Rulemaking: How Government Agencies Write Law and Make Policy (Rulemaking: How Government Agencies Write Law & Make Policy)
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • I finished with more questions than answers.
Rulemaking: How Government Agencies Write Law and Make Policy (Rulemaking: How Government Agencies Write Law & Make Policy)
Cornelius M. Kerwin
Manufacturer: CQ Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 156802780X

Book Description

Rulemaking is the single most important function performed by agencies of the government. Cornelius Kerwin shows us why this is the case with the third edition of his important and highly regarded text.

Calls for smarter, cheaper, yet more accountable government increasingly affect the definition and implementation of public policy in the United States. Kerwin argues that while Congress and the president provide the general framework for the government's mission, rulemaking fills in the myriad details that define the law and delineate how each agency carries out its specific responsibilities. It is no wonder that so much intense political activity surrounds rulemaking. The third edition--comprehensively revised with new research, incorporation of recent scholarship, and fresh analysis of the George W. Bush administration's impact--is an invaluable guide to navigating the ins and outs of this important process. This unique and accessible book contains the most current and accurate information available on a crucial yet under-studied subject.

What's new?

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars I finished with more questions than answers........2003-02-25

I am on an endless quest, it seems; to find a book on the administrative state that is informative while being at least mildly enthusiastic about its subject. This book starts out enthusiastic. This book certainly started with enthusiasm. The first chapter, in fact, is devoted to convincing us why the administrative state is a superb American invention (a view I do not always share!) Chapter 5, which is devoted to public participation in the Admin. state also bubbles with giddiness.

Like a horse on crack-cocaine, though, this book stars with gallant speed, slows down fast and ends with an mild gasp. I'm sure this was not the authors intention. There are two main reasons. First, as the book is structured so that each chapter examines another area of admin. state rule making (oversight from the 3 branches, rulemaking structure, inherent paradoxes of the process) the first two chapters, which are almost overviews of the rest of the book, builds up high expectations. For example, when the first chapter lightly nibbles at rulemaking's structural issues, tow paragraphs in we are told that we will need to wait untill another chapter for a discussion. The author does this repeatedly throughout the book, thus leaving the reader in a constant hang.

The second reason for the flickering finish of the book is that, and unfortunately as with most admin. state books, not much save for completely varied anecdotal information is offered. How are rules written, the book asks; it depends on the administration, it answers. What about modes of public participation and debate? Depends on the rules of the comission. After a while, its almost pointless to read the next chapter as we begin to guess the answer to each question posed.

The reason, though, for the three stars is this: Chapter 1 (on justifications for the admin. state), Chapter 3(paradoxes inherent in the rulemaking process) and Chapter 7 (the role of theory in rulemaking and its reform) are actually decent and informative chapters. Vagueness aside, they do provide useful anecdotes. Also Chapters 3 and 7 present ideas, discussions and points that are all but ignored in other books on admin. state rulemaking. Buy the book, read those 3 chapters and maybe skim the rest.
Life and Health Insurance Law , Loma Edition
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Easy Reading
Life and Health Insurance Law , Loma Edition
Muriel L Crawford
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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  1. Life and Health Insurance (13th Edition) Life and Health Insurance (13th Edition)

ASIN: 0256166994

Book Description

This text presents the major principles of life and health insurance law in a manner that will allow students without legal training to readily understand them. The purpose of this text is to educate students to recognize legal problems so that they can seek advice from legal counsel. The LOMA edition will be the only version of Crawford that we offer. If universities are interested in using this version, we will need to work with the Custom Publishing Department to have the cover of the text altered. The textual information can be utilized as it is. New material concerns court oversight of lawyers, market conduct, the new NAIC Life Insurance Illustrations Model Regulation, genetic information, the constitutionality of punitive damages, state statutes limiting punitive damages, the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, minimum premium plans, self-funded plans, stop-loss contracts, managed care organizations, utilization review, case management, health care fraud, the NAIC Model Variable Contract Law, qualified assignments of liability, Internet advertising, race discrimination, and age discrimination. Discussions of laws that have been repealed, reversed, or overruled, have, of course, been deleted from this edition.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Easy Reading.......2001-07-08

