page 147 the authors discuss how Cheney accused Clinton and Gore of "extend[ing] our military commitments while depleting our military power." Lovely. And now?
The authors conclude that Dick Cheney is "nakedly amoral." I agree.
One final scary note: in the many doomsday drills that Cheney participated in across his career and inclusive of his Vice Presidency, they always failed to reconstitute Congress.
Dick Cheney has done more damage and is a greater threat to our Republic and others, than Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein combined.
The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America's Pursuit of Its Enemies Since 9/11
Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil
Debunking 9/11 Debunking: An Answer to Popular Mechanics and Other Defenders of the Official Conspiracy Theory
9/11 Synthetic Terror: Made in USA, Fourth Edition
State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III
The Road to 9/11: Wealth, Empire, and the Future of America
9/11 Mysteries Part 1: Demolitions
9/11: Press For Truth
9/11 - The Myth and the Reality
Aftermath: Unanswered Questions from 9/11
Average customer rating:
- Sometimes dated, but always a fun read
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The American Presidency
Clinton Rossiter
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
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ASIN: 0801835453 |
Customer Reviews:
Sometimes dated, but always a fun read.......1999-03-02
Though this book was written close to 40 years ago, and though Rossiter knew nothing about the Kennedy assasination, Watergate, or Vietnam, this book makes bold predictions about the future of our country and our presidency with surprising accuracy. The book is written sometimes in a conversation-like tone that makes for easy reading, and the author (while incredibly knowledgable) makes no effort to talk over the readers head. It is a bit old though, and the type of analysis Rossiter uses (namely a constitutionalists point of view) is out-dated. However, it is an optimistic and inspiring book that every future president should read.
Book Description
From the co-author of KGB: The Inside Story and an acknowledged authority on the subject comes "the most important book ever written about American intelligence."--David Kahn, author of The Codebreakers and Hitler's Spies
Customer Reviews:
It is a "must", even for real life intelligence agents!.......2006-07-05
This is a "must have" book for anybody, who is substantively an intelligence or intelligence history buff or even a real life intelligence agent. There is no any other book in English on the topic of US intelligence history on this planet ever, which offers this much insightful arrangement of presenting a profound pedagogical and didactic value, even to the "pros". It is an impressive "eye opener" to the curious novice or beginner, "expertise material" to the intermediate. I don't know if it helps the "advanced", since, I have never been there myself.
Eye Opening Reading For Secret Intelligence Buffs.......2004-03-02
For the Presidents Eyes Only: Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush is exciting reading for fans of secret intelligence or presidential history. The book answers the all important question "what did the president know and when did he know it" and more importantly to secret intelligence buffs "how did he know it." Professor Christopher Andrew provides a through analysis of the intelligence provided to the presidents of the United States during their tenure and how the presidents used that intelligence. He further explains how the President felt about intelligence and how well the Presidents understood what intelligence could and could not do for him. In addition Andrew examines the state of the intelligence services, how the intelligence services changed during each president's term and the president's impact on the intelligence community during their administration.
Christopher Andrew is a Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Cambridge University's Corpus Christi College. He has written many books on secret intelligence including The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB, KGB: The Inside Story of Its Foreign Operations from Lenin to Gorbachev, Her Majesty's Secret Service: The Making of the British Intelligence Community, and "Comrade Kryuchkov's Instructions: Top Secret Files on KGB Foreign Operations, 1975-1985. Andrew is a frequent host of British Broadcasting Corporation television and radio history productions. He holds the Chair of the History Faculty at Cambridge University, the Chair of the British Intelligence Study Group and is a former Visiting Professor of National Security at Harvard, Toronto and Canberra. Andrew has presented guest lectures at numerous American universities and the Central Intelligence Agency.
Andrew essentially dismisses the intelligence services available to presidents George Washington to William H. Taft as ineffectual or non-existent in the modern sense and gives a quick one-chapter overview of intelligence during their terms. Andrew then gets into the heart of the book with another chapter for presidents Woodrow Wilson to Herbert Hoover. Here he credits the First World War with creating the first modern intelligence service, but then says it was rapidly lost due to the actions of Woodrow Wilson after the war. He claims that the intelligence services were not really reconstituted until the Second World War. The most interesting story here was how British intelligence intercepted the Zimmerman telegram and manipulated the United States into entering the war earlier than it might have otherwise. Andrew then devotes a chapter each to presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt to George H. W. Bush. Each president is covered in-depth and the book gives the details behind every major crisis of the 20th century up through the first President Bush. The later presidents are not covered as the book was published in 1995.
