The US in Peril?

Jeff Madrick reviews American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century by Kevin Phillips, in the New York Review of Books:

In Kevin Phillips's view, the Bush energy policy is a prime example of America's failure to confront its most difficult challenges. Phillips, once a member of the Nixon administration, has written a timely book that argues that America is very different from the independent and omnipotent nation portrayed by President Bush and his administration. Dependency on oil is one of three major tendencies that will seriously undermine America's future, he writes, the other two being the influence of radical religion and the growing reliance on debt to support the economy. For Phillips, these constitute "the three major perils to the United States of the twenty-first century," and he offers little hope that the US will avoid the consequences. Since he wrote his widely read The Emerging Republican Majority in 1969, Phillips has published several books lamenting how poorly the Republicans have handled their responsibilities. American Theocracy is his most pessimistic work to date.

Phillips is concerned with problems that all nations have to contend with in one form or other as they grow older. The very sources of national success, whether in resources or industrial innovation, eventually reach their limits; what lasts is a structure of power and influence that inhibits reform. But by limiting the scope of his book to oil, religion, and debt—although they can be connected with practically every other issue—Phillips has only partially described what is wrong with the US.

More here.

Comments

[mike jimmy]

George Bush & the United States Of American are leaving people dazed & confused.
www.MikesAmericanBlog.com
www.MikesNewsBlog.com

[Jerry Bordoni]

The only Americans "Dazed" are the ones that swallow everything the left and Democrat party spew.

[konsyltacii]

Уменьшение курса доллара - один из способов отдавать долги, которые брались по старым ценам, в той же цифровой сумме, но при изменившемся уровне цен.
Собственно, проблема долгов - очень тонкий вопрос. Учитывая, что согласно опубликованной в интернете информации государственный долг США достиг 14 триллионов долларов, то вопрос взаимоотношений с кредиторами имеет большую важность. Как бы я решил вопрос государственного долга без существенного уменьшения уровня жизни населения страны-должника, если бы я получил такой вопрос? При всей трудности ответа на такой вопрос, ответ может быть сформулирован, учитывая научный и технический потенциал данного государства... Частично такой ответ мог бы быть связан с значительным снижением затрат этого государства на энергоносители за счет научно-технологического снижения стоимости энергетических ресурсов, учитывая в основном внешний характер энергопоставок в это государство. Повторяю, не за счет политического или экономического влияния... Решение вопроса – сугубо мирное, используя интеллект.

Diminishing of course of dollar - one of methods to repay debt, which undertook on old prices, in the same digital sum, but at the changing standard of prices.
Actually, a problem of debts is a very thin question. Taking into account, that in obedience to the information published in the internet the national debt of the USA attained 14 trillions of dollars, then the question of mutual relations with creditors has large importance. How did I decide the question of national debt without the substantial diminishing of standard of living of population of country-debtor, if I got such question? At all difficulty of answer for such question, an answer can be set forth, taking into account scientific and technical potential of this state... Partly such answer would be related to the considerable decline of expenses of this state on power mediums due to the scientifically-technological decline of cost of power resources, taking into account mainly external character of energy deliveries in this state. I repeat, not due to political or economic influence... A decision of question is especially peaceful, using intellect.