This book is the third level (not including ACS) in obtaining your FLMI designation. Of the LOMA books I have studied, this has been the easiest reading. The case studies in the book were easy to understand. This book is well written and very interesting. If studied/read all the way through, you will receive a vast knowledge of insurance and how federal/state laws play a part in the insurance world.
The Regulators: Anonymous Power Brokers in American Politics
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Fun (?) with Regulation
The Regulators: Anonymous Power Brokers in American Politics
Cindy Skrzycki
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0742519082

Book Description

The Regulators is a fresh look at how the regulatory system works in Washington and how it affects the life of every American. Visit our website for sample chapters!

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Fun (?) with Regulation.......2003-05-21

Cindy Skrzycki's weekly column titled "The Regulators" has captured the attention of readers of the Washington Post for more than a decade, uncovering the power struggles, political intrigue, special interests and legal battles that go on behind the scenes in Washington. Now, her wit and humor help make the seemingly arcane topic of regulation accessible (and even fun) for readers of her new book, The Regulators: Anonymous Power Brokers in American Politics.

The book, punctuated by some of her most interesting and amusing columns over the years, will make interesting reading for anyone interested in American politics and regulation. Skrzycki's goal in writing the book was to "take a complicated and sometimes inscrutable topic and make it a comprehensible, important lesson in government," (XII), and she succeeds. The Regulators does not provide an academic treatment of the theories of regulation nor details of legal or economic principles. Rather, it addresses the more personal side of regulation: who are these anonymous power brokers determining the legal size of holes in Swiss cheese or the definition of a breath mint? By whom are they influenced and how ubiquitous is their influence in our daily lives?

Followers of her column will be pleased to see that, like her Post stories, each chapter is humorously illustrated by Keith Bendis.
Agency, Partnerships, and LLC's: Examples and Explanations (Examples & Explanations Series)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • An excellent companion to your case book
  • Nice and Simple
Agency, Partnerships, and LLC's: Examples and Explanations (Examples & Explanations Series)
Daniel S. Kleinberger
Manufacturer: Aspen Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0735524688

Book Description

A favorite among law students and professors alike, the Examples & Explanations series is ideal for studying, reviewing and testing your understanding through application of hypothetical examples. Authored by leading professors with extensive classroom experience, Examples & Explanations titles offer hypothetical questions in the subject area, complemented by detailed explanations that allow you to test your knowledge of the topic, and compare your own analysis.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An excellent companion to your case book.......2006-12-20

This book does an excellent job at laying out the default rules and explaining them in an organized manner. What is even better about the book is its use of charts to demonstrate the differences between the various default statutes. This book definitely helped me earn a goo grade in the class. I highly recommend it. For anyone who has taken a course with Professor Kleinberger, this book is written much differently than his lecturing style, and it will help make sense of what is covered in class.

4 out of 5 stars Nice and Simple.......2004-10-31

This book was nice and simple. A good summary of what you need to know. The section on agency was great. I think he got a little carried away in the partnerships section when he compared RUPA and UPA. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a comprehensive summary of the law of agency, partnerships, and unincorporated entities.
Getting Agencies to Work Together: The Practice and Theory of Managerial Craftsmanship
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Getting Agencies to Work Together: The Practice and Theory of Managerial Craftsmanship
    Eugene Bardach
    Manufacturer: Brookings Institution Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0815707975
    Collection Agency Harassment: What the Debt Collector Doesn't Want You to Know
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Worth the price
    • Decent Book
    • Collection Agency Harassment: - ok
    • Empowering!
    • This Book Says It All!
    Collection Agency Harassment: What the Debt Collector Doesn't Want You to Know
    Richard L. DiMaggio
    Manufacturer: Archimedes Press, Inc.
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    3. Debt Collection Secrets: Everything The Debt Collector Doesn't Want You To Know Debt Collection Secrets: Everything The Debt Collector Doesn't Want You To Know
    4. Credit Repair: What the Credit Industry Doesn't Want You to Know Credit Repair: What the Credit Industry Doesn't Want You to Know
    5. Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt!: Phone Calls to Banks That Saved More Than $43,000 in Interest Charges and Fees Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt!: Phone Calls to Banks That Saved More Than $43,000 in Interest Charges and Fees