Andrews writing style is very easy to read. The book reads almost like a novel. The only thing difficult is the Professor's use of the original acronyms and abbreviations when describing the various government agencies discussed in the book. The Professor provides a three and a half page table of acronym and abbreviation meaning at the front of the book. However, someone without a military or intelligence background will find the necessity to keep referring to the table a little distracting. The chronological organization of the book provides a logical progression through the material and allows for easy access if one is only interested in a particular President or crisis. It is very interesting to see the contrast between the information that was publicly available at the time of each crisis and what the intelligence was behind it. It is amazing to see what The Presidents kept hidden and why they did. For example, early in the Eisenhower administration there was a public flap over the Bomber Gap. President Eisenhower had the secret intelligence showing that there was no gap. If he had disclosed the information he could have quieted his critics quickly, but wisely refused to disclose the information publicly to keep the fact that we had the U2 spy plane secret. Nearly every president has had similar circumstances and situations. In other instances the book makes one wonder how the United States survived with the inept handling of intelligence and the intelligence services by some presidents. The behind the scene infighting between the different intelligence services led to some of The Presidents worst failures. The biggest case here was the bombing of Pearl Harbor that brought us into World War Two. A similar situation will probably turn up behind the September 11, 2001 bombings. In other cases Andrew describes outright corruption and misuse of the intelligence services that created some of the biggest scandals during United States history. One only need look at the Andrew's description of the "Bay of Pigs" scandal to see how the misuse of the intelligence services can lead to disaster. Andrew is not shy about expressing his opinion of The Presidents or their actions. In his conclusion Andrew claims that only four American Presidents had a flair for intelligence: Washington, Eisenhower, Kennedy and George H. W. Bush. The book is extensively documented with both primary and secondary sources of information and has a very good index. The notes and bibliography alone are over 100 pages. However, they are all in the form of endnotes and placed at the back of the book and so are not readily visible while one is reading.
Andrew succeeds in everything he set out to accomplish in "For the Presidents Eyes Only: Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush." The book is well worth reading. It is very eye opening to anyone who has not read about the American Intelligence Services before. It makes one wonder what our Intelligence Services are up to now. One can certainly look forward to what Andrew will write about current events but if one is at all interested in American History one needs to pick up this book now.
Goes where no other book has gone........2002-10-01
For the President's Eyes Only gives readers tremendous insight into the U.S. intelligence community, including the good, the bad, and the ugly. Every student of political science and criminal justice should read this one.
A great overview of American Secret Intelligence.......2002-01-05
I found this book extremely fascinating, mainly because I have an intrest in "secret" government information. This book details how American intelligence developed over our country's history. I was most amazed in learning about the lack of secret intelligence until Wilson's administration, and then not really developing until FDR's administration. Americans prior to Wilson felt espionage was only something the Europeans engaged in, and America was beyond that. America had not learned about the necessity of secret intelligence. The author also does a great job in showing how the intelligence, or lack there of, influenced presidential decision making. A great book for anyone interested in American forign policy history and or how our intelligence community developed!
Fascinating history of the American intelligence community.......2001-07-04
This book is extremely well written and very informative. I picked it up as a reference for a term paper, and initially I read just the section pertaining to the term paper. Whenever I opened it to read a passage for the term paper though, I found that I just couldn't put the book down because it was so interesting. While on Christmas vacation, I went back and read the rest of the book. I rank this book right up there with Clay Blair's "Silent Victory," and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning more about the development of the American intelligence community at the highest levels of government.
