15 September 2008

Obama vs McCain Book Choices

+The books Obama and McCain are currently reading:

Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age by Larry M. Bartels, has picked up the endorsement of several prominent Democrats, including Senator Barack Obama, who last week, as reported by MSNBC, said on the campaign trail in Ohio, "There's a book that's come out right now, by a prominent economist--irrefutable--looking at the evidence showing that when Democrats have been in charge of the economy, the economy has grown faster and it's also been fairer in the sense that everybody benefits. And when the Republicans have been in charge, the economy has grown slower and there's been greater inequality."
Lest anyone think this book is a partisan hit job by a left-wing academic, Bartels goes to great pains in his introduction to preempt the counterattack he expects from critics on the right. "I began the project as an unusually apolitical political scientist," he writes, noting that the last time he voted was in 1984, "and that was for Ronald Reagan." He adds that in doing this work, "I was quite surprised to discover how often and how profoundly partisan differences in ideologies and values have shaped key policy decisions and economic outcomes. I have done my best to follow my evidence where it led me."

McCain’s Book recommendation:
McCain calls Terror and Consent, by Philip Bobbitt, a Columbia law professor and former member of President Clinton’s National Security Council “the best book I’ve ever read on terrorism.” He has been carrying it with him this campaign season, showing underlined passages to his staff and to reporters, and he invited Bobbitt to fly with him for two days. Terror and Consent was recommended to him by Henry Kissinger...
...It is a book that promotes pre-emptive action against countries that may support terrorist but believes the goal of Arab Democratization is unrealistic and perhaps even counter-productive.

 

+Also, economist, Marginal Revolution has a short post making the argument that libertarians should vote Obama.

+Also this is a funny quote:
Sarah knows how to field-dress a moose. I know how to castrate a calf. Neither of those things has anything at all to do with this election. But since we know so much about Sarah’s special skills, I wanted to make sure you knew about mine too.. -Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge
++Also see this Palin Name Generator. Thanks Clark Street for pointing me to this.

++Also: One time McCain supporter, Richard Cohen says: "Once is tragedy, a second time is farce. John McCain is both."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Is that Obama about to punch McCain? Oh my, hope I don't start seeing this on McCain commercials!