    ASIN: 0971711909

    Book Description

    Teaches consumers and their lawyers how to fight the debt collector! Author is a consumer protection attorney who has been suing the debt collector for over a decade. Learn their secrets. Learn their tricks. Learn how to sue them. Complete with sample complaints and End Notes.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Worth the price.......2007-09-30

    I used this book to successfully fight a $20,000 debt that was not even mine. It's true that debt collectors do not want you to know your rights. I wrote a total of 4 letters to the agency, gave them documentation on why I didn't owe it (proved that it had actually been paid off) and they left me alone. It even gives sample letters to write. I highly recommend this book based on actual experience.

    5 out of 5 stars Decent Book.......2006-05-26

    This is a decent book. I am a 3L law student thinking of doing collections. This book is an excellent choice for the average person with no legal education. As a law student though I always expect more though but it does set out the basics in an unbiased manner with the law printed in the appendix. Definitely worth the price.

    STAY AWAY from To Pay or Not to Pay: Insider Secrets to Beating Credit Card Debt and Creditors by Stanley G. Hilton. I also purchased that book and it was horrible. Even as a 3L I know that many of the "solutions" he outlines are not realistic (suing a doctor for malpractice to stop a collection is pure insanity). Stick with DiMaggio's book.

    4 out of 5 stars Collection Agency Harassment: - ok.......2006-04-17

    so -so review, Mostly common sense. But a few good tips on mounting a counter attack although it doesn't let you know the practicalities of enforcing the FDCPA, namely that federal and state agencies typically don't respond to your complaints except with a form letter and no action.

    5 out of 5 stars Empowering!.......2005-06-23


    This book gave me the information I needed to take control. Collection agencies do not have a right to harass you when obviously you've hit a rough time. After reading this book I am no longer intimated by a letter or phone call because I now know my rights and how I can use them.

    This book was a great source of education and empowering!

    5 out of 5 stars This Book Says It All!.......2005-04-05

    I would first like to state that I read both of Rich DiMaggio's books: Credit Repair and the other, Collection Agency Harassment. I have also seen him speak. He is an outstanding speaker and a really intelligent man. When I get done listening to him, I finally feel like I have power over "the system". Truthfully--he would probably speak for your group, too, because he has a true passion about these subjects. He gives advice based on 15 years in the courtroom against the credit industry.

    These are 2 distinct books, and should not be lumped into one category. There is overlap because debt collectors use our credit reports against us, but the similarities stop there. Mr. DiMaggio will teach you how to draft exacting letters of disputes, and where to send them. He explains the intricacies of the bankruptcy law, charge-offs, divorce, false identities, FICO scoring an more. I don't have a clue what Chrissy is saying about misleading titles. This book is the best I have seen.

    (By the way, if you go to the web site, the author actually responds to emails!)

    Gilbert Law Summaries: Agency, Partnership, & Limited Liability Companies (Gilbert Law Summaries)
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Why does the index have to be so lousy for law books?
    • Best Gilberts I Own
    Gilbert Law Summaries: Agency, Partnership, & Limited Liability Companies (Gilbert Law Summaries)

    Manufacturer: Gilberts Law Summaries
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0159007852

    Book Description

    Gilbert Law Summaries are America's best selling outlines and have set the standard for excellence since they were introduced more than thirty-five years ago. It's Gilbert's unique combination of features that makes it the one study aid you'll turn to for all of your study needs! Walk into class prepared with a comprehensive outline of the law, a concise capsule summary perfect for a quick review before class, charts of every kind, a text correlation chart so that you can match your specific reading assignment to the relevant pages in the Gilbert outline, and an index and table of cases. Ace your final exams with a step-by-step approach to attack your exam, exam tips, and sample multiple choice, true-false, and essay questions.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Why does the index have to be so lousy for law books?.......2006-02-28

    First off, I have found the Gilbert commercial law school outlines to be the best. They also put out the best lectures on tape/CD.

