Welcome to Obamaland I Have Seen Your Future and It Doesn’t Work.
By: James Delingpole
Publisher: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
2009
205 pages
1-90, 171-205
Sarah Emsick
Book review Final
AP Government
15 December 2009
Welcome to Obamaland I have Seen Your Future and It Doesn’t Work.
Just looking at the title of this book and you can already grasp the main topic of discussion, Obama and what our Countries future holds. It’s not one of those books that has a mysterious title or a hidden meaning, its big and out there to proclaim its cause. Delingpole, a British political journalist, begins his book by comparing our new US president, Obama, to the controller of Britain for the last 12 years, Tony Blair. Through out the book Delingpole gives the readers his view on todays politics and tomorrows.
Delingpole splits his book up into ten chapters, he lets the reader into his mind and visit his thoughts on the wrong doing that has been not so secretly going on his country for the past 12 years. He writes his political novel more as a non-fiction story of his life with a spin on it. The antidotes that Delingpole describes through out his novel are the starting of his political enlightening. He flows through the political world with a sense of humor and enjoyable stories.
Delingpole’s chapters are given titles that don’t quite make sense at first, but as one starts to read , the titles are quite funny. The first, Never Trust a Hippie, was Delingpole’s awakening in a way. He bases his awakening to the political madness going on in Britain at the time by using an Glastonbury concert. Glastonbury is an event that was originally like Wood Stock, it started in 1971 and is still going strong. He has listened to many singers and sang along, well he doesn’t really have a singing voice, to all of the greats. But at one event the singer was interacting with the crowd and getting them to sing along to his political song about the Second Gulf War. Delingpole realized that he supported the war and that it was wrong to sing along, “ Why Should I let this guy bully me into voicing an opinion I don’t hold?” (Delingpole 17). This is action made Delingpole take a look around and he began to view the world differently.
Delingpole, through out his chapters, likes to compare the lefties and the rights. By this I mean the liberals and conservatives. Often the left side is seen like the more glamorous side to vote for. You don’t have to justify your reasoning on why you chose the lefty side, “Vote Blair, vote Obama and your work is done: you have said all that needs to be said about the kind of person you are.” (Delingpole 23). But if you chose to vote for a rightist, you are judged and have to come up with an answer as to why you would want to go down the dangerous route and vote for someone who is a monster. Delingpole often points the finger of blame to the left side of the political system saying, “In fact almost everything that’s wrong with the world is the fault of the Left, as I hope fully to demonstrate in the course of this book.” (Delingpole 26). Delingpole writes that the Left side often are candidates who oppose war, are often younger and more popular, care about the environment, love all races and genders and the world eats it all up. While the Right side on the other hand is often seen as closed-minded, extremist, don’t care about the environment, and are truly evil. But as one who reads Delingpoles book, even though the world is overpopulated with lefties, he knows that he is right, and that is his main purpose on writing this book.
The most intertaining chapters in the book where the chapters that delt with the Health Care Program and the Global Warming policy. These chapters were not as funny, because it is something that we are dealing with in America right now. The health care system in Britain is called, “The Envy of the World”, the NHS (National Health Service). In the chapter Delingpole describes the horrible state that their hospitals have become sense the free health care system was passed. If you become hurt, you have to make the choice to either wait in the hospital and not get treatment, not the treatment you deserve, or just not go altogether. Delingpole argues that Americans are wrong in thinking that the health care system there is better than the current one, “What it makes you is a grown-up nation: one that has wrestled with a morally contentions problems and come up with the only fair and just answer.” (Delingpole 45) The only way that we can work is with a system that involves money. The whole concept of the free health care just doesn’t add up. And this Delingpole warns is the future of Obama’s Health Care Plan.
Delingpole touches many other topics that effect the world today like, the war, gun control, and the influence politics has on the youth. These are all topics that not only America but the whole world has had to think about getting control over. The environmental chapter called, Barbecue The Polar Bears, has a very different outlook on global warming than most of America. He believes that the Global Warming is a myth, and that if the temperature is really changing, the world is going through a Global Cooling. Delingpole expresses his opinion on global warming by saying, “What depresses me hugely as a professional journalist is how complicit our media have been in spreading the Global Warming Myth.” (Delingpole 98) The news is spreading all over and not all of them are facts or truths. Obama has declared that the Global Warming is actually happening because of all the facts have become clear. Yet, Delingpole believes that he knows nothing about the myth and has only seen and heard what he wants to from in formers like Al Gore. Delingpole ends the chapter saying that we should not be worrying about the dangerous Polar Bears, but that we should focus on our own lives.
