Have any of you read: "American Theocracy:

The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century" by Kevin Phillips? Looks rather daunting.

His last book, about the Bush Dynasty, was great and still very topical.

the part that bugged me the most was the results of the 2000 and 2004 election. Those areas of the county that have anything to do with car manufacturing or energy production voted GOP and it was a switch. Due, it is assumed, to Dems talking about conservation which these people translate to lost jobs.

It's good, a different perspective for sure. Worth the read.

voted Dem in 2000 and 2004

it right now too, the question i have so far is what are the other opinions on what we should do to secure oil. i mean we need it right? at least for a little while till a cleaner energy comes in to the mainstream. but iraq having 200 billion barrels and at a dollar per barrel to cover the excavation and packaging. wow that's a lot of money on resell. if i had half a heart like Dick (literally) i could probably send a bunch of people to die for that. oh well i just keep thinking humans are worth more then money

1) dependence on oil
2) religious fanaticism
3) debt

I'm just starting the final part on debt. It's a very good book that I'd recommend to anyone. It may seem daunting for its dry tone but that is also the book's strength: The author isn't trying to entertain you along the way by being satirical/jokey or looking to stroke his own ego by wanting you to be impressed with his "wit." It's a serious book about serious issues that can't be ignored by any serious person.

I will finish the book, but sometimes at the end of the day (when I do most of my reading), I need a different style of writing. I don't think an author needs to be witty to make a book an easier read. There is no way I could get someone who is not very serious and very knowledgable about the situations we face to pick up this book.

driving time if no liberal talk radio available.

I'm in the part on religion right now. Part on oil was eye-opening, Phillips has me more convinced than ever that a good part of the Iraq war was about oil.

But it looks like I have to wait a while.

It is not that bad. I am halfway through it, it is a good analysis that is still building.

I'm looking forward to starting it this week and then discussing it!

It's a big read so it will be nice that we are taking 2 months to discuss.

and I found it very enlightening if a bit depressing. Yes it is a bit dry but well worth the read.

Seems like just about every intelligent book I read about the level of crisis this nation is facing the more I think on the feasibility of moving to another country.

Not seriously, I love my country and nation and would stay as long as I had any hope I could make a living and/or help make improvements. But some part of my brain, probably the part that worries about my son's future, can't help but wonder if it would be better elsewhere. But considering I think the biggest threat is global environmental change there's probably no where that's going to be much better.

Boy, this one sure lays it all on the line. It is quite depressing; it's like he's saying that as long as we have people running the country who don't really want to switch us from an oil culture to a culture that runs on something else, we are fated to keep going on attacking Middle Eastern countries to get their oil under the guise of "democratizing" them--and being attacked by their more radical citizens as a result. And we can't get our leaders to seriously think of switching from oil--despite its being a limited resource--why should they, when so many of them believe the End Times will come before the oil runs out?

And he's not saying the USA will be consigned to losing its rank and power in the world because of all this...just saying, it looks damn likely!!

I'm curious as to whether he lays out any serious proposals for solutions.