bust, 18, 19, 21, 22–23, 57, 78, 102
and foreclosures, 23, 92
and home-equity loans, 77–78
and mortgages, 21, 22–23, 57, 58, 59
and subsidized ownership, 80
Huang Nubo, 124
Huerta, Victoriano, 109
Hughes, Charles Evans, 91, 92
Hughes, Karen, 100
Hungary, 106, 111
Iceland, 124
Ideology and ideological rigidity, 36, 45, 49, 50, 100, 116, 161
Immigration and immigrants, xi, 107–108, 117–121, 143
Immigration and Nationality Act (1965), 119
Income
declining median household, 76
and home-equity loans, 77–78
inequality, 19, 156, 157
and retirement, 79, 145
India, 119, 127
and currency, 29
and defense, 122
rise of, 5
and U.S. foreign interventions, 115
and water resources, 123
and workers, 19, 77
Indian Citizenship Act (1924), 135–136
Indonesia, 5
Industrial Workers of the World, 147
Inflation, 24, 28, 31, 32, 42, 58, 76
Infrastructure
bonds, 128
and costs on businesses, 87
erosion of, 6
and government, 96, 101, 103, 145
and jobs, 25, 26, 158
need for massive program, 155
and taxes, 38
and transfers of money, 32
and transportation, 25–26
and U.S. economic recovery, 28
Intelligence, 117, 128
International Monetary Fund (IMF), 27, 29, 111
Internet, 75, 85, 120, 147, 148, 150, 153, 159
Interstate Highway System, 97, 102
Iran, 112
Iraq, 65, 77, 113, 114, 115, 127
Ireland, 107, 108
Islam, 5, 132
Italy, 110
Jackson, Andrew, 7, 137
Jackson, Jesse, 10
Japan, 6
and China, 130
and currency, 27
and economic growth, 122
investments in the United States, 29
and manufacturing, 81, 82
and population and immigration, 118, 119
and U.S. debt, 27, 28
Jefferson, Thomas, 7, 43–44, 51, 105–106, 141
Jobs, x, 48, 141
creation of, 20, 21–22, 23–25, 29, 81, 83, 88, 89, 118, 143, 144, 158, 160
cutting taxes on, 89
and defense spending, 133
and education, 84–87
and elderly, 89
high-quality professional and service, 87
and immigrants, 120
losses of, 10, 21, 79–80, 81, 90 (see also Unemployment)
and manufacturing, 80–84, 85
number of people with, 88
and Republicans, 143
shortage of, 18
and technology, 4, 83, 85–87, 158
worry about, 143
Johnson, Lady Bird, 139
Johnson, Lyndon (LBJ), 7, 98, 112, 138–139, 141, 159
Justice Department, 67
Katz, Lawrence F., 76
Kaufman, Henry, 59, 60
Kennan, George, 111, 112, 115, 133
Kennedy, John, 111–112, 144
Kennedy, Ted, 100
Kids with Cancer, 69
King, Dr. Martin Luther, Jr., 138, 140, 159
Kiva, 74
Korean War, 111, 112
Kosovo, 114
Kuwait, 113
La Follette, Bob, 147
Labor, 48, 80, 89
and bargaining power, 19
and manufacturing, 80–84
and world economy, 19
See also Jobs; Unions
Lakoff, George, 102, 144
Laws, 4, 48, 51, 53, 59, 61, 63, 67, 96, 102, 116, 145
Lawsuits, 33
Leadership, 49
and celebrity, 160
charismatic, 144
and democracy, 8
and fight for a more just society, 156, 157, 158, 160
and foreign policy objectives, 133
and United States, 6, 115, 116, 128
League of Nations, 110–111
Lebanon, 113
Lee Kuan Yew, 117
Legal system, 7, 33, 116
Levant, 108
Leverage, 58
Lewis, Randy, 66–67
Lewis and Clark, 102
Lexie, Albert, 64
Li Ka-shing, 123
Libya, 114, 126
Lincoln, Abraham, xiii, 7, 95–96, 97, 98, 146, 157
Lindsey, Lawrence B., 30–31
Lobbyists and lobbying, 26
and congressmen and staff, 156