Book Description
What exactly do Americans want from their president? A strong and innovative leader or someone who primarily listens to the will of the people? A programmatic party leader or a pragmatic bipartisan coalition-builder? A president who exercises power forcefully or someone who establishes consensus before doing anything? The Paradoxes of the American Presidency, 2/e, suggests that Americans want the president to be both a leader and a follower, partisan and bipartisan, and innovative and conservative. In the second edition of this acclaimed book, Cronin and Genovese explore the complex institution of the American presidency by presenting a series of paradoxes that shape and define the office. They examine the clashing expectations and demands placed upon presidents, offering students the opportunity to understand the dilemma faced by all incumbents--how to bring leadership into a system where expectations exceed the resources and power available to them. The authors focus on the various relationships all presidents must develop if they are to lead successfully--relations between the president and: Congress, the public, the courts, the cabinet, and the Vice President. This book also treats the managerial side of the executive branch, the vagaries of the selection process, and the inherent contradictions of leadership in a democratic system. Thoroughly revised and updated, The Paradoxes of the American Presidency, 2/e, covers the Clinton impeachment, the 2000 election, the first three years of the Bush presidency, the events and aftermath of September 11, and the war with Iraq. Written in a lively, engaging style, this comprehensive, interpretive work represents the collaboration of two prize-winning presidential scholars.
Customer Reviews:
Offers a clear explanation of presidential paradoxes.......2003-12-11
In this book Dr. Genovese and Dr. Cronin offer a clear explanation of the different paradoxes of the American presidency. They explain the expectation gap that is present in the American presidency where the president has a clear public expectation to be a successful leader yet is bound by roadblocks constitutional and otherwise that make such a success difficult to achieve. I found it as a Political Science major to be an illuminating explanation of the American Presidency.
Surprisingly Good.......2002-12-16
What an informative and insightful book this turned out to be. I found it on a sale table and gave it a try. I was concerned that the book was nothing more then a tenured professor's attempt at fulfilling his publishing requirements, it turns out that this concern not needed. The book takes the reader through most of the major issues that effect the President in his duties and it does it in an easy to read and understandable format. What is very interesting is that they present the "paradoxes" that the public has pushed the Presidents into the corner on. What we the public what and expects has shaped the office as much as the past office holders.
The authors also look at some stated ways of improving the Presidency and what their opinions are on the methods - very interesting. To bring the ideas and comments more alive they fill the book up with a large number of examples of which a good 70 % relate to the last 10 Presidents. There are also two sections that, given the past years, are even more interesting - Vice Presidents moving to the lead role and impeachment. Overall this was a very good and interesting book. This is the kind of book that both entertains and teaches the reader something in the process.
And Yet Nonetheless True.......2000-10-14
In Chapter 1, the authors observe:
"We admire presidential power, yet fear it. We yearn for the heroic, yet are also inherently suspicious of it.We demand dynamic leadership, yet grant only limited powers to the president. We want presidents to be dispassionate analysts and listeners, yet they must also be decisive. We are impressed with presidents who have great self-confidence, yet we dislike arrogance and respect those who express reasonable self-doubt."
Throughout the balance of this chapter, they then identify and briefly discuss nine specific paradoxes which serve as the intellectual infrastructure of this brilliant book. In process, the authors also provide (in effect) a comprehensive analysis of more than 200 years of American history during which the office of the president as well as those who have occupied it reflect the dynamic tensions between and among the elements of the nine paradoxes.
The authors seem to suggest that those American presidents who have proven most effective have been those who (a) understood various paradoxes and then (b) somehow resolved them. The Roosevelts offer two of the best examples. Both were born into wealth and privilege and yet each is best remembered for advancing "populist" causes. The authors invite the reader to view the American presidency "by viewing it through the lens of a series of [such] paradoxes that shape and define the office. Our goal is to convey the complexity, the many-sidedness, and the contrarian aspects of the office."
This book will be of special value to those interested in American history, of course, but also to those who are CEOs of organizations, especially of publicly owned corporations whose CEOs must accommodate the needs and interests of so many different (often antagonistic) constituencies.
Book Description
Adopting a new approach to an American icon, an award-winning scholar reexamines the life of Abraham Lincoln to demonstrate how his remarkable political acumen and leadership skills evolved during the intense partisan conflict in pre-Civil War Illinois. By describing Lincoln's rise from obscurity to the presidency, William Harris shows that Lincoln's road to political success was far from easy-and that his reaction to events wasn't always wise or his racial attitudes free of prejudice.
Although most scholars have labeled Lincoln a moderate, Harris reveals that he was by his own admission a conservative who revered the Founders and advocated "adherence to the old and tried." By emphasizing the conservative bent that guided Lincoln's political evolution-his background as a Henry Clay Whig, his rural ties, his cautious nature, and the racial and political realities of central Illinois-Harris provides fresh insight into Lincoln's political ideas and activities and portrays him as morally opposed to slavery but fundamentally conservative in his political strategy against it.
