Jeffrey’s review of Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World > Likes and Comments

Awesome

And a reminder that Nixon founded the EPA, appointed Harry Blackmun to the Supreme Court, and famously, was the first POTUS to travel to China. And the income gap was not what is is today. Shows how deeply into he pit we've fallen with Trump.

We all forget that Republicans used to have progressive ideas before their party was hijacked by Reagan.

Fantastic review, Jeffrey! And a wonderful combination of much-needed moral outrage and good common sense.

Michael wrote: "Fantastic review, Jeffrey! And a wonderful combination of much-needed moral outrage and good common sense."

I think we need to change how we see things. We need to view health care, welfare, the prison system, immigration, and meaningful employment from some different angles. Maybe we can get things heading in a direction where we can spend more time thinking about the future than obsessing about the present. Maybe more of us can enjoy the present because there is a meaningful future waiting for us. Thanks Michael!

Yes, Reagan. His tax cuts were the beginning of the horrendous income gap we have now. And, yes, it does matter. The dust-up over parents bribing officials to get their lazy kids into "competitive schools" is part of a larger problem, i.e. that college has become primarily for families with wealth who can pay full freight and be free of student debt that will follow most middle class people to the grave and, meanwhile, limit the options of their alumni children.

I recall seeing the Tucker Carlson segment you allude to. When you run out of arguments then just cuss out your opponent, eh?

Michael wrote: "I recall seeing the Tucker Carlson segment you allude to. When you run out of arguments then just cuss out your opponent, eh?"

It was a complete childish meltdown. I think he acts like a petulant teenager most of the time, but I was still surprised to hear him completely lose it. Bregman wasn't even being that abrasive. Carlson seems to be coming unhinged. I'd say he will end his career in radio. He'll say something that will even make Fox turn him loose.

They booted Glenn Beck when he became too looney.

They need to keep Jeanine Pirro from coming back, instead of just putting her on paid leave, the way that NYT reporter was who was sexually assaulting women, and then bringing him back.

Michael wrote: "They need to keep Jeanine Pirro from coming back, instead of just putting her on paid leave, the way that NYT reporter was who was sexually assaulting women, and then bringing him back."

I have a feeling they intend to resurrect Pirro.

Sadly, you are probably right.

Southern Poverty Law Center tracks extremists. Here is a highly visible one that reminds me of Pirro....

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-ha...

Michael wrote: "Southern Poverty Law Center tracks extremists. Here is a highly visible one that reminds me of Pirro....

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-ha..."

I've encountered Geller before. She makes things so much worse. She is unhinged. There are elements in the U.S. who insist that there must be a religious war, something on the order of the crusades, to ever achieve world peace. There can be only one religion and that is theirs! Scary to encounter this medieval thinking in modern times.

Amazing Review ! ¬.¬ (Envious Face)

Thanks James!

Wow, really in-depth review! Well done, I want to read this.

Thanks S.Penk! Lots to unpack in this book. I bet you’ll get a lot out of the information he shares.

Jeffrey wrote: "Thanks S.Penk! Lots to unpack in this book. I bet you’ll get a lot out of the information he shares."

Yea, I really love your perspectives on them (and tend to agree). I also live in a town where ICE raids are common, and its quite infuriating so that part really struck me. Just checked and we carry this book at my store (im not Goodreadsing while on the clock I swear....haha) so I'm definitely going to read it! Good to see you, been awhile! Hope all is well.

Terrific review, Jeffrey.

s.penkevich wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Thanks S.Penk! Lots to unpack in this book. I bet you’ll get a lot out of the information he shares."

Yea, I really love your perspectives on them (and tend to agree). I also live ..."

I hope all is well with you. I was starting to wonder what had become of you. On the clock, off the clock, there is always time to be reading. :-) I hope you enjoy the book and your bookstore life!

Angela M wrote: "Terrific review, Jeffrey."

Thanks Angela!

An excellent review as always, thorough and thoughtful. I've heard a few interviews with Bregmen recently and he seems very smart, very incisive and not in the slightest hidebound by dogma.