ethnic, 108
and financial industry, 54
and lawyers, 12
and news stories, 5
numbers of, 51
and political campaign money, 48
spending on, 52
and taxes, 37, 38
and Washington club, 14, 48
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 110–111
Long, Russell, 37
Louis XVI, King, 42–43
Love Letters, 69
LRN, 73
MacArthur, Douglas, 94
Madero, Francisco, 109
Madison, James, 152
Manning, Carolyn, 64–65
Manufacturing, 30, 80–84, 85, 158
Martin, William McChesney, Jr., 58
Mass media
and George H. W. Bush, 13
and leaks and rumors, 13
military, corporate, and White House handling of, 4–5
and Obama, 11–12
and party duopoly, 147, 149
and politicians’ vitriol, 14
and pundits, 12, 14
and serving the public, 160
Sunday talk shows, 14–15
and superficiality, sensationalism, and opinion, 3, 4
McCain, John, 148
McKinley, William, 49
Medicaid, 32, 40
Medicare, 88
and deficit reduction, 32
and doctors, 79
and drugs, 100
and ideological Republicans, 98, 100
and Nixon, 97
reforms, 40
and structural deficit, 31
taxes, 78, 88, 118
and taxes on “things,” 89
and Tea Party, 141
and transfers of money, 32
Meetup, 74
Mexico
and America, 6, 107, 109, 110
and economic growth and trade, 120
and immigration, 119, 120
and manufacturing, 82
and political parties, 152
Middle class, 141
and economic crisis, 34
and financial crisis, 59
and George H. W. Bush, 13
golden age of, 80
and Hillary Clinton, 148
and manufacturing, 84
and politicians’ vitriol, 14
small-business owners, 143
as social and political force, 80
and spending, 24
and standard of living and income, 17, 76, 78
Middle East, 126
Military, U.S., 4, 40, 47, 72, 113, 115, 116, 122, 133
See also Defense industry; Defense spending
Miller, George, 100
Minton, Sherman, 50
Missile gap and missile crisis, 112
Mortgages
and debt, 24
and derivatives, 56–57
and financial reform, 60
and home values, 21
and middle class, 59
and refinancing, 22–23, 95
subprime, 57
underwater, 78
Mosaddegh, Mohammad, 112
Moynihan, Pat, 141
Muslims, 115, 119, 131–132
Nader, Ralph, 147, 151
Napoleon, 42–45
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), 84–85
National Commission on Social Security Reform, 39–40
National Defense Education Act, 97
National Industrial Recovery Act, 95
National Institutes of Health, 102
Native Americans, 135–136
NATO, 113, 114–115
Netherlands, 119
New America Foundation, 19, 24, 25
New American Party, 152
New Deal, 97, 99
Nicaragua, 112
Nixon, Richard, 4, 97, 111, 139
Nonprofits, 7, 69–70
Norway, 119, 120
Nuclear war and weapons, 112, 132
Obama, Barack
and advisers, 12, 48
and approval ratings, 12, 48, 151
and Australia, 127
and bin Laden, 114
and campaign financing, 48, 61
as charismatic leader, 144
election of, 9–10, 11
end of honeymoon of, 11–12
first speech as president, 9–11
and health care, 32, 41
and housing, 22
and jobs, 21–22, 25
and opponents, 44
and re-election, 151
and stimulus, 18
and 2008 election, 147–148, 158
Obesity and overweightness, 145
Occupy movement, 141, 156, 159
Oil, 25, 26, 37, 38, 127, 132, 136
Olson, Mancur, 51
Open-sourcing, 74
Ottomans, 1, 115
Overholt, Bill, 122
Packwood, Bob, 40, 41
PACs, 50, 51
Pakistan, 124
Palestinians, 131