Interweaving aspects of Lincoln's life and character that were an integral part of his rise to prominence, Harris provides in-depth coverage of Lincoln's controversial term in Congress, his re-emergence as the leader of the antislavery coalition in Illinois, and his Senate campaign against Stephen A. Douglas. He particularly describes how Lincoln organized the antislavery coalition into the Republican Party while retaining the support of its diverse elements, and sheds new light on Lincoln's ongoing efforts to bring Know Nothing nativists into the coalition without alienating ethnic groups. He also provides new information and analysis regarding Lincoln's nomination and election to the presidency, the selection of his cabinet, and his important role as president-elect during the secession crisis of 1860-1861.
Challenging prevailing views, Harris portrays Lincoln as increasingly driven not so much by his own ambitions as by his antislavery sentiments and his fear for the republic in the hands of Douglas Democrats, and he shows how the unique political skills Lincoln developed in Illinois shaped his wartime leadership abilities. By doing so, he opens a window on his political ideas and influences and offers a fresh understanding of this complex figure.
Customer Reviews:
The Road to The White House.......2007-05-14
An historian's scholarly and detailed look at the political route taken by Abraham Lincoln to the highest office in our land. Not for the person wanting a general biography of our greatest president.
I liked the fact that Professor Harris avoids injecting into his narrative views on family matters and guesses at psychological motives: this is straight political history. While sometimes the text is dry, if you want to know more about how complex pre-Civil War party politics were juggled by Mr. Lincoln and his key supporters, you would profit from reading this book.
Building a big-tent party of moral and economic conservatives.......2007-05-05
Abraham Lincoln was probably our greatest president. Not surprisingly, then, many Lincoln historians have focused the spotlight on his presidency. Others have focused on Lincoln's personal life, and the development of the moral convictions and rhetorical skills that made him successful once in office.
In this fascinating book, William Harris sheds new light on a third aspect of Lincoln -- his leading role in the formation of the Republican party. Lincoln made it a strong party by fusing together two powerful political forces -- the economic conservatism of the old Whigs and the moral conservatism of the new antislavery movement. Harris shows Lincoln's great political skills and shrewdness in building this coalition. Then, standing on that broad and sturdy platform, Lincoln launched his successful run for the presidency. Finally, having won with such a clear mandate, Lincoln had the political power to govern during the turbulence of the Civil War.
Amazon.com
The most facile presidential comparison one could make for George W. Bush would be his father, who presided over a war in Iraq and a struggling economy. Some "neocons" reject the parallel and compare Bush to his father's predecessor, Ronald Reagan, citing a plainspoken quality and a belief in deep tax cuts. But John Dean goes further back, seeing in Bush all the secrecy and scandal of Dean's former boss, the notorious Richard Nixon. The difference, as the title of Dean's book indicates, is that Bush is a heck of a lot worse. While the book provides insightful snippets of the way Nixon used to do business, it offers them to shed light on the practices of Bush. In Dean's estimation, the secrecy with which Bush and Dick Cheney govern is not merely a preferred system of management but an obsessive strategy meant to conceal a deeply troubling agenda of corporate favoritism and a dramatic growth in unchecked power for the executive branch that put at risk the lives of American citizens, civil liberties, and the Constitution. Dean sets out to make his point by drawing attention to several areas about which Bush and Cheney have been tight-lipped: the revealing by a "senior White House official" of the identity of an undercover CIA operative whose husband questioned the administration, the health of Cheney, the identity of Cheney's energy task force, the information requested by the bi-partisan 9/11 commission, Bush's business dealings early in his career, the creation of a "shadow government", wartime prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, and scores more. He theorizes that the truth about these and many other situations, including the decision to go to war in Iraq, will eventually surface and that Bush and Cheney's secrecy is a thus far effective means of keep a lid on a rapidly multiplying set of lies and scandals that far outstrip the misdeeds that led directly to Dean's former employer resigning in disgrace. Dean's charges are impassioned and more severe than many of Bush's most persistent critics. But those charges are realized only after careful reasoning and steady logic by a man who knows his way around scandal and corruption. --John Moe
Book Description
Nobody knows more, both from firsthand experience and legal expertise, about the abuse of presidential power and its dangers than John W. Dean, former counsel to President Nixon.In WORSE THAN WATERGATE, Dean delivers a stunning indictment of the current Bush administration, and issues an urgent alarm to the nation: The Bush team's obsession with secrecy and their willingness to deceive make them even more dangerous than Nixon's men. Dean brilliantly explores Bush's emphasis on image over substance; his angry, mistrustful personality; his excessive fear of leaks; his reversal of the work of his predecessors in opening up government; his imperial governing combined with deeply flawed decision making; and his serious abuses of national security secrecy.From the administration's refusal to explain the precarious health of the powerful vice president to hiding the identity of those setting the nation's energy policy, from obstructing 9/11 investigations to unprecedented secrecy in the name of fighting terrorism, Dean exposes the dangers of a presidency that is using weapons of mass deception against the American public.
