The China Learning Curve & Democracy Road By Daniel R. Joseph

The China Learning Curve 

and Democracy Road

How America should address two of its most critical foreign policy challenges - China and the support of democracy around the world

 

By Daniel R. Joseph

In the midst of an election for which foreign policy has played an unusually large role, Daniel R. Joseph has produced both a book, The China Learning Curve: Critical Differences and a related award-winning documentary, Democracy Road, that provides unique insights into two of America's most critical foreign policy challenges - how to engage China and how to support democracy while avoiding the failure we've seen in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The China Learning Curve: Understanding the key aspects of China that should drive policy

China has been front and center in the presidential campaign and for good reason - from trade to cyber espionage to the South China Sea there is no shortage of critical issues relative to China.  Daniel tells us that the first step in any good foreign policy is understanding the counter-party.  In The China Learning Curve, Daniel starts by describing how China is different from us - mostly it's economic structure (transitioning from communism) and its culture (becoming more liberal).  Daniel then explores how those differences should impact our dealings with China, from policy to business.  Themes that Daniel's analysis address include the following:

• Why has China outperformed Russia, India, and all other developing countries and what does that tell us about what we should expect from China in the future?
• How is China likely to react to a more protectionist America?
• How much of a security and military threat will China become?

Democracy Road: Exploring culture, the rule of law, and why we struggle to spread democracy

In Democracy Road, which was recently awarded the prize for Best Documentary Short at the New York-Los Angeles (NYLA) International Film Festival, builds on the concept of culture which Daniel addresses in his book.  In the film, Daniel tells us that while Americans across the political spectrum are passionate about supporting democracy, in the wake of Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Arab Spring, all of which yielded little in the way of democracy, Americans are also increasingly leery of nation-building and are skeptical of America's efforts to support democracy around the world.  Focusing particularly on culture, the rule of law, and the importance of economic development to democratization, Daniel explains why we have to rethink our approach to dealing with the developing world and supporting democracy along the way.  Themes that Democracy Road relates to include:

• Why nation-building in Iraq and Afghanistan didn't work;
• Why the Arab Spring didn't produce much democracy;
• Why America is having trouble spreading democracy;
• Why China is actually more democratic than India; and
• Why our immigration policy needs to take culture into account.

Below is a link to a private screening of the documentary (10 minutes long) and also the website for the documentary which provides additional information about this theme. 

Democracy Road:

Link: https://vimeo.com/178966948

Password: demroad1212

www.democracyroadmovie.com

About the Author:  Daniel R. Joseph is an author, filmmaker, and consultant who helps companies do business internationally and who is passionate about educating people as to how countries really develop and the crucial role played by culture. Currently founder of consulting firm The China Learning Curve, Dan lived in China for more than 10 years and has a very broad business background.  Dan has written two books on China.

Putin's Master Plan By Doug Schoen

PUTIN'S MASTER PLAN

To Destroy Europe, Divide NATO and Restore Russian Power 

and Global Influence

By Douglas E. Schoen

Russian President Vladimir Putin has a master plan to destroy Europe, divide NATO, reclaim Russian influence in the world, and most of all to marginalize the United States and the West in order to achieve regional hegemony and global power... and Putin is winning.  Despite Russia's naked aggression in Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria, the United States and Europe remain astonishingly naive, impotent, and ineffective in confronting this escalating geopolitical threat. In his new book, PUTIN'S MASTER PLAN, acclaimed Democratic campaign consultant Doug Schoen, who has decades of international relations experience, exposes Putin's unified strategy and vision for Europe and reveals how American foreign policy blunders are emboldening Russia. 

As Doug Schoen argues, "President Obama's ill-considered decision to downgrade the shield [NATO missile shield], leaving our NATO allies vulnerable, was made to appease Putin and, at least in the president's mind, to lessen tensions between Russia and the West.  Since Obama's capitulation on the NATO missile shield, Putin has invaded a neighboring country and positioned nuclear weapons closer to NATO capitals than ever before.  How could President Obama, not to mention secretaries of state John Kerry and Hillary Clinton, have been so naive?  Why are we providing our NATO allies with subpar protection from Russia's nuclear arsenal?  It's inexcusable."

PUTIN'S MASTER PLAN is the first comprehensive attempt to systematically explain Putin's global strategy, which could inevitably and inexorably lead to the breakup of the NATO alliance, and potentially to war with the West.  Doug Schoen contends that the West has no strategy, no plan, and no tactics to confront Putin's master plan other than imposing limited economic sanctions, which have done little to deter Putin's hostility - and may well have encouraged and facilitated it.  The viewpoint taken here is not just alarmism, but an accurate and, for the first time, clear and sober portrayal of a frightening situation that, more and more, serious observers of European and Russian politics are openly recognizing and acknowledging.