    However, the index is nearly as bad as Emanuel's. You can't just look up a subject by a word, such as "minors." For instance, if I can't remember whether or not a minor can be an agent, I can't just go to "M" in the index for "minor." I have to try and figure out which category or chapter the authors would have included that information in, and then hope they actually at least put "minor" in the index under the mystery section.

    These guys expect us to remember that the issue regarding a minor is "capacity," then figure out that "capacity" would be under "creating agencies," for example--which of course is a huge pain when you're exhausted with studying law & your brain is too wiped out to have to go through all that just to look up whether or not a minor can become an agent...

    That said, when you do finally find the section you're looking for....the outline is written pretty clearly & concisely without giving you all of the previous laws that are no longer relevent, like the Emanuel outlines do, which drives me nuts, too.

    Before you begin with this outline, though, I suggest you buy yourself a bunch of tab post-its so you can find info easily again, or jot your own index inside the front cover as you go along. Better yet, keep a running outline/notes document on your computer so you can just do a search of your document to quickly find topics/rules without having to spend 1/2 hour trying to figure out where it was in the Gilbert outline again.

    5 out of 5 stars Best Gilberts I Own .......2005-11-07

    The is the standard Gilberts outline book. A little thinner than most, but the content is good. If your professor is extremely socratic like mine was, this is the book for you. Even if the cases don't all match, the ideas are framed in easy to understand outline format. I know people who have kept this book and used it for bar review after graduation from law school!
    Tainting Evidence : Behind the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Extremely Well Done
    • Excellent
    • God Bless America
    • Well put together
    • Lacking Standards and Accountability
    Tainting Evidence : Behind the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab
    John Kelly , and Phillip Wearne
    Manufacturer: Free Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0684846462

    Amazon.com

    Two crusading journalists investigate the FBI's forensic crime lab and deliver a strong indictment against what goes on there. Federal agents regularly dupe the public into accepting "scientific" findings that aren't based upon science at all, they charge, and the lab is infected with a troubling culture where truth plays second fiddle to prosecutorial interests, with information potentially useful to defendants withheld. The book's hero is FBI-scientist-turned-whistle-blower Frederic Whitehurst, and most of the chapters focus on the crime lab's controversial role in high-profile cases involving O.J. Simpson, the World Trade Center bombing, the Unabomber, and others. The authors at times appear to have a pro-prosecution bias of their own, but their conclusions shouldn't be ignored. They probably won't be; as one attorney tells the authors, "No defense lawyer in the country is going to take what the FBI lab says at face value anymore." --John J. Miller

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Extremely Well Done.......2006-04-22

    "Tainting Evidence" is a book about the FBI crime lab. Stop wondering why the FBI always gets their man. They perjure themselves in court.

    The book characterizes the FBI is a rogue government agency more interested in looking good than being good. Top priority is image building and public relations. An actual quote from an agent: "Before you embarrass the Bureau, you should be willing to perjure yourself."

    The book surveys several high-profile cases. This careful scrutiny reveals an ongoing pattern of criminal misconduct-distortions, omissions, and downright lies. FBI examiners habitually give scientifically flawed, inaccurate, and overstated testimony under oath. They alter lab reports and give their testimony a prosecutorial slant.

    The book's conclusion is that the FBI crime lab needs to be removed from control by the FBI. We are told that many other western nations have come to realize that an agency controlled by law enforcement and dedicated to securing convictions cannot run a laboratory designed to report objective analytical results.