Download Description
Nobody knows more, both from first hand experience and legal expertise, about the abuse of presidential power and their dangers than John Dean, former counsel to President Nixon. In WORSE THAN WATERGATE, Dean delivers a stunning indictment of the current Bush administration, and issues an urgent alarm to the nation: the Bush team's obsession with secrecy and their willingness to deceive make them even more dangerous than Nixon's. Dean brilliantly explores Bush's emphasis on image over substance; his angry, mistrustful personality; his excessive fear of leaks; his reversing the work of his predecessors in opening up government; his imperial governing combined with deeply flawed decision making; and his serious abuses of national security secrecy. From refusing to explain the precarious health of the powerful vice president to hiding the identity of those setting the nation's energy policy, from obstructing 9/11 investigations to unprecedented secrecy in the name of fighting terrorism, Dean exposes the dangers of a presidency that is using weapons of mass deception against the American public.
Customer Reviews:
An Important Book That Should Be Read.......2007-10-11
The first in a trilogy of books by former Nixon counsel, John Dean, "Worse Than Watergate - The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush" is a must read book for every American today who wants to understand the mechanics at work in the current administration. Mr. Dean, a life-long Republican and a Washington insider for most of his long career, is fully qualified to delve into the inner workings of the White House. It was John Dean who had gone to President Richard Nixon and advised him that the activities surrounding the watergate activities were illegal and that they should be stopped. When Nixon refused to do so, Dean went to the authorities and turned himself in. It was Dean's testimony that ultimately led to the investigations and the resignation of Richard Nixon from office. It is with this insight and perspective that Dean examines the current Bush administration and draws a comparison between them.
The contents of this book are very well researched and presented in a clear, concise and non-inflammatory manner. This is not a book based on character assassination or slander. Rather, what you will find are coherent and publicly available facts outlining the activities of the Bush administration. Dean begins by drawing the comparison between the Nixon administration and the Bush administration by showing the similarities in patterns of behavior and policies. He then begins to unfold in a methodical fashion how the Bush administration has, from day one, systematically engaged in a campaign of stone walling and secret agendas designed to keep information away from the public eye. The hidden agendas and obsessive secrecy employed by this administration are exposed for examination. Some of the activities revealed are downright shocking and disturbing to say the least. For those who are skeptical of the contents of the book, almost every sentence in the book is footnoted and referenced back to the source material from where the information came. So it is extremely easy to check and verify if the information is accurate.
The book is well paced and easy to read and engaging which makes for a very quick read. Unfortunately, the information contained within it's pages is quite disturbing. Nevertheless, it is information that all Americans should be aware of no matter how unpleasant it might be. The Bush administration has done an excellent job of sweeping important facts under the rug and out of sight and this book contains very critical information that should be understood by the electorate. President Bush, as Nixon, has operated outside and above the law and has pursued an agenda that has thrust this country into a diabolical war that is now pushing a price tag of almost $600 billion with no signs of stopping. Dean makes it very clear that the purpose of his book is to educate the population and to make it clear that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney should be impeached for their willful misconduct, outright lies, and obsessive secret agenda that has now attacked the very foundations of our democracy and civil liberties.
The ABSOLUTE Truth.......2007-09-06
If there was any question or doubt that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were and are sleaze-ball gangsters, you the doubter, will abandon your doubts once you read this book. They are truly frightening men, without morals and without conscience. Yes, they and all they have done is much worse than Watergate.
