American Theocracy
Book

American Theocracy

The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century

Kevin Phillips
Penguin, 2007
First Edition: 2006
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Comprehensive
  • Eye Opening

Recommendation

You may not like what author Kevin Phillips says about President George W. Bush and America's current state. In fact, loyal Bush supporters may write off Phillips' views as paranoid left-wing poppycock, although he is a former Republican strategist who played a key role in Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign. Here, Phillips unleashes a furious bare-knuckle assault on the Bush administration. He insists that it is setting up the U.S. for a mighty fall. Utilizing historical evidence to construct his case, Phillips postulates that the combination of America's crushing debt, dependence on foreign oil and conservative religious fanaticism is a recipe for disaster. Those who agree with Phillips' contention that "history is likely to remember George W. Bush as one of America's most damaging two-term presidents" will be screaming "I told you so!" as they traverse this tome. And yet, Bush backers should resist the temptation to dismiss Phillips completely. The book is heavily footnoted, but Phillips skillfully connects the dots, extracting information from hundreds of newspaper articles, scholarly journals and speeches to assemble a compelling presentation. Whether you are for Bush, against Bush or worried about the shape the U.S. is in, getAbstract recommends this well-researched, thought-provoking work.

Summary

Storm Clouds on the Horizon

America faces the "perfect storm" for disaster, and history reveals striking similarities between the downfall of the British, Spanish and Dutch empires, and the United States' current instability. Three distinct circumstances that threaten the U.S.'s superpower status are:

  1. Oil – America's thirst for "black gold" has created an enormous economic dependency that has directly influenced foreign policy. With world oil production predicted to peak in perhaps 25 years, countries fiercely compete for the same limited resource. American military deployments to areas in the Persian Gulf, West Africa and Afghanistan are designed to protect U.S. oil interests.
  2. Religion – An undeniable correlation exists between the Republican Party's dominance under President George W. Bush and the rise of radical Christian fundamentalism. Religion now plays an important role in government and politics. A large segment of Bush's constituency clearly identifies with his self-proclaimed born-again Christian beliefs.
  3. Debt – Under Bush, the budget deficit has increased by billions. U.S. manufacturing has plunged, the ...

About the Author

Kevin Phillips, author of 13 books including The Emerging Republican Majority, is a former Republican strategist who writes for several national publications. He has been a political and economic commentator for more than 30 years.

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