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The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation

Drew Westen

The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation Drew Westen Amazon Price: $11.65
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

couldn't finish it 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a very narrow book. I got it thinking it would lend some real light on what makes one person a conservative and another a liberal, what personality traits might make one person favor one party over another, what neuroses and what healthy traits might be at play when voters pull certain levers.

Instead, it's really just one more partisan take on the world of late 20th and early 21st century American politics. In particular, the author seems really only interested in how the Democrats can do better by borrowing a page from the Republicans' playbook - in particular, in using emotion in political advertising.

There's very little here that is really of any interest beyond such a narrow partisan agenda. The author's typical strategy is to hammer away at some very basic construct from cognitive psychology (neural networks, say), discuss some ad (typically in a rhetorical, not a psychological, fashion), then state - once again - that emotion plays a role in politics. Doh! I guess you have to be a Democratic strategist for this last bit to be really anything more than a no-brainer.

There is very little discussion of research beyond a study here and a study there (including the author's own). I thought for sure that a psychology professor at a fine institution such as Emory might have quite a bit to say. Surely there's more out there than this. This is, however, very much a political book, not a psychological one.

Editorial Review:

Through a bravura tour of American political leaders and their appeals to the electorate, Drew Westen shows that Americans don't vote with their heads but with their hearts--and that Democratic politicians had better wise up in their approach. The Political Brain is a serious and groundbreaking investigation into the role of emotion in deciding the outcome of elections. It looks at data across several presidential elections from the 1950s through 2000, examines the evidence for the role of emotion in driving voting behavior, and provides a "clinical" view of a number of campaign ads, debate lines, and personal profiles of the candidates who have sought to win our hearts.

The Political Mind: Why You Can't Understand 21st Century American Politics with an 18th Century Brain

George Lakoff

The Political Mind: Why You Can't Understand 21st Century American Politics with an 18th Century Brain George Lakoff Amazon Price: $18.99
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Finally I Understand What a Frame Is 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

All Lakoff's previous books were excellent but left me wondering, "What's a frame?" This book answers that question, and goes well beyond that. If you haven't read any of Lakoff's books, start with this one. It is by far the best!

The last chapter, which contains no politics, is an overview of the New 21st-Century Enlightenment we are entering. This chapter really is superb, destined to be a classic that changes our philosophical understanding of the world. And since philosophy determines what type of government people will adopt, politics is a natural field to use for examples. This book is like Isaac Newton's Principia. It's full of new knowledge, not about what we think, but how we think. How we go about understanding and reasoning about abstract concepts. If I tried to summarize the book I'd end up quoting the entire book.

18th-Century Enlightenment said reason can solve all problems. If that were so then all these controversial issues would have been solved by now. Progressives and conservatives both reason quite well, yet they still arrive at opposite conclusions. Discussing the issues doesn't work. Yet we still insist on doing that because 18th-Century Enlightenment tells us it should work.

Rather than talking about issues you disagree on, which is exactly the wrong thing to do, you should instead talk about issues which you agree on. Find what issue a conservative has adopted a progressive view on, and discuss that issue. By discussing an issue a conservative has adopted a progressive view on, you are helping to reinforce their progressive mode of thinking. It's brain exercise! The more they exercise their progressive mode of thinking, the stronger it gets. The more you get them to discuss issues where they already have adopted a progressive view, the more their progressive mode of thinking is strengthened. As their progressive mode of thinking gets exercised and strengthened, they will tend more and more to use progressive thinking on other issues.

It's that simple. And that different.

Editorial Review:

The New York Times bestselling author of Don't Think of an Elephant! explains the science behind how we make political decisions.

Congress and Its Members (Congress and Its Members)

Roger H. Davidson; Walter J. Oleszek; and Frances E. Lee

Congress and Its Members (Congress and Its Members) Roger H. Davidson; Walter J. Oleszek; and Frances E. Lee Amazon Price: $49.45
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The tension between Congress as a lawmaking institution and Congress as a collection of re-election-minded politicians has proven to be a powerful and effective way to understand Congress and the legislative process. Over nine editions, thousands of students have benefited from Davidson and Oleszek's tightly organized framework, as well as from their engaging and vivid narrative. Helping students understand the institution's evolution, Congress and Its Members paints broad brush strokes, while effectively showing enough color and detail to ground students in important concepts.