Obessive Secrecy .......2007-06-01
I finished this book in 2 days because I was so intrigued at not only the shocking comaprison's between Bush and Nixon but that the actions of the Bush-Cheney administration would make Nixon roll over in his grave upset he had not thought off executing his plan in the precise fashion the Bush-Cheney administration has. Ironically after I finished reading this book I was reading an article in the paper about Cheney not allowing the public to see his visitation log at his executive residence (which is customary for this information to be public)citing executive privilege (which never included VP's until Bush amended the law). Why can't the public see who has been to his home? Another article was on Bush not going along with the EU's plan to reduce emissions in the environment in an effort to stop global warming. He says he was going to think of another more efficient plan. Just reading those two articles after this book just confimed everything I read in this book which is very scary in terms of where our nation is headed.
I finally agree with him completely........2007-03-28
Dean is on the right track in so many ways, but honestly, it's only slightly worse than Watergate, as described in this book. With enough sleazy lawyers, they have managed to find a legal justification or distorted precedent for most of this stuff. All the Family Jewels investigations in the `70's is not quite dwarfed by what the Bush Administration had done by `05. In the last year and half, though, things have changed. Congress is not allowed to further investigate how much the NSA was ordered to violate the FISA in its eavesdropping on the orders of the President? Karl Rove and the Justice Department lie to Congress to get the Patriot Act altered in March '06 to give the President sole authority to appoint interim U.S. federal attorneys, without Senate confirmation of candidates, and without a requirement for moving to permanent replacements? Then they immediately use it to replace unbiased federal attorney's with ones that will be "loyal Bushies and play ball" so they can try and rig the run-up to the '08 elections by only allowing corruption investigations of democrats and overturning elections that don't go their way? I mean, what the hell?! That is FAR worse than anything Nixon did. That is a downright attempt to subvert the republic. Is it possible NSA and FBI illegal conduct has also been used for political purposes? Is the Bush Administration now worried if another Republican doesn't get the presidency that the true extent of their corruption will finally be investigated? Quite simply, the behavior of the administration right now amounts to Guilty Demeanor. They appear to be in a panic, attempting to hold control by whatever means possible, even if it means invoking executive privilege and classifying the hell out of everything they can. Dean has good instinct, but it's only recently that his posit has been proven out.
Reader's Digest version of Dean's latest diatribe against all things Republican.......2007-01-08
"I hate Bush because he is a Republican" by John W. Dean.
Book Description
From two-time Pulitzer Prizewinning historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., comes one of the most important and influential investigations of the American presidency. The Imperial Presidency traces the growth of presidential power over two centuries, from George Washington to George W. Bush, examining how it has both served and harmed the Constitution and what Americans can do about it in years to come. The book that gave the phrase "imperial presidency" to the language, this is a work of "substantial scholarship written with lucidity, charm, and wit" (The New Yorker).
Customer Reviews:
This is a great classical book.......2007-05-23
We read this in college and it was one of the best books we ever saw on American politics and I read it again last week. Ir shows that it is not a good idea always to have presidents who get too powerful.
One of the great presidency books.......2007-02-15
Does history repeat itself? Sure seems like it. Scary stuff.
Back and Improved...At Last!.......2004-10-29
The year before George W. Bush took office as president I attended a professional conference where a graduate student offered a paper that posed the question whether Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.'s "Imperial Presidency" was still valid. Quite a debate ensued. Today, in the wake of the Bush Doctrine of preemptive war, and its application in Iraq, I am compelled to offer that this revised volume, with new introduction, answers the previous question with a resounding yea. This has been a very important volume in the study of the presidency, especially regarding the constitution, foreign policy, and war. In the shadow of the Iraqi affair, I would go one step further and say it is a vital work in these troubled times. No, the era of the Imperial Presidency never really went away; and yes, it is a vital concern for the future of the republic and global stability. Schlesinger has recognized this and once again warns us of pending dangers.
Once again important.......2003-03-27
Although this book focuses on Richard Nixon's abuse of Presidential power, it can apply to the present day as well. Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Bush have all extended the power of the Presidency in ways the framers of the Constitution would never have dreamed of. I agree with the reviewer who commented about the favoritism towards Kennedy and Roosevelt hence the four stars rather than five. A great read for anyone interested in the American Constitution as it relates to the powers of the President.