Panama, 112
Panama Canal, 123
Pareto, Vilfredo, 72
Patriotism, 7, 90, 139
Peace Corps, 112
Peace with Mexico (Gallatin), 106
Pensions, x, xii, 141
declines and cuts in, 79, 90
and ethics of caring and personal responsibility, 145
and financial crash, 10
and saving, 79
and state and local governments, 2, 4, 33–34
and taxes, 52
Perot, Ross, 147, 151
Pershing, John J., 109
Philippines, 107
Phillips, David Graham, 137
Pin Ni, 82
Plato, 41
Political consultants, 12, 14
Political paralysis and gridlock, xii, xiii, 41, 44, 152
Political parties, xii
and campaign finance, 49
duopoly of, 146–153
and independents, 142–143, 146, 150
and moral language versus policy language, 144
and neglect of problems, 1
and political stalemate, 44
and selfishness, 63
and socializing, 141
third, 146, 147, 148, 149, 151–153
Political system, xii, xiii, 7
Pollutants, 89
Populist Party, 137
Poverty and the poor, 7, 69, 75, 76, 122, 128, 141
Press. See Mass media
Prince, Charles O., 57
Prisons, 33
Progressive Party, 137
Public goods, 25, 101
Public lands, 102
Public relations, 2, 4
Public sphere, 95, 96
Racial issues, 9, 120, 138, 147, 148
Reagan, Ronald
determination of, 7
and foreign policy, 113
and government, 98–99, 100, 101
and taxes, 36, 98, 99
and transportation bill, 26
and Washington club’s smugness, 14
Reed, Kasim, 33–34
Refugees, 65
Regulation, 53, 56–57, 63
Reinhart, Carmen, 20
Religion, 3
Republican Party
and building national organization, 144
and congressional districts, 142
and economic crisis, 34, 44
and ethic of personal responsibility, 145
and government, 97–101
and jobs, 143
and moral language, 144
and self-identification, 143
and Tea Party, 101, 159
and third parties, 146
voting for, 143–144
Retirement, 35, 40, 41, 58, 79, 117, 118, 145
Rhodium Group, 83
Rice, Condoleezza, 100
Riggio, Len, 73
Roberts, John, 50, 51
Rockefeller, Nelson, 98
Rogoff, Kenneth, 20
Romans, 1, 41–42, 115
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (FDR), 97
canniness and courage of, 7, 92
“Four Freedoms” address of, 111
and Great Depression, 25, 91–95, 102, 155
swearing in and inaugural address of, 91–94, 98
Roosevelt, James, 91, 92
Roosevelt, Theodore
and campaign finance, 49, 51
and foreign policy, 108
and government, 96, 97, 98
and 1908 and 1912 elections, 146–147
tough progressivism of, 7
Roubini, Nouriel, 19
Rove, Karl, 100, 149
Russia, 6, 29, 108, 113, 118, 121, 123
Rwanda, 113
Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad Company, 61
Sany, 125
Sarsour, Linda, 119
Savings-and-loan crisis, 13
Schlesinger, Arthur M., 105
Securities & Exchange Commission, 58
Seidman, Dov, 73
Selflessness and unselfishness, 15, 63–74, 101
September 11 attacks, 70–71, 104, 114
Serbia, 113, 114
Seventeenth Amendment, 138
Shays, Daniel, 43
Showdown at Gucci Gulch, 37
Siemens, 81, 85
Simpson, Alan, 143
Singapore, 27, 117, 122
Single parents, 85
Sirius Satellite Radio, 63–64, 69
Smith, Howard K., 97
Social Security, xi
and bankruptcy, 34–35
compromise, 143
and deficit reduction, 32
and foreigners, 118
and ideological Republicans, 98, 100
and Nixon, 97
privatizing, 100, 144
protecting, 145
taxes, 18, 21, 35, 38, 78, 88, 118