Thanks Paul! Bregman is really trying to get people to see what are thought to be fundamental truths from a different perspective. I wish Americans had more open minds.

This is a 5-Star review, Jeffrey - beyond any doubt. I can definitely see why this was a 5-Star read for you, too, and I am curious enough to add this to my 5-Lifetimes-Long-TBR. While the ideas presented here are definitely a shift in perspective (downside up, for sure) I have to admit there is a strong core of logic running through it all. I definitely look forward to reading this!

Jaline wrote: "This is a 5-Star review, Jeffrey - beyond any doubt. I can definitely see why this was a 5-Star read for you, too, and I am curious enough to add this to my 5-Lifetimes-Long-TBR. While the ideas pr..."

I'm still processing aspects of it. Of course part of what we fight is the very successful brainwashing that has been done to us since we were wee tykes. It was a good time for me to read this to shore up some of my own talking points and also leave me with plenty to ponder that may end up changing some of my positions. There is definitely logic bolstering all that he asserts. Fascinating!

Excellent review! And Nixon dropped crime in DC by nearly half by . . . moving almost all money from drug enforcement to drug abuse recovery programs. Crazy how that works . . .

Forrest wrote: "Excellent review! And Nixon dropped crime in DC by nearly half by . . . moving almost all money from drug enforcement to drug abuse recovery programs. Crazy how that works . . ."

We are iin the era of punishment. We would rather punish people for their weaknesses than offer a helping hand. The size of the fines that are now levied against citizens for rather small infractions are rather ridiculous. The prison sentences handed down for nonviolent crimes are too often ludicrous. We have opportunities to catch kids early in the process and set them on a new path, but we choose to lock them up instead. They basically become life long wards of the state with finding prison to be more comforting than being out in the real world.

The funny thing is about Nixon is how many progressive policies he had. He even tried to get through a national health plan, maybe for the wrong reasons...political, but still amazing. There was a time when the Republican party defined itself by more than just anti-abortion, anti-women, anti-gay, anti-immigration, pro-gun policies. How about those catch phrases used by southern politicians in the 2018 elections? Phrases that were a nod and a wink to their racist constituency.

The most interesting thing Nixon did was to promote a negative income tax, which amounts to a guaranteed minimum income. Democrats wouldn’t pass it, of course. It’s easy to forget that the Democratic Party has a very substantial conservative wing until after 1964. Those conservative Dems have joined the Republican Party in recent years.

Thanks for a great review and the basis for a great discussion.

Elizabeth wrote: "The most interesting thing Nixon did was to promote a negative income tax, which amounts to a guaranteed minimum income. Democrats wouldn’t pass it, of course. It’s easy to forget that the Democrat..."

The Blue Dog Democrats have become extinct. Johnson's Great Society policies were a death knell for the Democratic party in the South, but shored up the blue wall (the same one that supposedly crumbled in 2016). If Texas turns blue which there are signs of purple the path to winning the presidency for the Republicans will be nearly impossible. The hard line policies will either have to soften or they will see themselves turn to fossils. You are most welcome Elizabeth. Thanks for the great comment.

amazing review!You really rocked it!!!

Thank you!

outstanding reveiw Jeffery

Thanks Future!

I enjoyed your review and also your digressions. It's hard these days not to digress, when it seems like every topic and every sub-topic feels like it needs a rant (not ranting in a bad way, but we are outraged to the max about so many things, and we need to express it sometimes.) I may have to read this book. I think that some of the points you noted that the author makes will be hard sells in any Congress for some time to come, but they may ultimately make sense. On the topic of basic income, I have even considered this before as a possible solution to some of the issues in the Middle East. (If people had the choice between being poor in Gaza, living in constant fear and hostility, or being relocated to somewhere safe with some seed money to get them started on a path toward a real life for themselves and their children, would they take it?) Utopia is not a place to "be", necessarily, but an ideal to strive for, to become closer to. We never achieve perfection, but we need higher goals and values that we can aspire to.

Excellent review. I remember his interactions with Carlson and resulting interviews elsewhere well. Obviously an intelligent and interesting man. You have written a very thoughtful review. I think I will add this book.