Schlesinger's most revolutionary book to date!.......2003-01-15
Not Schlesinger's best work, however the Imperial Presidency may be his most revolutionary book to date. The book tended to be quite redundant and repetitive. He also placed the best two chapters first, which in turn may not have been the best move. Although this book has its downsides (mentioned above) the chapters on Nixon and Secrecy are well worth the read. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn about the powers of the presidency and Congress and the feud between the two, which has so evidently become a part of our daily lives.
Average customer rating:
- Absolutely Fabulous, Funny, and Terrifying
- Great read!
- A must have for any American!
- One Small Critique
- When Clinton Lied, Nobody Died
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The Bush - Haters Handbook: A Guide to the Most Appalling Presidency of the Past 100 Years
Jack Huberman
Manufacturer: Nation Books
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1560255692 |
Book Description
The Bush-Haters Handbook is a godsend to those looking for a concise, mordantly entertaining overview of the Bush record from a liberal perspective, or those who want to arm themselves with talking points, facts, and figures for debates with conservatives, and at those seeking the perfect holiday gift book for that certain, special Bush-hater in their lives—or for a Bush-lover they hope to rescue from the outer darkness. Summarizing, detailing, and bewailing all of the more important Bush administration outrages, and some of the more trivial ones, this book is the brainchild of Jack Huberman, a former Canadian who took up U.S. citizenship just so he could vote against Dubya in 2000. Topics range from abortion, AIDS, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and Ashcroft, to women and workplace safety. Other major topics include budget and taxes, civil liberties, death penalty, defense spending, education, environment, gun control, health care, homeland security, Iraq, judicial nominations, “nucular” weapons, patients’ rights, privacy, public land, September 11 and the war on terror, and social security. In between are a variety of smaller topics, such as Bush’s language abilities (featuring a selection of priceless Bushisms). The pages are also enlivened by sidebars, “boxed” lists, and political cartoons.
Customer Reviews:
Absolutely Fabulous, Funny, and Terrifying.......2007-03-09
I had a whole plethora of emotions when I read this book. I laughed hysterically when I realized how stupid our President really is, I was astounded by the investigative journalism and the their findings, all of which should never happen in the office of the President of the United States. The reporting on the war and the real reasons we went there are sadly shocking. Everyday, you read about the deaths of the young men and women from 18 to 24, just babies really. None of them have been alive long enough to learn how beautiful life can really be, and it is just heartbreaking. Jack Huberman has done a fantastic job of documenting the lies and scare tactics used by this administration to terrify the population, and the member's of Congress into voting for Bush's blank check into Iraq. The author needs to update the book since it was originally published in 2003. The book would double or triple in size by the time the author starts digging into all the alleged crimes committed by Paul Bremer in Iraq, the illegal contracts with American companies that should have gone to the Iraqi's, and the missing billions in cash. What would they find if they really looked at what that arrogant, ignorant liar, our Commander in Chief (the decider), has done to this country. Why for example, do we have over 100,000 American businessman and workers who are earning billions, when 75% of Iraqi men can't find a job to feed their families? Our country is going broke, we have become a severly fractured society and we no longer have any "good standing" left anywhere in the world. "The Decider" has destroyed our great nation and his foolish decisions are directly responsible for the thousands of dead troops and another 30,000 severly disabled men and women. It is almost too much to believe the true axis of evil, (Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld), could do so much damage to such a proud nation, in such a short period of time. Our ecomomy is in ruins, and they have stripped our Armed Services down to its bare bones. They have cut the funding on every program they possibly could, including VA hospital benefits to pay for this fiasco. It will take generations for this country to recover. George Bush will walk into retirement admiring himself for this hideous mess, and he will dump it on the next President to clean up. It took "The Decider" less than six years to turn the United States into a gigantic bull's eye. Terror is already walking on our soil, just patiently waiting.
Great read!.......2006-11-27
I found this to be a great book full of facts and statistics necessary to back up the feelings that anyone who picks this up to read must already have.
I especially enjoyed the history of the administration officials that was offered and the specific information on the Iraq "situation."