Delingpole is a very interesting writer, his voice is splattered over every page of this book. This book was very enjoyable to read because Delingpole is a very quirky and funny writer. He writes in a way that would make anyone understand politics. Although I do believe that some of his ideals were quite out there, I do agree with many of his claims. Delingpole has been through a socialist economy, even if Britain didn’t know it and he can see what America is in for because Britain went through the same thing. Although the title seems straight forward it’s not all just about the president of the US, and the information inside has points that effect the world as a whole.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Blinded By Might Why The Religious Right Can’t Save America
By: Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson
Zondervan Publishing House
1999
1-193
1-90Blair Emsick
Book Review Project
AP Government
15 December 2009
Blinded By Might Why The Religious Right Can’t Save America
The title of this book, written by journalist Cal Thomas and pastor Ed Dobson, gives the innocent passerby a huge misconception. Judging from the title this book looks like it was written by a couple of left wing atheists (okay…that‘s a little harsh). Turns out the book was actually written by two adamant followers of Jesus Christ. The two men were also deeply involved and associated with the Moral Majority, a Christian political group that took a strong hold on America during the 1980’s founded by Jerry Falwell and played a huge part in electing President Ronald Reagan. The phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cove,” never seemed to truer after a passerby picks up the book and starts reading it.
In the introduction Thomas and Dobson make the purpose of their book quite clear. “We seek to influence the greater corporate body of the church and in doing so, leave a far greater imprint on culture.” (Dobson,Thomas. 13) The authors of the book intend to inform as well as influence their readers. The book appears to be mainly aimed at the audience of American Christians, whom many have had a violent reaction to it. Thomas and Dobson write, “Many of those who need to hear this message are the least interested in hearing it.” (7) Thomas and Dobson share an unconventional view on their Christianity and the political spectrum. They write in the introduction, “We have come to believe that a delicate balance exists between church and state and if each fulfills its proper role, the other is positively affected. But if one assumes the role of the other , or ignores and rejects that role, then both suffer.” (Thomas and Dobson. 12)
Cal Thomas worked for five years with the Moral Majority side by side with Jerry Falwell. Ed Dobson worked for almost fifteen years with the Moral Majority and often took the place when Falwell wasn’t available for television interviews and debates. The authors use their vast knowledge, experience, insight working within the Moral Majority, and watching Christianity grow bigger then it ever has in politics to provide a profound and enlightening, and quite controversial, view of Christians role in politics and the government. Dobson and Thomas identified many of the failures of the Moral Majority. Two decades ago the group The Moral Majority fought fervently against pornography, gay marriage, abortion, drug use. Dobson and Thomas urge the reader to look at the way these issues stand today. A poll taken in 1973 and again in 1991 asking the public if they were for or against abortion was compared in the book and the outcome was practically the same. After all the Moral Majority did for America in the 1980’s it seems that today nothing has been accomplished, in fact America appears to be worse off. “This was the Moral Majority’s greatest failure,” writes Cal Thomas (Thomas. 36)
The book is not simply a harsh pessimistic view of the social ills of America and a commentary on how none of them will ever be solved and that America will eventually swallow it’s self whole. No, the book provides a much deeper and enlightening message. Darold H. Morgan, who urges audience to read the book, wrote in Christian Ethics Today that, “The strength of this book is the repeated statement that it is only in the power of the Christian gospel, applied to the human heart, that transformation of people can take place. Legislation and manipulation of political position and power cannot change lives. The preeminent task of the Church is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Religious Right people have made a fatal mistake in making political power take precedence over the spiritual power latent in the Christian gospel.” The Wall Street Journal Also provide a positive review of the book, “Now there’s a fresh and very different line of criticism, coming from inside the world of conservative Christians….Cal Thomas and the Rev. Ed Dobson describe the Christian political movement as a paper tiger.”
Throughout the book Thomas and Dobson explain there work with the Religious Right, its flaws, and eventually why the left. Then the authors go into a more deeper message about faith and the social and cultural conditions of America. Dobson writes, “The Christian understands the wrongs of society are not merely social ills. As such, these wrongs require spiritual help, not merely political Adjustment. Ultimately, there are no permanent solutions to the problems of a society in a fallen world. But that does not mean that we should retreat to a monastery and allow social anarchy for the rest of the world.” (Dobson. 48). The authors then go into a descriptive way as to how Christian Americans can save the social ills of America. Thomas writes that to fix these problems we must start from the bottom up, not the top down. What he’s saying is that we can’t fix these problems by passing bills, holding fundraisers, and electing a republican president in the office to put ideas in people’s heads. No we must start from the bottom and move up, get a little dirty. Start with really influencing the people these social ills effect. Cal Thomas came up with the idea to give a woman a sonogram before she goes in to have an abortion, a tactic that has decreased abortions nationwide.
After reading this book, I’ll have to admit it is not for everywhere. It provides a message that may offend some people, but also provides a message that any person from whatever religious or political affiliations should share. That America has a heart wrenching amount of social ills that need to be solved. Whether through governmental action, or through actions from groups like The Christian Coalition these social ills with a lot of dedication, hard work, and sacrifice maybe one day be solved.
