Davis is finishing his book with obligatory millenarian prophesies that cap-ism is going to go belly-up any time now. He cites various troubles of the eighties to support his claim. As one of his favorite characters used to say: "He ain't seen nothing yet." --------------------------- Right know, after '84 defeat the white democrats turn against Jessie as the ultimate cause of their defeat (something similar to what happened (and still happens) to Nader in 2000). It is amazing how openly racist and bigoted the rhetoric was only, well, 20 years ago. I was already finishing high school for chirssakes. Well, maybe I am just getting old. ---------------------------- Davis is dissecting the democratic party during '84 campaign. It is interesting that back then Jessie Jackson appeared a serious candidate on an interesting platform. It is also interesting how the various population segments shaped the factions and alignments within the party. Politics is interesting. It is still annoying that he is talking over my head and dropping names without context. ---------------------------- I am in the middle of Reagan ear in Davis. He completely gave up his haughty academese and speaks plain english. The subject is engaging. And I am enjoying the reading. He now covers how American (especially Californian) politics was transformed (pre-Reagan but the transformation was solidified during his times) from the politburo-like nomination of the candidates of the caucuses into direct-election of the primaries. And now inter-party intrigue was therefore replaced by massive "electoral machines" with direct mailing, television ads, etc. Davis seems unhappy about it (well, for commies things only go from bad to worse). ----------------------------- I am on page 230 of Davis. He gets better by the page. He is still talking over _my_ head but the subject of the previous pages (the analysis of different undercurrents in mainstream politics and political campaigning and relating this to economics) is fascinating It is interesting that he considers that pre-Reagan dems were more interventionist and GOP -- more conservative. How Reagan crowd and (whatever the name of the guy before him that failed Goldwater?) changed the style of political campaigning -- through direct mail advertising, coopting single-issue voters, using TV and thus -- bypassing the party leadership (RNC). All the more interesting is the idea that Reagan crowd was the political challenge of previously marginal periphery to the republican establishment of the East and Midwest. Davis' latest topic is that this challenge was enabled by the disproportional infusion of the federal money into defense industry and infrastructure in the sunbelt together with the capital flight in that direction. Davis even deigned to provide a few tables and figures to solidify his argument. ----------------------------- Currently I am reading the prisoners. Davis got less pompous. The book, however, is directed towards the initiated. Like Thomson, Davis drops names and facts but does not describe them. ----------------------------- The davis' bombastic style annoys. He better be worth it. hugs, -----------------------------