    5 out of 5 stars Excellent.......2002-12-31

    John contributed a chapter to "Into The Buzzsaw". Exposes serious malpractice within the forensic dept of the FBI, how it's been compromised in some of the biggest cases, requiring them to be reopened. From the Oklahoma City bombing to the OJ Simpson trial. Even the FBI explosive expert on the WTC. John's a brave guy, find out why.

    5 out of 5 stars God Bless America.......2002-02-28

    How many people remember when this report hit the news? How many people have thought about it since? (show of hands) Since then, how many times have we continued to seek justice utilizing this overblown, corrupt, self-serving organ of the Federal Government? Would you want their evidence at *your* trial, should you for some inauspicious reason find yourself at the wrong end of the military-industrial-prison-pharmaceutical-industry? Read this book and I'm sure you will say, out loud, in unison, with me -- I think not! Nothing has changed since that report hit the airwaves, the FBI continues to fly by the seat of its pants, making things up as it goes along, following orders in order to make sure the prisons are full of the candidates properly chosen by those it *is* accountable to...and it hasn't been accountable to the American people for a very long time. And to think we are basing a *war* on their "evidence" -- and it's a wonder I don't believe a word of it. Frankly, this book is only the tip of the iceberg in FBI complicity and complacence in a world that has gone crazy -- but it's a very important tip. This book is very thorough, documented, professionally written and very readable. A must for the library of any professed patriot.

    You might want to particularly consider this book in light of the Jeffrey MacDonald case, and know that there is far, far more there than meets the eye.

    God bless America.

    5 out of 5 stars Well put together.......2001-06-21

    Great book for anyone wanting to know the truth behind all the bungles the F.B.I has been having over the last 20+ years. A great incite on how the F.B.I is really ran.

    5 out of 5 stars Lacking Standards and Accountability.......2001-05-25

    The Inspector General's Report on the FBI Laboratory found a number of problems: examiners had given scientifically flawed, inaccurate, and overstated testimony under oath in court; altered the lab reports of examiners to give them a pro-prosecutorial slant; failed to document tests and examinations so their conclusions could not be properly checked. FBI lab management failed to check examinations and lab reports, allowed and inadequate record system, and had covered up incompetence instead of investigating them. This book goes beyond the IG's report thru reporting documents released under the Freedom of Information Act. The FBI lab has never agreed to real external scrutiny, never published the research data used for its forensic tests, never revealed the results of its own internal proficiency tests. This book is both educational and entertaining.

    Most forensic scientists are not independent experts; most are affiliated with police or prosecutions agencies. Their job is to build a case for the prosecution. The authors mention the TV show "Quincy"; "CSI" is a better and current example, though a drama.

    One example given is "voiceprints" - a unique pattern for any single individual's speech. But research by the National Academy of Sciences concluded there is no validity to this claim. Another fault is to use overstated conclusions using undefined terms such as "match" or "identical to". Its purpose is to hide information that is "discoverable". The FBI interpretation of the adversarial approach of the justice system serves neither science nor truth.

    The FBI system is to let a civilian scientist do the tests, but have an FBI agent testify about them in court. This prevents a defendant from confronting the witness! And their lab does not meet ASCLD/LAB accreditation criteria.

    Chapter 7 says that DNA typing is NOT a genetic fingerprint; to portray is as such is scientific fraud. Fingerprints are unique, DNA profiles are not. DNA typing produces a random probability match, not a definitive match. There are 3 problems in its use. It came out of regulated, pristine medical labs, but was adapted to unregulated crime labs; making a match is far from scientifically certain, it can be highly subjective; and, the means of computing statistical probability of a match was disputed. And evidence could have been both contaminated and planted. The odds of a match are created subjectively.