By: Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson
Zondervan Publishing House
1999
1-193
1-90Blair Emsick
Book Review Project
AP Government
15 December 2009
Blinded By Might Why The Religious Right Can’t Save America
The title of this book, written by journalist Cal Thomas and pastor Ed Dobson, gives the innocent passerby a huge misconception. Judging from the title this book looks like it was written by a couple of left wing atheists (okay…that‘s a little harsh). Turns out the book was actually written by two adamant followers of Jesus Christ. The two men were also deeply involved and associated with the Moral Majority, a Christian political group that took a strong hold on America during the 1980’s founded by Jerry Falwell and played a huge part in electing President Ronald Reagan. The phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cove,” never seemed to truer after a passerby picks up the book and starts reading it.
In the introduction Thomas and Dobson make the purpose of their book quite clear. “We seek to influence the greater corporate body of the church and in doing so, leave a far greater imprint on culture.” (Dobson,Thomas. 13) The authors of the book intend to inform as well as influence their readers. The book appears to be mainly aimed at the audience of American Christians, whom many have had a violent reaction to it. Thomas and Dobson write, “Many of those who need to hear this message are the least interested in hearing it.” (7) Thomas and Dobson share an unconventional view on their Christianity and the political spectrum. They write in the introduction, “We have come to believe that a delicate balance exists between church and state and if each fulfills its proper role, the other is positively affected. But if one assumes the role of the other , or ignores and rejects that role, then both suffer.” (Thomas and Dobson. 12)
Cal Thomas worked for five years with the Moral Majority side by side with Jerry Falwell. Ed Dobson worked for almost fifteen years with the Moral Majority and often took the place when Falwell wasn’t available for television interviews and debates. The authors use their vast knowledge, experience, insight working within the Moral Majority, and watching Christianity grow bigger then it ever has in politics to provide a profound and enlightening, and quite controversial, view of Christians role in politics and the government. Dobson and Thomas identified many of the failures of the Moral Majority. Two decades ago the group The Moral Majority fought fervently against pornography, gay marriage, abortion, drug use. Dobson and Thomas urge the reader to look at the way these issues stand today. A poll taken in 1973 and again in 1991 asking the public if they were for or against abortion was compared in the book and the outcome was practically the same. After all the Moral Majority did for America in the 1980’s it seems that today nothing has been accomplished, in fact America appears to be worse off. “This was the Moral Majority’s greatest failure,” writes Cal Thomas (Thomas. 36)
The book is not simply a harsh pessimistic view of the social ills of America and a commentary on how none of them will ever be solved and that America will eventually swallow it’s self whole. No, the book provides a much deeper and enlightening message. Darold H. Morgan, who urges audience to read the book, wrote in Christian Ethics Today that, “The strength of this book is the repeated statement that it is only in the power of the Christian gospel, applied to the human heart, that transformation of people can take place. Legislation and manipulation of political position and power cannot change lives. The preeminent task of the Church is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Religious Right people have made a fatal mistake in making political power take precedence over the spiritual power latent in the Christian gospel.” The Wall Street Journal Also provide a positive review of the book, “Now there’s a fresh and very different line of criticism, coming from inside the world of conservative Christians….Cal Thomas and the Rev. Ed Dobson describe the Christian political movement as a paper tiger.”
Throughout the book Thomas and Dobson explain there work with the Religious Right, its flaws, and eventually why the left. Then the authors go into a more deeper message about faith and the social and cultural conditions of America. Dobson writes, “The Christian understands the wrongs of society are not merely social ills. As such, these wrongs require spiritual help, not merely political Adjustment. Ultimately, there are no permanent solutions to the problems of a society in a fallen world. But that does not mean that we should retreat to a monastery and allow social anarchy for the rest of the world.” (Dobson. 48). The authors then go into a descriptive way as to how Christian Americans can save the social ills of America. Thomas writes that to fix these problems we must start from the bottom up, not the top down. What he’s saying is that we can’t fix these problems by passing bills, holding fundraisers, and electing a republican president in the office to put ideas in people’s heads. No we must start from the bottom and move up, get a little dirty. Start with really influencing the people these social ills effect. Cal Thomas came up with the idea to give a woman a sonogram before she goes in to have an abortion, a tactic that has decreased abortions nationwide.
After reading this book, I’ll have to admit it is not for everywhere. It provides a message that may offend some people, but also provides a message that any person from whatever religious or political affiliations should share. That America has a heart wrenching amount of social ills that need to be solved. Whether through governmental action, or through actions from groups like The Christian Coalition these social ills with a lot of dedication, hard work, and sacrifice maybe one day be solved.
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