What will it take to make America great again? Norway is rated as the best democracy in the world. It is also one of the two happiest countries in the world. But there is much more. Norway has more than a trillion dollars in a pension fund and no national debt, while the U.S. has the greatest dollar national debt in the world—and it has borrowed much of the money from the federal pension funds, like Social Security. Should the U.S. take a look at a fabulously successful and happy country while it stumbles towards greatness?
Are we in the beginning of a new fascist era? As white supremacy, ultra-nationalism, rabid misogyny and anti-immigrant fervor coalesce, a new and uniquely American form of fascism looms. Could our current moment actually bring about the end of democracy in the United States? Are Americans willing to surrender their freedom and dignity, along with their ongoing struggle for equality, justice and mutual respect in the face of the rising tide of political and ideological extremism? In this provocative collection of essays, Henry Giroux warns of the consequences of doing too little as Trump and the so-called alt-right relentlessly attack critics, journalists, and target the hard-earned civil rights of women, people of color, immigrants, the working class, and low-income Americans. As we face down the frightening reality of living under a system that serves only the interests of the wealthy few, Giroux makes a passionate call for ordinary citizens to organize, educate, and resist by all available means. Praise for American Nightmare: "In this current era of corporate media misdirection and misinformation . . . Henry Giroux is one of the few great political voices of today, with powerful insight into the truth. Dr. Giroux is defiantly explaining, against the grain, what's REALLY going on right now, and doing so quite undeniably. Simply put, the ideas he brings forth are a beacon that need to be seen and heard and understood in order for the world to progress."—Julian Casablancas, lead vocalist for The Strokes "In frightening times like these, what is desperately needed is an informed and wise voice that speaks clearly and with conviction about the situation we are in, and what can be done. Henry Giroux is one of the great public intellectuals of our times, and American Nightmare is exactly the book for people grappling with how to understand the Trump era and how to proceed. This is precisely the book that needs to be shared with friends and acquaintances. It will provoke hard thinking, bring clarity, and stimulate much needed conversation and action."—Robert W. McChesney, co-author of People Get Ready: The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy "We have no greater chronicler of these dystopian times. Giroux's critique cuts to the crux of today’s authoritarian crisis, yet his voice remains of one hope that the people may collectively regain control. Even while living though systemic efforts to privatize hope, Giroux’s critique enacts the sort of shared resistance that can effectively challenge authoritarianism. American Nightmare demonstrates how we can resist the normalization of hate, authoritarianism and alienation in Trump’s America. He shows us that not only are we not alone, but we are among a majority who oppose the cruelties of American social policies."—David H. Price, author of Cold War Anthropology: The CIA and the Growth of Dual Use Anthropology "At a moment when the news cycle presents the dangers of Trumpian authoritarianism through disjointed and discrete hottakes, Giroux's wide-reaching analysis accounts for our current American nightmare with necessary historical context, and in so doing creates an aperture for resistance more meaningful than a hashtag."—Natasha Lennard, contributing writer for The Intercept, co-editor of Violence: Humans in Dark Times
Liberals worldwide invoke Scandinavia as a promised land of equality, while most conservatives fear it as a hotbed of liberty-threatening socialism. But the left and right can usually agree on one thing: that the Nordic system is impossible to replicate elsewhere. The US and UK are too big, or too individualistic, or too . . . something. In Viking Economics George Lakey dispels these myths. He explores the inner workings of the Nordic economies that boast the world’s happiest, most productive workers, and explains how we can enact some of the changes—including universal healthcare, affordable childcare, and a month of paid vacation for all—that the Scandinavians fought for surprisingly recently. We, too, can refuse to be governed by the elites and embrace equality in our economic policy—here’s how.
The right to abortion is a major concern in most countries, Should it ever be allowed? Should it be allowed only in the first trimester? When does life start? Should I seek an abortion? Does society need more unwanted babies? Does the Bible specifically condemn abortion? What does each child, wanted or unwanted, cost society? These are questions that women and men must ask. Legislators should inquire deeply—as should judges. These and many more questions are discussed---and answers often implied.
Who invented fraudulent financial real estate loan schemes that almost destroyed the world financial system? Who closed their factories in U.S. communities and opened them in other countries? Who kept their U.S. workers' pay stagnant while their income soared? Who wants to sell all the coal and oil that they own no matter how hot the earth gets? Who flooded U.S. cities and towns with opioid prescription drugs? Not foreign governments and not illegal immigrants. The answer is: rich American capitalists. Without rules, many capitalists will attempt to monopolize markets. They will also dump their wastes into the environment and use their economic power to try to control governments. Trump and his henchmen are changing the rules to benefit the rich, not "Make America Great Again". U.S. history can guide us how to truly make America better but Americans must learn what works and what does not and vote accordingly.