Each chapter of the tenth edition will feature new analysis of the most recent and important scholarship. While the authors discuss the overall position and prospects for congressional government, they will include up-to-the-minute details on:

  • the 2004 congressional elections and ongoing party realignment indicating Republican dominance for the foreseeable future;
  • the state of campaign finance, including performance under the McCain-Feingold legislation;
  • the majority leader's efforts to strengthen his powers and the role of the new Democratic leaders in challenging the GOP's agenda;
  • party realignment from the standpoint of floor voting, including the decline of the middle;
  • the consequences of war for the legislative branch and for the separation of powers, as well as reorganization due to homeland security and intelligence reform;
  • the new rules for the 109th Congress, with the possibility of changes in the Senate's filibuster rule and unusual procedures to pass legislation;
  • the outlook for a second term president and the role of the minority party in challenging an assertive White House;
  • big government conservatism, new regulatory trends, the rules and tools for effective oversight, and the shadow government of contractors;
  • legislative-judicial conflicts, including controversies in naming judges to the federal bench;
  • the return of deficits, the growing use of earmarks, congressional budget reforms, and the conflict between discretionary versus entitlement spending.

Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy(3rd Edition)

Mark M. Lowenthal

Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy(3rd Edition) Mark M. Lowenthal Amazon Price: $47.73
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Whether from satellites or spies, weapon caches or phone records, intelligence is valuable to governments for the information and power it affords policy makers. With the constant need for background, context, and warning as well as an assessment of risks, benefits, and likely outcomes, the intelligence community plays a pivotal role in policy formation. As an intelligence veteran of 30 years, having worked both inside and outside of government, Mark M. Lowenthal details how the intelligence community's history, structure, processes, and functions affect policy decisions in consequential ways. He expertly shows how the intelligence process serves a continually changing agenda given post-9/11 needs and concerns. Moreover, he analyzes how the war on terrorism impacts collection, analysis, and counterintelligence, as well as ethical and moral standards.

Given all of the hearings, briefings, and reports focused on the reorganization and reform of the intelligence community, the third edition of Intelligence represents a major revision. Lowenthal has updated each and every chapter with new material and analysis, including:

  • the strategies, influence, and goals of the congressional Joint Inquiry and 9/11 Commission and their recommendations for restructuring the intelligence community
  • assessment of the new office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the political pressures that led to its creation
  • the bureaucratic maneuvering and power struggles that led to passage of the National Intelligence Security Reform Act of 2004
  • the issues surrounding the claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and the subsequent "WMD commissions" appointed by the U.S., Britain, and Australia to investigate this massive intelligence failure
  • more integration and comparative analysis of the similarities and differences of intelligence services in Britain, China, France, Israel, and Russia
  • a new list of acronyms for handy reference

Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic (Bk Currents)

John de Graaf, David Wann, Thomas H Naylor

Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic (Bk Currents) John de Graaf, David Wann, Thomas H Naylor Amazon Price: $13.57
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 101 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Based on two highly acclaimed PBS documentaries watched by 10 million viewers, Affluenza uses the whimsical metaphor of a disease to tackle a very serious subject: the damage done — to our health, our families, our communities, and our environment — by the obsessive quest for material gain. In cleverly titled chapters like "Swollen Expectations" and "A Rash of Bankruptcies," the authors examine the origins, evolution, and symptoms of the affluenza epidemic. Yet they also explore cures and suggest strategies for rebuilding families and communities and for restoring and respecting the earth.

Demonstrating that now, more than ever, Americans need ways of fighting the affliction, this edition includes a new introduction and updated figures, adds information on the impacts of stress and overwork, and provides an in-depth look at various campaigns and movements offering solutions for today's problems. Engaging, fast-paced, and accessible, it reexamines a serious, far-reaching issue for a wide audience.

American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials 2008

Barbara A. Bardes, Mack C. Shelley, Steffen W. Schmidt

American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials 2008 Barbara A. Bardes, Mack C. Shelley, Steffen W. Schmidt Amazon Price: $86.58
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Editorial Review:

The best-selling book published for American Government, AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS TODAY: THE ESSENTIALS 2008 EDITION enables you to experience the excitement that comes from active, informed citizenship. Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt's text is known for providing concise, unbiased, and up-to-date coverage of constitutional, governmental, political, and social structures. Inspiring and captivating, the text's theme is the importance of informed active citizenship. AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS TODAY: THE ESSENTIALS 2008 EDITION incorporates current examples, the Internet, and other media to stimulate learning and excitement about American government. This truly interactive text gives you more than reading material--it gives you tools to become a good citizen.

World Politics: Trend and Transformation

Charles W. Kegley

World Politics: Trend and Transformation Charles W. Kegley Amazon Price: $119.95
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Well Done 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I took an international relations course awhile ago, and this book was part of the required reading. While it does not provide a complete overview of IR, it does a very good job at the intro level. Specifically, the text does a very thorough job of adressing globalization, the global south, and introductory political economy. I would suggest buying this book and then reading the works of the political scientists upon which much of the theory is based (Mearsheimer, Nye, Waltz, Angell, Doyle, Morganthau, Carr, etc.)

