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Political Processes - Can we talk?

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BooksAdmin:
"Economic theories and philosophies often go hand in hand with politics. They do involve "taking sides". Taking sides in a debate does not mean personal attacks and holier than thou attitudes. It means honest debate on the merits of a particular course of action. I wouldn't mind exploring these ideas, how they come about and why one system is ultimately chosen over another."
a SeniorLearner

The purpose of this forum is to discuss political issues which have been raised in books, newspapers and other printed matter, including web articles.  The upcoming debate on budget and taxes and the looming fiscal cliff will soon capture everyone's attention, for example.  CAN WE TALK?

We expect courteous respectful posts. Posts containing remarks of an ad hominem nature  (made against the person rather than the topic discussed) will be removed.

BooksAdmin:
Welcome to a new discussion area at SeniorLearn.  As stated in the header, the purpose of this forum is to discuss political issues which have been raised in books, newspapers and other printed matter, including web articles.

 

Frybabe:
I just caught sight of the new discussion.

My current economic reading list:

Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (read, interesting perspectives, easy to read)
Super Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (TBR pile)
Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman (wish list item)
The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek (in progress, heavy going)
Economic Facts and Fallacies by Thomas Sowell (TBR pile)

Political reading list:
The U. S. Constitution
The Oxford Companion to the U.S. Supreme Court (TBR pile)
Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg (read, very difficult going)
Strictly Right - William F. Buckley Jr. and the American conservative Movement by Linda Bridges and     John R. Coyne, Jr.(TBR pile)

Historical Politics/Economics related:
Fernand Braudel's three volume series on Civilization and Capitalism, 15th-18th Century (TBR pile)
Cicero by Anthony Everitt (read, biography)
Various writings of both Cicero and Cato.
Various biographies of political figures, mostly early US Presidents and Nixon's, Seize the Moment (TBR pile)
For political satire/humor I have read some of P.J. O'Rourke's earlier books. and am looking forward to reading his book,  P. J. O'Rourke on The Wealth of Nations. This is part of the NPR sponsored Books that Changed the World series

These are not recommendations; they are just what I have hanging around the house, have read or want to read.

I just attended the first meeting of a new coffee club sponsored by my investment broker. I'm not sure what all he had in mind other than focusing on how we can help ourselves weather the economic fluctuations that affect our investments (not a single sales pitch). He talked about the "fiscal cliff" and how it might affect our retirement income and our taxes. He also handed out several sheets including one interesting "political perspective" sheet from J.P. Morgan. One chart on the sheet, Annual Market Returns by Political Party Control covering 1937-2011, showed that market returns average the highest with Republicans controlling the presidency and both houses (17.4%), followed by Democratic president with split congress (15.4%), Democrats controlling the presidency and both houses (10.6%), and lastly, a Republican presidency with a split congress (6.5%).

I don't have any particular issue in mind at the moment. Mostly just checking in.

 

Frybabe:
My daily routine includes checking out the new additions to Project Gutenberg. This morning I found  AMERICAN ELOQUENCE  - STUDIES IN AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY, Edited with Introduction by Alexander Johnston, Reedited by James Albert Woodburn.  This is the index to his four volumes which links to the online version of the four volumes. You can download the four volumes separately by looking up Mr. Johnston in the catalog.

maryz:
I'll be checking in.  Recent today's-politics reading we've done around here include Matt Taibbi's Griftopia, about the lead-up events to the financial collapse, and Rachel Maddow's Drift, about military power. 

I hope we can have some interesting, non-antagonistic discussions here.

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