Sue wrote: "Excellent review. I remember his interactions with Carlson and resulting interviews elsewhere well. Obviously an intelligent and interesting man. You have written a very thoughtful review. I think ..."

Thanks Sue! I gleaned much from this book even a couple of arguing points that I've used at cocktail parties effectively. I need all the ammunition I can get in this Trump fueled world of misinformation. It is simply appauling how little most Republicans know about what is really going on. They are kept in a Fox News bubble.

This is an amazing review! I wish I saw it in March. I will have to eventually read this. I don't feel as alone reading your review of this book. I am grateful to see sincere and rational thought put in to have as much knowledge as possible when talking with conservatives. Thank you for all of your reviews. I have been really frustrated and a little depressed at times with the current administration. But, I am always ready to learn realistic ways to combat what we've been programmed to believe. Thank you for giving me hope and I will put this in my pile to read.

Christin wrote: "This is an amazing review! I wish I saw it in March. I will have to eventually read this. I don't feel as alone reading your review of this book. I am grateful to see sincere and rational thought p..."

Thank you Christin! Unfortunately even when presented with a mound of evidence to the contrary, it is hard to shift a conservatives mind about anything, but we have to keep trying. I have hope that Americans will fix the mistake they made in 2016 in 2020 so we can start rebuilding the America that Obama was trying to leave us with. I was just reading Ben Rhodes book and he quotes Obama as saying that maybe he ran too soon that maybe he would have been more effective ten years down the road. That hit me hard, but another example of a thoughtful man who feels the responsibility of being someone who can make a difference.

Jeffrey wrote: "Christin wrote: "This is an amazing review! I wish I saw it in March. I will have to eventually read this. I don't feel as alone reading your review of this book. I am grateful to see sincere and r..."

Yes, Obama was and is so thoughtful. I will have to read the book by Ben Rhodes as well. Thank you so much, Jeffrey.

Christin wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Christin wrote: "This is an amazing review! I wish I saw it in March. I will have to eventually read this. I don't feel as alone reading your review of this book. I am grateful to s..."

You are most welcome Christin! I need to get back to the Rhodes book. Reading it is like breathing fresh air.

Your review was so thought provoking. I will be going to buy this in the morning.

Keljamz wrote: "Your review was so thought provoking. I will be going to buy this in the morning."

It will definitely give you a new perspective on many things. I hope you enjoy it Keljamz!

So far I am entrenched. Looking for ways to share these ideas with my family who have lost sight of doing what's best for the greater good these past 4 years.

Keljamz wrote: "So far I am entrenched. Looking for ways to share these ideas with my family who have lost sight of doing what's best for the greater good these past 4 years."

The first thing you have to do is pry them loose from FOX NEWS. That station keeps conservatives completely brainwashed about the infallibility with anyone with an R after their name and completely snowed about any redeeming qualities for anyone with a D after their name. Progressive agendas are being mocked and demonized every hour of every day on that network. My conservative family is completely addicted to being spoon fed what they want to believe about Democrats. When I bring up unconscionable things that Trump has done they've never heard of them. FOX is eroding the whole concept of what truth is. It's hard to fight that. Any evidence of wrongdoing is hearsay and the Republicans have learned to never admit to wrongdoing...deny...deny...deny and their people will believe them.

Sounds like our families have much in common. When I tried to explain that fox and friends is not a news show they were flabbergasted. I will not give up because I did for awhile and they got worse. The problem (1) of many is the billionaires own these main stream news outlets. They make the progressives the villians. I am not young so people ask me why do you have such passion about something that you don't have to worry about. I have 4 grandchildren and I want to leave them a better place than the world and America is now. I agree fox is posion.

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Fantastic and thought provoking review, I particularly liked your take on jobs, I have been telling friends for years that there are only two types of jobs in the world and they are Meaningful and Meaningless jobs! And as for Walmart never a truer work was spoken, might just have to read this one.

Good read sure. At bird's view, I want to see Bregman's view point too on the 15 hour work week unveiled.

I haven't read this one, but really liked his more recent book, Humankind. He really does his homework and does some serious myth-busting throughout. Much of it is notions we've come to accept which are patently false.