THINK ABOUT IT Ø Intelligent people know that global warming causes climate change. Ø Intelligent people know that people are the major reason. Ø Intelligent people know that greenhouse gases cause it. Ø Intelligent people know that people are already sick and dying from it. Ø Intelligent people know that we may be too late to save our home. Ø What they may not know is that there are many greenhouse gases. Ø What they may not know is that overpopulation is the major cause, as more people use more fossil fuels and eat more methane producing animals and fruits and vegetables that used N2O producing fertilizers. They move to cities built on fertile soil and move into and work in concrete buildings that emitted a great deal of CO2 in their production. Ø What they may not have thought about is that fossil fuel producing and using industries have the backing of the governments their finances have put in office. Ø Reducing overpopulation will be fought by some powerful religions and by reactionary forces in society that back the long-held traditions. But the essential changes can be made through the democratic process—however they will be major inconveniences for all—citizens, legislators and businesses. ARE YOU STILL INTERESTED IN MAKING THE PLANET HABITABLE?
We are continually being inundated by propaganda from capitalists and their captive legislators. Some propaganda is true, but the majority is lies, fake news, and rationalizations. We need to be able to see through the falsity, and find the truth!
This book explores the nexus of corruption, late capitalism, and illiberal politics in the Trump era. Through deep, contextualized analysis and careful critique, it offers valuable perspectives on how corruption is defined and understood in the current historical moment. The book asks: Is today's corruption something new, or is it a continuation of prior patterns of illiberalism? Chapters in this collection consider how corruption is practiced, mobilized, or invoked in a range of cases, each of which is embedded within larger concerns about what citizenship, social belonging, honesty, and justice mean in the United States today. The authors examine a constellation of unscrupulous actors and questionable actions, with topics ranging from sex scandals and shady real estate deals to the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several essays directly address the increasingly violent rhetoric and the deliberately anti-democratic policies that have flourished during the Trump era. The book draws on anthropological insights and comparative analysis to place the policies and practices of Trump and his supporters in a wider global context. Corruption and Illiberal Politics in the Trump Era will be of great interest to readers from anthropology, sociology, political science, discourse studies, media studies, linguistics, and American studies.
A Finnish journalist, now a naturalized American citizen, asks Americans to draw on elements of the Nordic way of life to nurture a fairer, happier, more secure, and less stressful society for themselves and their children Moving to America in 2008, Finnish journalist Anu Partanen quickly went from confident, successful professional to wary, self-doubting mess. She found that navigating the basics of everyday life—from buying a cell phone and filing taxes to education and childcare—was much more complicated and stressful than anything she encountered in her homeland. At first, she attributed her crippling anxiety to the difficulty of adapting to a freewheeling new culture. But as she got to know Americans better, she discovered they shared her deep apprehension. To understand why life is so different in the U.S. and Finland, Partanen began to look closely at both. In The Nordic Theory of Everything, Partanen compares and contrasts life in the United States with life in the Nordic region, focusing on four key relationships—parents and children, men and women, employees and employers, and government and citizens. She debunks criticism that Nordic countries are socialist “nanny states,” revealing instead that it is we Americans who are far more enmeshed in unhealthy dependencies than we realize. As Partanen explains step by step, the Nordic approach allows citizens to enjoy more individual freedom and independence than we do. Partanen wants to open Americans’ eyes to how much better things can be—to show her beloved new country what it can learn from her homeland to reinvigorate and fulfill the promise of the American dream—to provide the opportunity to live a healthy, safe, economically secure, upwardly mobile life for everyone. Offering insights, advice, and solutions, The Nordic Theory of Everything makes a convincing argument that we can rebuild our society, rekindle our optimism, and restore true freedom to our relationships and lives.
Revolution: It Ain’t No New Thing is an extraordinarily well-written exposé uncovering promising possibilities of another era of American generational consciousness evolution. Using analogical arguments to support his bold new assertions and predictions, Dr. Harris examines in great historical detail the evolution of political consciousness and how it has evolved over many millennia. In the prologue, he defines political consciousness as being both individual and group awareness derived from a common set of beliefs and values or value regimes. He further details how ancient civilization’s political societies evolved, dating back to Babylon, Prussia, Egypt, and the Middle East, to the founding of America’s democratic republic and today’s societal efforts toward a more perfect union. Revolution: It Ain’t No New Thing exposes an unambiguous contrast between revolution and evolution. Whereas an act of revolution always ushers in a complete political regime change, evolution involves a modification of an existing political regime by changing its political and civic polity. In order to drive home this point, Andrew tells his personal story of being politically radicalized as a young Black boy in the suburbs of New York City during the civil rights movement. In chapter 6, he brilliantly conceives a political conceptual framework entitled “The EING Factors” (exclusivism, inclusivism, nationalism, and globalism) that identifies and contextualizes different political regime eras, beginning with the American Revolutionary War, the Great Depression and World War II, the civil rights movement, to today’s millennial generation crisis. Dr. Harris concludes by addressing some questions surrounding how America can prepare for a new political consciousness evolution, providing several key empirical observations and a fresh new perspective on instituting realistic changes.
