Excellent points brought up after the first fifty pages. The first part was a good overview for the uninitiated but then the book really gets broad and deep and gets to the root of America’s problems – the systematic dismantling of the Constitution since FDR.

It’s going to take decades for conservatives to undo the damage modern liberals have done over the last eight decades but it can certainly be done. Levin lays out how in this book. Conservatives must reunite and stand their ground wile the most liberal administration ever elected attempts to enslave the public further.

The title comes from a speech Abraham Lincoln gave in 1864.

“We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name – liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names – liberty and tyranny.”

I bought this book without checking what year it was written. It’s all pre-911 and quite outdated I thought. The book was written before the Japanese economy imploded in the 1990s and when it was thought the Japanese would overcome America.

I did like the perspectives on civilizations and some interesting points are made about China and the “Orthodox culture.”

It was also quite a dull read!

All the hype and teeny-bopper support convinced me that this movie would really suck. I watched it not expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. I like vampire stories, especially Anne Rice’s version, but I thought Twilight did bring a fresh twist to the vampire genre.

I would have rated this movie three-and-a-half stars if that were an option, four is too high. I’m looking forward to the next movie in the series and hope it expands further on the tale.

I’m not interested in reading the books. I have plenty to read!

This is an exceptional, great book. Honestly its one of the most intriguing, engrossing stories I’ve read in quite some time. I really liked how it delved into what life is like for 99.9% of the population in India which is very much still under the caste system – especially for those who hail from “the Darkness.”

The political statements in the end were thought-provoking and I usually don’t like personal politics mixed with my reading (see my review of “American Lion”). It’s really the Hindu point of view that I found so engrossing. It’s not one I’ve heard from much thought that’s begun to change both with this book and “Slumdog Millionnaire.” BTW – this book is much more realistic and representative of Indian/Hindu society than that movie was so I’ve heard.

I read every night to help me fall asleep. I found that I was unable to fall asleep reading this book, I just kept turning the pages. The end is a bit of a shocker and well worth it.

I agree with the other poster that the first half of the book dragged on and on about the Eaton affair. Even if that was the major influencing factor of Jackson’s first term in office history continued to happen around the White House. I was left with the impression that Meachem had limited material when he did the research for the book.

I did gain a better impression of who Jackson was after reading the book. History has painted him as the “most uneducated” President and the book does a good job presenting Jackson’s intellectual powers.

I particularly disliked how the author added his perspective of “right” and “wrong” in the book. I don’t care to read a biographer’s opinions when I want to learn about a historical figure.

I’m an avid reader of biographies and my favorite biographical authors are Isaacson, McCullough, and Chernow. My next biography will be McCullough’s Truman.

Meachem doesn’t hold a candle to any of those biographers and how this book made the Post’s “best” list is beyond me.

I have to admit that Mickey Rourke did a wonderful acting job in this movie. I really sympathized with his character and truly ached at parts when I worried for his health. I felt that the character was an extension of the actor’s life…maybe it was.

The movie was shot “reality-show” style which really adds to the realism affect. And who knew Marisa Tomei had it in her to play such a part? Watch the movie and you’ll know what I mean.

But I hated the ending! I hate it when people spoil movies for me so I’m not gonna do it. I’d like to hear if anybody liked the ending.

I liked this movie so much more than the one Clint was awarded Oscars for recently (Million Dollar Baby). Its too bad because the Academy probably will feel they don’t need to recognize Eastwood for this wonderful movie.

The ending was a bit unexpected.

In fact, they’ve gained. What a great album. Awesome riffs, killer instrumentals. I love this album!

The writing is a bit dry sometimes but what would you expect in a book that’s about economics and FDR’s (horrible) policies?

I learned a lot about what the government tried to do in the 1930s as well as how FDR tried to force his dictatorial ways on the public. I lost a whole lot of respect for FDR after reading this book, not that he was highly regarded by me before.

Most of the time we read about FDR in the history books or see in documentaries has to do with his leadership during WWII. This book is a real eye-opener on what he did before that.

83% income taxes? you bet
“undistributed corporate profits” tax? sure!

I figure no matter how loony Obama’s policies will be they won’t be able to touch what FDR tried to pull. We’re a much more informed and connected populace now – aren’t we?

Since I knew the history surrounding the event the movie was based upon the end was not a surprise. I believe it stayed true to the history books but I had trouble believing that a Colonel (Tom Cruise’s character) issued orders to a general/generals. It seems they took the bits of history on record and ran with it to have enough material for a full length movie.