For those who are debating support of President Obama, I recommend reading "The Shock Doctrine"

[w8liftinglady]

especially Part 7
"Part 7 is about the winners and losers of economic shock therapy, how narrow groups will often do very well by moving into luxurious gated communities while large sections of the population are left with decaying public infrastructure, declining incomes and increased unemployment."

Naomi Klein's site has lots of research that is sobering.
http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine

we are falling into the disaster capitalists' trap.

[arcane1]

1. I recommend reading it regardless n/t

[xchrom]

2. I would say that mis-reads the neo-liberals place in

Shock Doctrine.

They're not opposed to it & institutions like the IMF use it in places like south America.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. And will support for Obama help or hurt?

[PufPuf23]

4. Smart book. nt

[hifiguy]

5. The most important book of the last 25 years.

Naomi Klein connects the dots better than anyone else has, and traces them back to their source: Dr/ Evil himself, Milton Friedman. The picture will horrify you to the marrow of your bones.

If humanity survives the next 100 years, Friedman will be seen in retrospect as worse than Hitler, Mao and Stalin combined as far as inflicting suffering on humanity is concerned. Friedman's lunatic theories have impoverished more human beings than any other ideas in history.

The manipulated and carefully planned meltdown of the last decade or so is nothing more than an attempt to soften up the US for the Friedman "makeover" that has been applied to Eastern Europe, much of South America and Asia (including China to a degree) and Russia. Be afraid. The Current Occupant is a true believer in this madness, no matter what he says in public. His actions speak far more loudly than his words, at least to anyone who puts the pieces together.

[arcane1]

6. Well-said!

It took me many times longer to read this book than any others, simply because I had to give myself breaks from it now and then.

[dana_b]

16. me too

I brought it with me when I went on vacation (light reading!!) the summer of '09 and finished it around Halloween. It sticks with you because we are seeing it all around us.

[Quantess]

13. Actions do speak more loudly than words.

I believe that to be true, as well.

[grntuscarora]

7. I'm on Chapter 15.

And it's been one of the most disturbing reads of my life.

[upi402]

8. should obama read it?

or has he already and just doesn't care

[tblue]

9. Well it is about the Chicago School of Economics

Of course he should have read it but I can't tell you what his take would be on it. Neoliberal Shock Doctrine is about to take hold of Libya, as the energy company/vultures lick their chops.

[Kaleko]

10. Obama is very intelligent.

So he knows exactly what he's doing and why.

Case closed as far as that oft-repeated question is concerned.

[myrna minx]

11. K&R n/t

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. I remember most of the events described in the book, beginning with the Chilean coup

This book fleshed them out and explained what at the time seemed odd and inexplicable.

[whathehell]

14. Excellent book. n/t

[LWolf]

15. Say more

about the connection between Obama and disaster capitalism, and how that should influence support for him.