Everyone Drank Deficit Kool Aid; Now Everyone Has to Pay for It
After the ball is over, after the break of morn, After the dancers' leaving, after the stars are gone, Many a heart is aching, if you could read them all ... -- Lyrics from [...]
An Ace in the Hole: Innovation
"Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle" By Dan Senor and Saul Singer Dan Senor and Saul Singer provide incisive explanations for how 7.1 million Israelis, surrounded by enemies and with no natural resources, [...]
Whether for Good or Ill, Google has Clearly Changed the World
Ken Auletta wrote a terrific book, "Googled: The End of the World as We Know It." Auletta combined his extensive knowledge of the media and technology industries to explain the mission of Google, the [...]
Man Who Bet Against Bubble in Housing is Revealed in Book
"The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-The Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History" by Gregory Zuckerman Gregory Zuckerman, an award-winning Wall Street Journal columnist, provides a wonderful, fast-paced [...]
Fannie and Freddie, Should U.S. Be in Loan-Buying Business?
In 1986, Steven Spielberg produced a slapstick film, "The Money Pit," about a married couple whose efforts to renovate their home are sabotaged by costly accidents. A generation later, the American taxpayers' efforts to [...]
Historic Jewish Catholic Relationships
Request: To Katy White: I am writing this essay given your interest in the issue of historic anti-Semitism by the Catholic Church. I request that this essay not be sent to anyone. My reasons [...]
In Tried by War by James McPherson
By James McPherson Courtesy Library of Congress Lincoln, McClellan (facing him) and other Union officers on the Antietam battlefield. Introduction: James M. McPherson’s “Tried by War” explained the evolution of the president’s role as commander [...]
Franz Ferdinand Assassination
His assassination provided the spark that ignited the Great War June 28, 1914 Sir Earl Grey “The Lights are going out all over Europe, and we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.” [...]
Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost it to the Revolution by T.J. English
By T.J. English Introduction: Havana Nocturne brings to life a by-gone era. It is more than just a compelling story about the Mafia’s goal to create a gambling empire in Cuba. It provides an insight [...]
1935 Protest Against German Anti-Semitism
In 1935, the American High Commissioner for German Refugees, James. G. McDonald, resigned from the League of Nations to protest German anti-Semitic policies. The league found itself in an awkward position with regard to the [...]
Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt and the Supreme Court by Jeff Shesol
By Jeff Shesol “If the Court-Packing plan passed, the court will become as ductile as a gob of chewing gum, changing shape from day to day and even from hour to hour as this [...]
Afghanistan: Shame on Us
Introduction: after at least 8 years of American troops trying to defeat terrorists in Afghanistan, America needs to rethink our options expeditiously. While all of us fear terrorism, we need to address whether we [...]
Lessons from the Greek Fiscal Crisis
Introduction In the aftermath of the Greek fiscal crisis, there needs to be a realistic assessment of the “lifetime superpower” assumptions that have dominated political actions in most advanced economic states. Specifically, capitalistic countries [...]
1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History
1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History By Charles Flood Introduction: During the same month two hundred years ago, two of the most remarkable men in history were born, Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. Several [...]
Franklin Roosevelt’s Key Foreign Policy Leadership Role
INTRODUCTION If I were an excellent cartoonist like my friend, Mel Gerstein, I would draw a cartoon of Franklin Roosevelt, with a cigarette holder clenched in his mouth holding up the world like the mythical [...]
Franklin Roosevelt: A First Class Temperament
I recently completed an enjoyable book, A First Class Temperament. This work seeks to capture the essence of Franklin Roosevelt’s personality. President Roosevelt was indeed a remarkable person. A man who suffered such debilitating paralysis [...]
A Disgraceful Episode at the White House
Mendacity. What do you know about mendacity? I could write a book on it...Mendacity. Look at all the lies that I got to put up with. Boy, I've lived with mendacity. Now why can't [...]
