With a Recession looming in 2019, P. J. O’Rourke’s None of My Business arrives to explain the U. S. Economy and the dangers ahead. When the 2018 Republican Tax Cut gave a trillion dollar windfall to the One Percent, it gave the Economy a “sugar high.” Billions of dollars poured into the Stock Market (where else would you park your money?). And, of course, the Stock Market went up. The Rich got Richer.
But now that stimulus is starting to fade. The Stock Market has become more volatile. Down days, blamed on Trump’s tariffs, drag the indexes down. I believe we’re seeing the beginning of a Bear Market for the next two years (at least!). P. J. O’Rourke provides some additional evidence to support the case for an upcoming Recession. Time to start preparing for some Rough Times ahead! GRADE: A-
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Foreword: Why I’m not rich and you aren’t either 1
Section I: How I learned economics by watching people try to kill each other
Introduction — 9
Lesson One: The power of the economic impulse — 12
Lesson Two: The real secret behind all investment scams — 17
Lesson Three: (Topic for discussion) If you want hard money, how hard do you have to be to get it? — 22
Section II: Money and banking
Introduction — 29
The strange, shape-shifting symbol of value — 32
My own personal central bank — 38
Negative interest rates: not only wrong but evil — 44
Debt jubilee — 48
Section III: Mutant capitalism
Introduction: The mutants — 57
One good thing about mutant capitalists: they aren’t playing Monopoly — 69
What are corporations for? — 75
Section IV: The transition
Introduction: The digital age and which digit it’s giving us — 81
A brief history of economic transitions — 87
A blockhead confronts the blockchain — 92
What’s the connection? — 100
What has the digital revolution done to print media? — 106
Five lessons about the digital economy from a member of the digital generation — 112
Innovation: it’s all in your head — 118
Innovations that get no respect — 125
Unnovations — 131
Six geniuses (plus some cartoon animators) try to see into the future — 135
A ray of hope in the contest between man and machine — 144
Section V: Consumption
Introduction: Some thoughts on the history of trade — 151
The price of being middle class — 157
Armchair predictions about consumer trends — 164
Consumer trends among the “grumpies” — 169
Consumer trends among the “grumpies,” part 2 — 173
Summing up American consumer trends — 178
All the money in the world — 182
Section VI: Random walk
Introduction — 193
Five things I know about China — 195
Doubts about Asia — 202
Thoughts while cleaning the chicken coop — 209
Six lessons from a man on horseback — 214
Sympathy for the devil — 219
Reform or deform? — 223
Free-for-all! — 231
Acknowledgements — 239
I like O’Rourke even though he’s a republican. I remember when he was a writer for the National Lampoon. He was on Bill Maher a short while back plugging his book. He doesn’t seem to be much of a fan of Trump.
Steve, not too many people in the media (other than FOX) are fans of Trump. O’Rourke can be funny in small doses.
George, I have read and enjoyed P. J. O’Rourke’s writing in the past, though I haven’t read anything in recent times. This book sounds like a satirical view of some very serious issues that are already confronting us now and which will probably continue to do so over the next few years.
Prashant, O’Rourke has a solid grasp of Economics. He mixes in some funny stories and makes the result both entertaining and educational.
Apparently, O’Rourke wants to hie with the hares and hunt with the hounds, as the old saying goes. When it’s expedient, he’s a lib’rul-loathing conservative, making jokes at the expense of the 99%. When it becomes obvious that he’s part of that 99%, suddenly things like Medicare, Social Security, and help for those who need it don’t seem like such laughable matters. I’d take a book like this more seriously if it weren’t for the fact that the political beliefs and voting patterns of the author (and people like him) are what got us into this mess in the first place!
/Dismounting soapbox now!
Deb, Jeff & Jackie, Maggie, Beth & Wilba, and Diane and I enjoyed the feast you and John treated us to yesterday! Thank you, again! O’Rourke, as they used to say in the Olden Days, swings both ways politically.
I’m buying more Lottery Tickets,
Dan, maybe you should mix in a casino visit with Cap’n Bob!
O’Rourke used to be funny now he’s just a pain in the ass.
Rick, I think O’Rourke’s PARLIAMENT OF WHORES is his best book.
I’m with Deb. I won’t be reading this.
I prefer Rick Wilson’s EVERYTHING TRUMP TOUCHES DIES.
Jeff, I loved EVERYTHING TRUMP TOUCHES DIES. I think Trump’s interim Attorney General is next!