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Great collection of classic American documents, speeches, poems, etc. George Washington‘s speeches had a lot of big words that didn‘t say a whole lot. I also didn‘t know that it used to be first choice was made President and second choice was made Vice President. Teddy Roosevelt liked long, run-on sentences. The pledge of allegiance didn‘t originally have “under god” in it! President Eisenhower insisted it be added by Congress in 1954.
Thinking I may need to shift to books that are about escaping our current reality, as I keep reading the opposite and it‘s heavy. 🙃 But this is a good one, by a well-known sociologist (still doing vital work in her mid-eighties!) and based on ethnographic research where she deeply studies and truly listens to those whom we might perceive as voting against their own interests. A powerful takeaway is Hochschild‘s assertion that many (who ⬇️
In America, the law is king. ⚖️👩🏻⚖️
“While eating is the custom of Europe” 🤪 Sassy, Thomas Paine, in Common Sense.
A well done, investigative reporting in Appalachia of a community before and after a white nationalist march in Pikeville, KY. Interviews with residents give shape to the frustrations of loss, shame, and poverty though they work hard yet can‘t get ahead. It‘s a great book, but it didn‘t make me feel better.
Is Trump going to destroy democracy? No. Is he a threat to the world as we know it? No. Is he going to get rid of the constitution? No. Is he a spoiled rich boy who has no regard for ethics and politics and is surrounded by people who can‘t say no to him? Yes. Are we in trouble? I‘ll let you decide that one. #thedivider #peterbaker #susanglasser #donaldtrump #uspolitics #ushistory #politicalscience #history #presidency #trumpadministration