The Long March to Freedom: Nelson Mandela (1918 – Present)
Mandela has demonstrably proved that he lives by the following credo: During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought [...]
Book of Ruth, Harry Hopkins and Churchill
"Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your [...]
Baseball Highlights Since 1893
Introduction My Extra Inning: This fall there will be a television series that follows up on Ken Burn’s fabulous 9 inning series on Baseball. I am sure that I will watch it, but my [...]
The Court-Packing Fight and the Triumph of Democracy
FDR v. the Constitution A book by Burt Solomon “The Success of Democratic institutions lies in the success of the processes of reason as opposed to tyranny of force, between these, society must choose. If [...]
True Cost of Health Care Reform
Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. George Santayana: “Those who do not remember the past are condemned [...]
Running Against Government
Today’s Realpolitik encourages politicians from the local schoolhouse to President Obama to pretend that all of their efforts going forward will be to enact policies contravening current law. Their martial stand against current government reflects [...]
Watchdog Needed to Prevent Financial Collapse
"The future ain't what it used to be."- Yogi Berra It has always been difficult for the retail industry to keep its customer base because of constantly changing consumer preferences, rapid commoditization and low [...]
Enemy is Here
The recent arrest of David Headley for his involvement in the Mumbai Massacre and 5 American college students in Pakistan for hoping to initiate terrorist activity represent a clear and present danger even in America. [...]
A Bipartisan Effort Necessary to Have a Chance to Tame
"There are rare moments in this institution when you can implement fundamental change. This is one of them." –Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind. President Obama is considering forming a bipartisan commission to reduce the nation's [...]
Homeownership Dream Turned Into Nightmare with U.S. Help
For decades the American government sought to increase homeownership because of a belief that it reinforced a faith in capitalism and made better citizens. Unfortunately, this effort turned into government mandates that led the [...]
Why and How our Government Bailed Out Financial Firms
Too Big To Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System – and Themselves. By Andrew Sorkin. Andrew Sorkin, business writer for the New York Times, [...]
Borrowing and Spending Wantonly Will Ruin the Dollar
The decline of the U.S. dollar over the past six months is reviving concerns about its status as the world's reserve currency. A reserve currency is held in significant quantities by many governments as [...]
FDIC’s Proposal to Borrow From Banks Has Major Pitfalls
The movie "It's a Wonderful Life" highlights the fragile dependence of the community of Bedford Falls on its banking institutions. The potential failure of its saving and loan because of a financial crisis will [...]
For Ratings Agencies, Soft Words Should Give Way to a Big Stick
SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro recently said the rating agency industry needs to be subjected to a stronger regulatory framework because investors frequently consider those ratings in making investment decisions. Schapiro needs to follow up [...]
Shoring Up the System is but a first step toward recovery
"(I)t is important to note that the very absence of common-sense regulations able to keep up with a fast-paced financial sector is what created the need for that extraordinary intervention. The lack of sensible [...]
Credibility Gap Follows Merger of Bank of American and Merrill
Much of the benefit of the Merrill Lynch (ML) and Bank of America (BAC) merger has been lost to investors for a lack of full disclosure. It is a fundamental principle of American finance [...]
A Simple Choice Not to ‘Swap Horses When Crossing Streams’
"I was not going to be the Federal Reserve chairman who presided over the second Great Depression." -- Ben Bernanke President Barack Obama decided to reappoint Ben Bernanke to a second term as chairman [...]
For Some Low-Income Buyers, Car Program is the ‘Clunker’
Jeff Taylor wasn't happy that the Senate approved another $2 billion for the "cash for clunkers" program last week. For him, the program means fewer clunkers, and possibly less cash. Taylor hates the term, [...]
Judgment Days
Pulitzer Prize winning author, Nick Kotz, wrote a compelling history of the fight for civil rights. The book primarily focuses on the extraordinary effectiveness of President Lyndon Johnson to pass the Civil Rights Acts of [...]