Other books that might interest you

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  The Fair Tax Book - Saying...

  Neal Boortz, John Linder

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  Wouldn’t you love to abolish the IRS . . .Keep all the money in your paycheck . . .Pay taxes on what you spend, not what you earn . . .And eliminate all the fraud, hassle, and waste of our current system? Then the FairTax is for you. In the face of the outlandish American tax burden, talk-radio firebrand Neal Boortz and Congressman John Linder are leading the charge to phase out our current, unfair system and enact the FairTax Plan-replacing the federal income tax and withholding system with a simple 23 percent retail sales tax. This dramatic revision of the current system, which would eliminate the reviled IRS, has already caught fire in the American heartland, with more than 600,000 taxpayers signing on in support of the plan. As Boortz and Linder reveal in this first book on the FairTax, this radical but eminently sensible plan would end the annual national nightmare of filing income tax returns, while at the same time enlarging the federal tax base by collecting sales tax from every retail consumer in the country. The FairTax, they argue, would transform the fearsome bureaucracy of the IRS into a more transparent, accountable—and equitable—tax collection system. Endorsed by scores of leading economists—and supported by a huge and growing grassroots movement—the FairTax Plan could revolutionize the way America pays for itself.

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  Compassionate Counterterrorism -...

  Leena Al Olaimy

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  From purchasing pay-per-view pornography to smoking pot, many so-called Muslim terrorists prove by their actions that they aren’t motivated by devotion to religion, Leena Al Olaimy argues. So why do they really turn to violence, and what does that tell us about the most effective way to combat terrorism?Al Olaimy sets the stage by providing a quick, thoughtful grounding in the birth of Islam in a barbaric Game of Thrones-like seventh-century Arabia, the evolution of fundamentalist thought, and the political failures of the postcolonial period. She reveals that terrorists are motivated by economic exclusion, lack of opportunity, social marginalization, and political discrimination. This is why using force to counter terrorism is ineffective — it exacerbates the symptoms without treating the cause. Moreover, data shows that military interventions led to the demise of only 12 percent of religious terrorist groups.Combining compelling data with anecdotal evidence, Al Olaimy sheds light on unorthodox and counterintuitive strategies to address social woes that groups like ISIS exploit. For example, she describes how Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, has decreased terrorism while paradoxically becoming more overtly religious. Or how Mechelen, the city with Belgium’s largest Muslim population, adopted integration policies so effective that not one of its 20,000 Muslims left to join ISIS. Using religion, neuroscience, farming, and even love, this audiobook offers many inspiring examples and — for once — an optimistic outlook on how we can not just fight but prevent terrorism.

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  Winner-Take-All Politics - How...

  Jacob S. Hacker, Paul Pierson

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  We all know that the very rich have gotten a lot richer these past few decades while most Americans haven't. In fact, the exorbitantly paid have continued to thrive during the current economic crisis, even as the rest of Americans have fallen behind. Why do the "have-it-alls" have so much more? Lots of so-called experts claim to have solved this great mystery, but no one has really gotten to the bottom of it-until now.In their lively and provocative Winner-Take-All Politics, renowned political scientists Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson demonstrate that the usual suspects-foreign trade and financial globalization, technological changes in the workplace, increased education at the top-are largely innocent of the charges against them. Instead, they indict an unlikely suspect and take us on an entertaining tour of the mountain of evidence against the culprit. The guilty party is American politics. Runaway inequality and the present economic crisis reflect what government has done to aid the rich and what it has not done to safeguard the interests of the middle class. The winner-take-all economy is primarily a result of winner-take-all politics.Part revelatory history, part political analysis, part intellectual journey, Winner-Take-All Politics shows how a political system that traditionally has been responsive to the interests of the middle class has been hijacked by the super-rich. In doing so, it not only changes how we think about American politics, but also points the way to rebuilding a democracy that serves the interests of the many rather than just those of the wealthy few.

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  Polk and the Presidency

  Charles A. McCoy

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  A historical analysis of how James Polk influenced the authority and importance of the role of the U.S. presidency for future incumbents.“Who is James K. Polk?” was a rallying cry of the Whigs during the campaign of 1844. Polk answered that question adequately by winning the election against his Whig opponent, Henry Clay.Today the question might be recast—respectfully, not derisively—“Who was James K. Polk?” Few persons could give more than a perfunctory answer, even though when he left office the United States was half again larger than it was when he became president.Polk, unlike his close friend Andrew Jackson, has been the subject of but few books. Stern and serious-minded, intent upon his work, he never caught the public’s imagination as did some of the more magnetic personalities who filled the office of president. His lack of personal charm, however, should not hide from generations of Americans the great benefit he brought their country and his key role in developing the powers of the presidency.This book assumes that the presidential power-role, though expressed in the Constitution and prescribed by law, is not a static role but a dynamic one, shaped and developed by a president’s personal reaction to the crises and circumstances of the times during which he serves. And Polk faced many crises, among them the Mexican War, the Oregon boundary dispute, the tariff question, Texas’s admission to the Union, and the establishment by the United States of a more stable and respected position in the world of nations.Based on the dynamic power-role theory, the book analyzes its theme of how and why James K. Polk, the eleventh president of the United States, responded to the challenges of his times and thereby increased the authority and importance of the presidential role for future incumbents. Charles McCoy became interested in writing this book after two of his friends, both informed historians, pointed out to him that James K. Polk was a neglected figure in American history. Preliminary research showed this to be true, but without reason—for, as the eminent historian George Bancroft said, “viewed from the standpoint of results, [Polk’s administration] was perhaps the greatest in our national history, certainly one of the greatest.” For his own astute appraisal of the Polk administration, McCoy emphasized the use of firsthand sources of information: the Polk Diary; newspapers of the period; the unpublished papers of Polk, Jackson, Trist, Marcy, and Van Buren; and congressional documents and reports.

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  life and teaching of Karl Marx...

  Max Beer

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  Max Beer's book "The Life and Teaching of Karl Marx" is a comprehensive biography of the famous German philosopher, economist, and social theorist, Karl Marx. The book explores Marx's life and ideas in great detail, from his early childhood in Trier, Germany, to his intellectual development and eventual rise to prominence as one of the most influential thinkers of the 19th century. 
  Beer begins by discussing Marx's early years, including his upbringing in a family of Jewish descent and his education at the University of Bonn and the University of Berlin. From there, he traces Marx's intellectual journey, from his early interest in Hegelian philosophy to his later involvement in socialist and communist politics. 
  The book also explores the key ideas and theories that Marx developed throughout his career, including his concept of historical materialism, his critique of capitalism, and his vision of a classless society. Beer examines these ideas in detail, providing historical context and explaining their significance both in Marx's time and in the years since. 
  Throughout the book, Beer emphasizes the political and social context in which Marx lived and worked. He discusses the rise of industrial capitalism in Europe, the development of socialist and communist movements, and the political struggles that shaped Marx's ideas and career. 
  Overall, "The Life and Teaching of Karl Marx" provides a thorough and insightful exploration of one of the most important figures in modern history. It offers a valuable perspective on Marx's life, ideas, and legacy, and is an essential read for anyone interested in political philosophy, economics, or social theory.

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  The Corporate State

  Charles Reich

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  The philosopher/author of The Greening of America and Sorcerer of Bolinas Reef reveals the essence and the dangers of the megalithic corporate conglomerate. An especially relevant conversation for our time.

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