Cary Neeper's Blog: Reviewing World-changing Nonfiction - Posts Tagged "congress"
Reviewing "The Lessons of History" by Will & Ariel Durant
The Lessons of History by Will & Ariel Durant, New York, Simon & Schuster, 1968, 1996.
Another prescient, must-read from the past, the Durants' short book reminds us of cycles in history-- from democracy to inequality in wealth to revolution and chaos and hopefully back to democracy. Given the current uproar in politics, their analysis is chilling, especially since Congress is so dysfunctional. History meets critical situations by ..."legislation redistributing wealth or by revolution distributing poverty," they say.
This book was written by the Durants after they reread their ten volumes the Story of Civilization (to 1789).
The example given by Plutarch in 594 B.C. is very revealing. He saved Athens from revolution by leveling the playing field—forgiving debt, devaluing money, applying a progressive tax and doing a G.I. Bill i.e. providing free education to former soldiers. Sounds like the laundry list in Robert Reich's Saving Capitalism, NY, Knopf, 2015.
Rome didn't do so well—just engaged in war and continued favoring the wealthy, a mistake easily made by the manipulation of democracy. "Men who can manage money manage all." As an example, farmers now must be employees of "...capitalists or the state." Thus history becomes a cycle of "concentrated wealth and compulsive circulation."
Education is required if we are to avoid the violent surge from "...changing political argument into blind hate." Hopefully that stage in the Trump campaign is now over. "If equality of education can be established, democracy will be real and justified." I understand that free college education is provided in Germany these days, and that some states are moving in that direction. Now, how about leveling the playing field, Hilary?
The Durant's lessons are divided into brief, beautifully crafted and readable chapters, summarizing history as seen by the Earth, in biology, by race and character, morals and religion, economics and socialism, government and war, during growth and decay.
We need to believe there is hope. Humans are inventive, stubborn but not stupid. As we face this difficult presidential election, I believe we can find Durants' "...approximate equity of legal justice and educational opportunity."
Another prescient, must-read from the past, the Durants' short book reminds us of cycles in history-- from democracy to inequality in wealth to revolution and chaos and hopefully back to democracy. Given the current uproar in politics, their analysis is chilling, especially since Congress is so dysfunctional. History meets critical situations by ..."legislation redistributing wealth or by revolution distributing poverty," they say.
This book was written by the Durants after they reread their ten volumes the Story of Civilization (to 1789).
The example given by Plutarch in 594 B.C. is very revealing. He saved Athens from revolution by leveling the playing field—forgiving debt, devaluing money, applying a progressive tax and doing a G.I. Bill i.e. providing free education to former soldiers. Sounds like the laundry list in Robert Reich's Saving Capitalism, NY, Knopf, 2015.Rome didn't do so well—just engaged in war and continued favoring the wealthy, a mistake easily made by the manipulation of democracy. "Men who can manage money manage all." As an example, farmers now must be employees of "...capitalists or the state." Thus history becomes a cycle of "concentrated wealth and compulsive circulation."
Education is required if we are to avoid the violent surge from "...changing political argument into blind hate." Hopefully that stage in the Trump campaign is now over. "If equality of education can be established, democracy will be real and justified." I understand that free college education is provided in Germany these days, and that some states are moving in that direction. Now, how about leveling the playing field, Hilary?
The Durant's lessons are divided into brief, beautifully crafted and readable chapters, summarizing history as seen by the Earth, in biology, by race and character, morals and religion, economics and socialism, government and war, during growth and decay.
We need to believe there is hope. Humans are inventive, stubborn but not stupid. As we face this difficult presidential election, I believe we can find Durants' "...approximate equity of legal justice and educational opportunity."
”Shutting down the shutdown.”
Review of an article by Sarah Myers in the Stanford Daily, Tuesday January 29, 2019--”Shutting down the shutdown.”
Since the shutdown track record of the U.S. President and Congress is not good, Myers suggests obvious options that seem to elude our elected pundits:
1)Congress could come up with a constitutional amendment that would maintain a funding package for one year so that “…the previous year’s funding package is automatically enacted…” if a new package can’t pass. Japan does this.
2)A simple majority (not 2/3) should pass the budget, and Congress should be able to override a Presidential veto. Myers gives this a thoughtful analysis, pointing out the “disadvantages” to easy veto overriding and “easily changed” Congressional procedures.
3)There could be Congressional time limits on budget negotiations.
4)Shutdowns could have consequences for Congress, like salary reductions. Refusals to work without pay should clearly be an option for Government employees and agencies.
I’m sure we are not alone in agreeing with Myers’ conclusion: “Structural change to our legislative process or to bureaucratic policies…” need to be made. Now!
Since the shutdown track record of the U.S. President and Congress is not good, Myers suggests obvious options that seem to elude our elected pundits:
1)Congress could come up with a constitutional amendment that would maintain a funding package for one year so that “…the previous year’s funding package is automatically enacted…” if a new package can’t pass. Japan does this.
2)A simple majority (not 2/3) should pass the budget, and Congress should be able to override a Presidential veto. Myers gives this a thoughtful analysis, pointing out the “disadvantages” to easy veto overriding and “easily changed” Congressional procedures.
3)There could be Congressional time limits on budget negotiations.
4)Shutdowns could have consequences for Congress, like salary reductions. Refusals to work without pay should clearly be an option for Government employees and agencies.
I’m sure we are not alone in agreeing with Myers’ conclusion: “Structural change to our legislative process or to bureaucratic policies…” need to be made. Now!
Reviewing World-changing Nonfiction
Expanding on the ideas portrayed in The Archives of Varok books for securing the future.
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