A quick read, which had me both shocked and in awe at some points. :)
A must have for any American!.......2006-11-04
I can't get over how great this book is! It is well organized (all social/political issues are in alphabetical order). It covers all aspects of the presidents mistakes from the environment, appointment of jugdes, the war on terror, etc. Its presented in a concise manner so that its interesting but still information packed. This book is a must have for anyone who disagrees with Bush or anyone who is blind enough to think he is a good president.
One Small Critique.......2006-05-13
I enjoyed the book very much, but there was one thing he said that I disagree with, and was totally unnecessary and perhaps a little damaging to his case, and that was his comment that we really should have 100% inheritance tax, with the argument that people who inherit have already been given the best educational and other opportunities, etc.. The irony I found in that statement was that when my parents died and I inherited probably more than some I grew up with did, part of the reason for this was that we scrimped and saved and had to do without some of the things the neighbors kids got, because my parents lived through the depression and never got it out of their skin. I earned my inheritance in part by doing without things to allow my parents to be able to save and invest for the future, a future that unforunately for them was cut shorter than it was planned to be by a tragic accident. Okay, there were plenty who had it worse than us, whose parents didn't earn enough to save even if they had wanted to, but even if I can't convince the author that I deserved to not have my whole inheritance taken away from me, there was a missed opportunity here.
I am precisely the sort of person Bush was probably trying to pretend his relief in inheritance was supposed to help, protecting the honest middle class family that wants to pass on their hard earned savings to their children..we all know the line. But in actuallity long before Bush the law already provided quite adequately for people like me. Even back in 1994 when I inherited, the first $600,000 of an estate was tax exempt at least when passed on to the children, and I suspect that has gone up in adjustment for inflation. Now there's a funny quirk in the inheritance law that allowed us twice the exclusion in effect, because my parents died in a car accident at the same time, which allowed them each to pass on $600,000 untaxed. If they had not died at the same time we would have had to pay some inheritance tax, but even with only the first $600,000 untaxed it would not have been oppressive. With the already in existence back in 1994 $600,000 exclusion a family with 2 children could pass on $300,000 to each without anyone needing to pay inheritance tax at all. In our case there were 3 of us, so only our first $200,000 would have been untaxed if one or our parents had died before the other, still not exactly hardship, though.
In other words, the point about inheritance tax relief being tax relief for the rich could have been made much better without clouding things by making it seem like an argument about whether inheritance should exist at all. By saying that kind of thing he is unnecessarily playing right into the hands of Bush supporters that will be all too eager to say, that he (and by association all Bushhaters) wants to steal the family home away from the children before they have even had the chance to properly grieve.
When Clinton Lied, Nobody Died.......2006-04-25
For the reviewer below mine who has begged for a review of the book and not how much they hate Bush, I will attempt to grant his wish.
This book is somewhat strident in its tone, which, considering the title, is understandable. It does provide a ton of facts for those who may feel verbally combative with the neighborhood neocon. It is a compilation of Bush's lies, deals, swindles, contradictions, etc. It is broken down into topics such as economy, veterans, etc.
What is important about these facts is that a lot of people are not familiar with them, and the people who like the president don't want to become familiar with them. Keep in mind, this book was written before the start of his second term, and his popularity has dropped to the freezing mark as of this writing i.e. 32%--not degrees.
I believe this book had one bit of conjecture I didn't like, and that was the uncomfirmable assertion that he impregnated a woman who later had an abortion with the help of one of Bush's friends. (Rove, perhaps?) Supposedly, this woman is now married, and not talking or admitting, therefore it should not have been mentioned.
The facts of the book are otherwise unassailable especially for a president who implied that he would do almost anything for our soldiers and veterans, and then didn't. In fact, the book brings out all the things that Bush did to hurt our veterans by closing VA hospitals, freezing pay hikes, balking at raising the death benefit for GI insurance, trying to cut combat pay, and housing allowance pay, to name a few.
Anyone who looks at Bush's business dealings, the way he attacked McCain during the 2000 primary in Carolina, could easily see what kind of man this country would be getting. They wouldn't have had to buy this book to find out that he was a divider, a nation-builder, a man without principle or integrity, nor one who could take responsibility for anything.
If you want to catalogue this man's impeachable offenses, this book is a good start. Beware. It is a little like the writing of Michael Savage. It will anger liberal and neocon alike. That's the drawback to a fine litany of mistakes and character flaws.
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- Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't
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