Jeffrey St. Clair

A book of collected papers about the Obama presidency. This book details the many ways in which he has been a center-right to right president, with policies that mirror those of his predecessors, and in some cases, take Bush's policies to a new high (or is that a new low?). These papers begin during the campaign, which could serve as a good corrective for those who believe that the problems with the Obama presidency began after his inaguration. There have been issues that some have seen since early on, and they are laid out here in brutal black and white. One of the contributors put it well when he indicated that the main difference between Bush and Obama is that Bush was more straightforward about what he was going to do. The idea of many supporters that Obama simply couldn't have been expected to accomplish that much in so short a time is put to the test here, and found wanting, with all the things he did manage to do (most of them not good). The weaknesses of the book are mostly in what isn't covered: there is very little about the environment, which is a shame, because that is one of the places where he has done considerable damage; other than a chapter on how disappointing he's been on climate change, there is very little. And there are a few things that might have been able to be improved by the eagle-eye of a good editor, such as the comment by one contributor that, if it weren't for the howls that would rise from the religious right, the free marketeers would have privatized churches. This should elicit a great big "huh?" Churches are already privatized. In the United States, churches are not consitutionally allowed to be anything else, and since the founding of the country, there has never been a state church (even if it feels like it at times with all the praying and other silliness that goes on in public meetings). In addition, it's difficult for me to buy the premise that attacks on evolution and attempts to bring religion into public life have been reduced in Obama's administration; perhaps there is just less coverage, but in fact, these things appear to be in a frenzy of activity these days. Also some places where statistics are misused or misunderstood. Overall, a decent look at the first Obama administration.… (plus d'informations)

i am a “friend of ak press�€? which means i pay them a certain amount of money each month ($20 US) and in return i receive a copy of every new book they print. i think this is a more than fair arrangement as every couple of months i get a fat envelope with a book or two, a cd or dvd, some stickers and a comic (or sometimes a different combination of stuff depending on what they produce). it’s like having organic vegetable delivery - you never know what you will receive and you end up trying stuff you would have never bought at the grocery. this book of short-essays is a rambling book of lighter material but an enjoyable read covering off the intersections between politics, art, music, architecture and sex via the words of a number of authors. looking through the lens of pop-culture often gives real insight into the values, aspirations and the “dark-sideâ€? of any society - something this this recent addition to the counterpunch book series delivers on in the waning days of the american empire.… (plus d'informations)