and taxes on “things,” 89
and transfers of money, 32
South Africa, 29
South Korea, 81, 130
Southeast Asia, 122, 123
Soviet Union, 92, 111, 112, 113, 133
Spain, 107
Sports, 3, 71–72, 73, 90
Spousal abuse, 69
Sri Lanka, 124
Standards of living, xiii, 5, 17, 30, 59, 75, 80, 88, 122, 152, 155, 160
Stegner, Wallace, 136–137
Steinbeck, John, 90
Stewart, William, 136–137
Stimulus (economic)
and economy, 17–18, 19–20
need for, 17, 18, 44
and public opinion, 18
and Republicans, 18
and tax cuts, 88
Stock market, 10, 39–40, 44, 58
Sudan, 65
Supreme Court, U.S., 49–51, 60, 149
Survey of Consumer Finances, 145
Taft, William Howard, 50, 146–147
Taiwan, 27, 122, 129, 130
Taliban, 127
Talmadge, Herman, 37
Tanner, Michael, 31–32
Tax breaks, 4, 52
Tax cuts
and corporations, 37, 39, 87, 88–89
and deficits, 38–39
and jobs, 22, 25, 89
and loopholes, 37, 38
and Reagan, 36, 98, 99
reckless, 157
and Social Security, 88
and special interests, 52
and spending, 21
and stimulus, 88
Tax increases
and debt, 36
and deficits, 32, 34, 44
and downward mobility, 78
and gasoline, 38, 39, 40, 41, 89
and George H. W. Bush, 13
and politicians and political battles, 36, 37, 40
and Reagan, 36, 99
and Social Security, 35
and top marginal individual rate, 39
and Washington club’s smugness, 14
and wealthy, 103
Tax Reform Act of 1986, 37, 38
Taxes
and bailouts, 47
and bills, 4, 18
and budget balancing exercise of former U.S. senators, 40–41
death, 144
and deficits, 17, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38–39
employment, 87, 88–89
and financial transactions, 39–40
and infrastructure, 26
and jobs, 21, 22, 143, 144
and King Louis XVI and Napoleon, 42, 43
and loopholes, 32, 36, 37–38, 52, 87
and narrow interest versus general interest, 52
need for dramatic change in system, 88–89
and politicians and political battles, 35–36
poll, 135, 138
and reform, 14, 38, 143, 145
as robbery, 98
and Rome, 42
on “things,” 89, 155, 158
and transfers of money, 32–33
See also Corporations and companies: and taxes
Tea Party, 99, 101, 141, 142, 150, 151, 159
Team play, 71–74
Teenage pregnancy, 69
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), 95, 98, 102
Terrorism, 40, 70–71, 115, 131, 132, 156
Thaçi, Hashim, 114
Think tanks, 12, 144
This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Reinhart and Rogoff), 20
3-D printing, 83
Thurmond, Strom, 147
Tillman Act of 1907, 49
Transportation, x, 25–26, 28, 96, 97, 101
Truman, Harry, 7
Turkey, 5, 108, 123
Unemployment
benefits, 18, 20, 22, 31, 32, 89
in China, 27
and deficits, 31
and Great Depression, 91–94, 118
hidden and uncounted, 88, 89
and ideological Republicans, 98
and insecurity and anxiety, 77
intractability of, 21
and job creation, 22, 23–24
mass, 44, 54, 102
and policymakers, 118
rates, 20–21, 22
and Republicans, 143
and soldiers, 77
and stimulus, 18
taxes, 88
and wasted human capital, 84
UNESCO, 131
Unions, 161
and Americans Elect, 150
government, 52, 101
and members’ dues, 4
and wages and benefits, 80
United Nations (U.N.), 111, 113, 131
Unity08, 148–149
Upward mobility, 75–80, 85, 116
Venezuela, 123
Versailles, 110, 111
Vietnam War, 4, 111, 112, 115, 139