Editorial Review:

Assess the possibilities for our global future and understand the impact of world politics on your everyday life with WORLD POLITICS: TREND AND TRANSFORMATION, the best-selling text for the international relations course. The author analyzes both historical and contemporary trends, as well as the major theories used to explain the dynamics underlying international relations--helping you to think critically about these topics by presenting rival views. From global development, the practice of terrorism, and the war in Iraq to peacekeeping operations and the transformations evident since 9/11, this thought-provoking textbook briefs you on the most recent indicators of global trends. An extensive map, figure, and photo program helps you visualize the significance of statistical data and the implications of global rivalries.

The O'Reilly Factor

The O'Reilly Factor Amazon Price: $26.95
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 384 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

An irreverent, straight-talking look at American politics and culture from the iconoclastic anchor of one of the highest-rated TV news programs in the country.

Bill O'Reilly has the hottest cable news program on the air. "The O'Reilly Factor," seen nightly on the Fox News Channel, boosted its ratings by more than six times in 1998, and has kept soaring. His blunt, ironic, no-holds-barred style has earned O'Reilly a devoted audience of viewers--friends and foes alike--who send him five thousand letters every week. Now, with the wit and intelligence that have made him one of the most talked-about stars in television, Bill O'Reilly identifies what's right, what's wrong, and what's absurd in the political, social, economic, and cultural life of America:

*The media: why what you see is decided upon by morons

*Politics: why most politicians are obsolete

*Sex: why Americans would declare war on Denmark if they knew what was going on there

As the nation prepares for another presidential race, O'Reilly's provocative opinions are sure to add fire to the ongoing debates. THE O'REILLY FACTOR is poised to follow in the footsteps of bestsellers such as Rush Limbaugh's The Way Things Ought to Be and Jesse Ventura'sI Ain't Got Time to Bleed.

Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives

George Lakoff

Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives George Lakoff Amazon Price: $8.00
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 201 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Don’t Think of An Elephant! is the antidote to the last forty years of conservative strategizing and the right wing’s stranglehold on political dialogue in the United States.

Author George Lakoff explains how conservatives think, and how to counter their arguments. He outlines in detail the traditional American values that progressives hold, but are often unable to articulate. Lakoff also breaks down the ways in which conservatives have framed the issues, and provides examples of how progressives can reframe the debate.

Lakoff’s years of research and work with environmental and political leaders have been distilled into this essential guide, which shows progressives how to think in terms of values instead of programs, and why people vote their values and identities, often against their best interests.

Don’t Think of an Elephant! is the definitive handbook for understanding and communicating effectively about key issues in the 2004 election, and beyond.

Read it, take action—and help take America back.

About the Author George Lakoff is the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, and is a founding senior fellow at the Rockridge Institute. He is one of the world’s best-known linguists.

Since the mid-1980s he has been applying cognitive linguistics to the study of politics, especially the framing of public political debate. He is the author of the influential book, Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think, (2nd edition, 2002). His other books include Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About The Mind (1987), Metaphors We Live By (1980; 2003) [with Mark Johnson], More Than Cool Reason (1989) [with Mark Turner], Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind and Its Challenge To The Western Tradition (1999) [with Mark Johnson], and Where Mathematics Comes From: How the Embodied Mind Brings Mathematics Into Being (2000) [with Rafael Núñez].

Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency

James Bamford

Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency James Bamford List Price: $29.95
By: Doubleday
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 148 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A no-holds-barred examination of the National Security Agency packed with startling secrets about its past, newsbreaking revelations about its present-day activities, and chilling predictions about its future powers and reach.

The NSA is the largest, most secretive, and most powerful intelligence agency in the world. With a staff of thirty-eight thousand people, it dwarfs the CIA in budget, manpower, and influence. Recent headlines have linked it to the economic espionage throughout Europe and to the ongoing hunt for the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

James Bamford first penetrated the wall of silence surrounding the NSA in 1982, with the much-talked-about bestseller The Puzzle Palace. In Body of Secrets, he offers shocking new details about the inner workings of the agency, gathered through unique access to thousands of internal documents and interviews with current and former officials. Unveiling extremely sensitive information for the first time, Bamford exposes the role the NSA played in numerous Soviet bloc Cold War conflicts and discusses its undercover involvement in the Vietnam War. His investigation into the NSA's technological advances during the last fifteen years brings to light a network of global surveillance ranging from on-line listening posts to sophisticated intelligence-gathering satellites. In a hard-hitting conclusion, he warns that the NSA is a two-edged sword. While its worldwide eavesdropping activities offer the potential for tracking down terrorists and uncovering nuclear weapons deals, it also has the capability to listen on global personal communications.

Like the breakout bestsellers on Cold War espionage The Sword and the Shield and Blind Man's Buff, Body of Secrets is must-reading for people fascinated by the intrigues of a shadowy underworld. As one of the most important works of investigative journalism to come out of Washington in years, it should be read by everyone concerned about the inevitability of Orwell's Big Brother.


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