    Chapter 4 on Ruby Ridge explains it all.
    Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • The Best Reference Out
    • Worthless Left-Wing Propaganda
    • Essential Reference, Some Warts
    • What every American should know about reality
    • The giant should remain strong no matter what.
    Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II
    William Blum
    Manufacturer: Common Courage Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1567512526

    Book Description

    Is the United States a force for democracy? In this classic and unique volume that answers this question, William Blum serves up a forensic overview of U.S. foreign policy spanning sixty years. Remarks from the previous edition: "Far and away the best book on the topic."-Noam Chomsky "A valuable reference for anyone interested in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy."- Choice "I enjoyed it immensely."-Gore Vidal "The single most useful summary of CIA history."-John Stockwell "Each chapter I read makes me more and more angry."-Helen Caldicott "A very useful piece of work, daunting in scope, important."-Thomas Powers, author and Pulitzer Prize--winning journalist "A very valuable book. The research and organization are extremely impressive."-A.J. Langguth, author and former New York Times bureau chief For those who want the details on our most famous -actions (Chile, Cuba, Vietnam, to name a few), and for those who want to learn about our lesser-known efforts (France, China, Bolivia, Brazil, for example), this book provides a window on what our foreign policy goals really are. William Blum is the author of Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower .

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars The Best Reference Out.......2007-08-13

    The book does a great job showing the irony in the double-standards the US has used in its foreign policy since WWII, as State department officials confessed to (shown in the last chapter). This also makes for a more entertaining read than most other books on the topic. All together though, the book's use of these contradictions are just used to propel a central idea the author has, as stated in his introduction - that the communist threat was largely imagined, either intenionally at times or unintentionally, and that the US media failed to rationalize the discrepancies of state doctrines. So, if you believe this, you'll enjoy the book, otherwise, you'll find it a "worthless left-wing propanganda."

    The book does take for granted a large degree of knowledge by the reader. That is, the author only explains US activities (as the book's title plainly states) in particular regions, but general history between time periods and other nations' influences are usually omitted. So if your history isn't up to par it may be a little confusing keeping track of changing foreign attitudes and policies.

    1 out of 5 stars Worthless Left-Wing Propaganda.......2007-04-09

    I'm sorry to say that I actually spent money on this! I had thought of returning it but I didn't want to allow these misconstrued fantasies to be further spread so I destroyed it. It's sad that the author used biased references and half truths to support his position. As a retired USAF military member I'm ashamed to think that I protected his rights for over twenty years. If he's so against the U.S why doesn't he leave this country and go peddle his stories somewhere else.

    4 out of 5 stars Essential Reference, Some Warts.......2007-02-18

    Over-all, this is a very precious book, and an essential reference on the history of US intervention, both military and clandestine or covert.

    As a former Marine Corps infantry office and former clandestine services case officer, and as an avid reader of non-fiction, I will gladly state on the record that this author has it largely right.

    I took off one star because the book has NOT been properly updated. The list of U.S. military interventions still ends in 1945, only the the CIA assassination plot list has been updated.

    There are other books that complement this one--everything by Noam Chomspky, Derek Leebaert's "The Fifty-Year Wound," Chalmers Johnson on "Sorrows of Empire," Robert McNamara et al, "Wilson's Ghost," the DVD "Why We Fight," Ambassador Palmer's "The Real Axis of Evil" (on the 45 dictators we SUPPORT), and--with respect to the ignorance of America about reality, the two books, "Fog Facts," and "Lost History." See also Marine General Smedley Butler's short but hard-hitting work, "War is a Racket."

    While I take the author with a grain of salt and do not appreciate his collaboration with Phil Agee, who betrayed his oaths to the US, whatever his reasons, on balance this book is an essential reference for anyone who wishes to understand why the rest of the world is beginning to conclude that we are the worst of all evils in our foreign policy behavior and misbehavior.

    Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy
    The Fifty-Year Wound: How America's Cold War Victory Has Shaped Our World
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    Why We Fight
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    Fog Facts : Searching for Truth in the Land of Spin (Nation Books)
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    5 out of 5 stars What every American should know about reality.......2006-11-13

    "The greatest purveyor of violence on Earth is my own government." Martin Luther King Jr.

    This is still true in 2006.

    Killing Hope has nothing to do with wacko conspiracy theories. It's history. Untold, untaught history--but fact, not fiction.

