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April 6, 2006
Kevin Philips on ALOUD on The Off-Ramp
Through a special collaboration with 89.3 KPCC, ALOUD on the Off-Ramp extends the insightful discussions of ALOUD at Central Library to allow both audience members and listeners the unique opportunity to engage each other in an informal exchange of ideas beyond the live lecture and performance series held regularly at the Downtown Central Library.
ALOUD on the Off-Ramp will present thought-provoking questions posed by participating guests from the award-winning series. 89.3 KPCC and ALOUD at Central Library invite you to join in and respond by voicing your own opinions and viewpoints.
Presented by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, in association with the Los Angeles Public Library, ALOUD at Central Library presents over 75 live events a year and provides a public forum for discussion and ideas from some of today’s brightest writers, thinkers, and innovators.
On Wednesday, April 5, Kevin Phillips, one of America’s foremost political and economic analysts and the author of The Politics of Rich and Poor, sat down with NPR’s John Powers on the ALOUD stage. Phillips, a former Republican strategist, has been a political and economic commentator for more than three decades and has written several books on the relationship between wealth and politics.
In his latest book, American Theocracy, Phillips examines the problematic axis of ills that have undermined some of history’s greatest world-dominating powers: global over-reach, militant religion, resource problems, and ballooning debt. He and Powers discussed these issues and their impact on the United States. After the program, Kevin Phillips posed the following question for ALOUD on the Off Ramp:
Is there a clear and present danger to the U.S. from radical religion, oil and debt?
Click on the comment link below to send us your feedback.
Posted by ALOUD at 9:26 AM
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Um...yes? Anointing the hair of debtors fills our streets with fire hazards.
Posted by: Doug on April 7, 2006 7:31 AM
Did you know that the top 30 nations based on dues paid to the United Nations are in a combined debt external as of June 2005 nearly $34 trillion U.S. dollars? With the population of the world given by U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division the debt of every person on the planet is just over $5,000. Norway is the only country that does not have any debts external. My question is who holds the debt?
Posted by: Jason Spalding on April 7, 2006 10:59 AM
I was thrilled to hear a discussion about militant religion not pointed exclusively toward fundamental Islam. Critical discussion especially about religion, and particularly Christianity, has become an absolute taboo in the US. It’s the surest way to jeopardize your job, and in this competitive job market Americans are not going to do that.
Posted by: Steve on April 21, 2006 1:17 PM
I WROTE THIS AS A STORY IDEA AS i HAVE THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT EXCESSIVE OIL PRICES:
I think you should do a real investigation. I hear the same reasons over and over as to
why gas prices are high.
1) Every year the refineries need maintenance. Why is that every time a refinery needs maintenance it causes a disruption in supply? They know every year or 6 months they need maintenance why is this not built in.?
2) they know every year there are hurricanes and major storms. Why is there is always a supply disruption? These people have MBAs and computer modeling software that will predict everything from the route of storms to the shortest route to deliver crude.
3) If there is not an excess profit and the money is going to a higher cost of a barrel of oil then why are the higher and profits going to the oil company?
4) There is more oil exploration and the highest level of supply of oil in world history and yet they keep alleging there is a shortage. Why?
5) Every year there is a “change over” to summer driving and there is a disruption in supply. Why is there no advance planning ? these companies make enough money to put into R&D so this does not happen.
6) Why is that the only response to disruption of supply is to raise prices? Is there any other response?
Posted by: vic cole on April 25, 2006 10:39 AM
