Comments on: Bad News in High Style: Kevin Phillips

By: wmcduff

wmcduff — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:09:49 +0000

Listening to this piece inspired me to read Kevin’s book, Bad Money. What a great book. Kevin’s book describes the world in a way in a comprehensive way that I find fairly close to the mark.

By: Aquifer

Aquifer — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:57:43 +0000

Great interview! Have been a fan of Phillips’ stuff for awhile and appreciate how you drew out some of the more salient aspects of his work including the observation that it is the Dem/Rep political “duopoly” that shares responsibility for the mess we are in. He is spot on in observing that this fact explains the Dems lack of criticism of the underlying financial interests that are driving this disaster express and, by the way, financing their political careers. One hopes that more and more people, espec. faithful party members will understand that they need to look elsewhere for effective political leadership.

By: Vilcxjo BLANKA

Vilcxjo BLANKA — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:03:03 +0000

I actually think a more multilateral world might be more interesting. I always suspected that Sammy Huntington’s real problem with the Clash of Cultures was that he was afraid somebody was going to make him eat sushi or burritos. I am a transplanted midwesterner turned Esperantist in my old age. I remember in college being shocked meeting foreign graduate students who really wanted to move back home after they finished their schooling. And even recently I was somewhat nonplussed when I worked with a Canadian engineer who left Boston to return to Toronto because he thought the US was too parochial.

I think the more we learn about the world the better for us. I suspect we will be forced to learn more about the world as we become less the sole superpower.

By: teenbillybaby

teenbillybaby — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:25:33 +0000

Am I really only the third response??

This is a terrific interview. Thank you Open Source for it .

The message here doesn’t seem that gloomy unless you’re committed to US world empire and economic dominance. Those things are history and we won’t get them back anytime soon, for reasons Kevin explains. The questions are: Given our new place in the world, how do we get our financial and diplomatic acts together to remain a leader of the first world? Is that even possible, or is the US too committed to attempting to hold onto its place in a world that has changed.

By: avecfrites

avecfrites — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:52:50 +0000

The big takeaway from the interview for me is the mental model showing that empires go through a finance-focus stage on the way to collapse. That is, empires initially built on production, trade, and military achievements accumulate wealth, and then attempt to rely on finance to preserve the empire as their energy for repeating their initial accomplishments wanes. Rome, Spain, Britain (and others), and now the US.

Things such as manufacturing ability, energy independence, and an educated population will come back in style after we go through our wringer.

By: Potter

Potter — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:09:25 +0000

I have not listened to this interview with Kevin Phillips yet ( and look forward to it) but just a reaction to your first paragraphs. Avid Krugman fans we were but can no longer read him lately. A vote for another truth teller is Bill Moyers.