    "Read the history of the place where you're living/and stop letting corporate news teach lies to your children." Immortal Technique

    This book is an encyclopedia of the terrorism, assassinations, and covert wars the US government has committed around the world since WWII. Other reviewers will undoubtedly deny this books factuality. In fact, Mr. Blum. a former CIA station chief, fought an extensive legal battle with the CIA over his right to publish it. The court's decision was to allow publishing, but that the proceeds of all sales would be given to the CIA! So, as Mr. Blum says, don't buy this book, borrow it from a friend or a library.

    WHY DOES THE REST OF THE WORLD HATE US (except for the world's wealthy elite)? This book helps dispell the myths of "islamic fascism," "anti-americanism," and other lies that perport to explain those that oppose the US government and the corporations it serves. Unlike what you hear on FOX News, those who oppose US global dominance DO have good reasons. Usually it's because our government tortures and murders their families.

    What HOPE is the US Govt. and the world's wealthy elite trying to KILL? The threat of a good example alternative to unbridled capitalism (iow nothing in life has value unless a dollar amount can be attached to it). Ever wondered what Washington has against poor, unthreatening Cuba? Or why the US supports brutal dictatorships around the world (Columbia, Saudia Arabia, Pakistan etc.), and opposes genuine democracies (Venezuela, France). Or how about why Americans have been taught to oppose universal health care, or free university education (hint, these ideas make people more important than profit).

    For those who claim to be history buffs, I challenge you to read this. You don't know squat about modern history unless you understand the episodes described in this book.

    Read this to understand why the population of the US must learn to think for themselves, before "our" government destroys the world for profit. Make no mistake, the survival of humanity, and certainly our prospects for peace and happiness depend upon the American public not continuing down the road first trod by the "good Germans."

    2 out of 5 stars The giant should remain strong no matter what........2006-09-26

    I read this book and it confirmed my feelings that USA, as the only super power, should ALWAYS remain STRONG.

    The book is composed of some 400 pages full of critiques as if the author wanted America to be the haven of saints when the world has been full of crocodiles, for instance the introduction brings about a fair resume of the author's intentions

    How!

    In the Introduction I came across a passage which I hereby quote `''It was in the early days of the Vietnam War that a Vietcong officer said to his American prisoner _' You were our heroes after the war, and a common phrase in those days was `'to be as rich and as wise as an American'' - What happened `''.

    The title `Killing Hope' - updated edition 2004 - by William Blum, and many of the contents are indeed offensive to the USA because it speaks about U.S military and C.I.A 'interventions' since World War II and endeavours to portray them as the bad guys.

    C.I.A (USA) intervensions?

    Didn't such 'intervension' save many countries that now live under the 'shades' of democracies, in Europe and the Far East (Japan) enjoying unprecedented richness and prosperity, with a high standard of living for their nationals.

    As one individual out of six billion living on this planet, do I blame the USA for protecting the interest of its citizens.

    USA is The World Giant and one has to learn how to convince them of one's view points , rather than garrulously defy them with boring speeches and empty written words.
    International Organizations: Principles and Issues (7th Edition)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      International Organizations: Principles and Issues (7th Edition)
      A. LeRoy Bennett , and James K. Oliver
      Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 0130321850

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      This comprehensive historical, institutional and functional/programmatic analysis of the development of contemporary international organizations in all forms, examines the activities of salient regional organizations and non-governmental organizations, as well as multinational corporations. Focusing on major principles, organizational characteristics, functions, and activities of the United Nations and UN system, the book strikes a balance between comprehensive coverage of the problems, inquiries, and decisions that face these organizations, with concise, accessible coverage of the subject. The volume addresses the league of nations, the genesis of the United Nations, basic principles, organization, structure and operations of the UN, peaceful settlement of disputes, collective security and peacekeeping, the search for justice under law, controlling the instruments of war, varieties of regionalism, globalization, transnational relations and international organization, promoting economic welfare, managing global resources, promoting social progress, human rights, international administration and international organization in retrospect and prospect, For individuals interested in international affairs and organizations.

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