PUTIN'S MASTER PLAN makes the case that it is essential to wake up to Putin's strategy to destroy Europe, divide NATO, and build a new empire in the former Soviet Union.  America must lead a united Europe to counter this threat.  Russia has demonstrated an extraordinary level of belligerence, most boldly in its outright invasions of Georgia and Ukraine.  American weakness and a divided Europe have left Russia's terrified neighbors without an alternative to Russian domination, and even once-stalwart American allies such as the Republic of Georgia are on the brink of becoming part of Putin's new empire in Europe.  Putin has made it clear that he sees NATO expansion as a fundamental threat to Russian nationhood, and he is systematically challenging the NATO Alliance as well as the United States.  So far, he is succeeding.  

As Doug Schoen argues, only a fundamental shift in American foreign policy and more assertive American leadership can avert disaster, check Russian aggression, and maintain a strong and unified West.  As a starting point, America must immediately end its talk of unilateral nuclear drawdowns and instead develop the next generation of nuclear warheads and missiles to keep our arsenal a step ahead of Russian missile defense and detection capabilities.  And America must complete the NATO missile shield to ensure military superiority, reassure our allies, and send a clear message to Russia that we will never let it gain the upper hand in world affairs. 

About the Author: Democratic Strategist, Fox News analyst and best-selling author, Doug Schoen has been one of the most influential Democratic campaign consultants for over thirty years.  Doug has advised President Bill Clinton, numerous governors and senators as well as NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg. [more...]

The Left in Power By David Horowitz

The Black Book of the American Left - Volume VII

The Left in Power: Clinton to Obama

By David Horowitz

New York Times best-selling author David Horowitz's new book, The Black Book of the American Left - Volume VII: The Left in Power: Clinton to Obama, is the latest in his series of portraits of the left.  This volume traces the trajectory that transformed the Democrat Party from a party of the American center to a party of the hardcore left.  David shows how this process began when the Democrats started to adopt the New Left's anti-individualist, anti-capitalist, and anti-American dogma in the mid-'70s, attained critical mass when Hillary Clinton brought a cohort of leftists to power during her husband's presidency; and came full circle with the election of Barack Obama - a politician born, bred and trained in the "progressive" movement.

As a result of this long march, the Democrats now support "causes" that presidents such as Harry Truman and JFK would have abhorred. At home: illegal immigration, race preferences and redistributionism. Abroad: retreat in the War on Terror, appeasement of the Hamas terrorists, and nuclearization of America's chief enemy, the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In Volume VII of The Black Book series, you will learn all about:

• Hillary Clinton - First Lady of the Left, her academic shills, her misdemeanors and high crimes;
• The new politically correct culture;
• How Leftists play the race card;
• Obama and his Communist czars and how he betrayed America;
• ISIS and the culture of hate;
• Anti-White Racism - the hate that dares not speak its name; and more...

Horowitz knows all too well the devastating trends as the "Progressives'" practical agendas have caused the destruction of the culture of individual liberty and accountability at home as well as America's retreat abroad.  As the Left's worst enemy and a national treasure for conservatives, David Horowitz warns that hatred of America and contempt for the police and military is the social gospel of the left and is what we should be joining forces to defeat. Volume VII is a comprehensive guide to the Left in power and how they've seized control of America on every level.

About the Author: David Horowitz is the bestselling author of numerous books including Unholy Alliance (2004), The Party of Defeat (2008) and Take No Prisoners: The Battle Plan for Defeating the Left (2014). His Art of Political War (2000) was described by White House political strategist Karl Rove as "the perfect guide to winning on the political battlefield."  David is the founder and chairman of the David Horowitz Freedom Center which is dedicated to the defense of free societies whose moral, cultural and economic foundations are under attack by enemies both secular and religious, at home and abroad.

A New Design for Education in America By Vicki E. Alger, Ph.D.

Education, being one of the top issues debated by the presidential candidates, is very much on the minds of all Americans. In an important new book, education reform expert Vicki E. Alger, Ph.D., author of FAILURE: The Federal Misedukation of America's Children, and Research Fellow at the Independent Institute shows us what the problems are and offers sound strategies toward improving on the failures of America's educational system.

Both presidential candidates are beginning to release comprehensive K-12 policy plans.  Last Thursday, Donald Trump gave a speech in Ohio on education laying out all the opportunities he will be proposing for parents to be given better and higher quality school choice.  Hillary Clinton has taken on education as a top priority of her campaign.

Both campaigns would benefit greatly from Dr. Alger's new book.  She writes, as an example, that Milwaukee's Parental Choice program (launched in 1990) was the country's first modern private school parental choice program. It began the modern era's parental choice movement. Since then Wisconsin has enacted three additional voucher scholarship programs. These programs serve low-income and special needs students. Wisconsin has also enacted a private school tuition income tax credit/deduction.

Dr. Alger says If we want to improve education, we need to reduce segregation, improve student outcomes and stop rationing education based on where children's parents can afford to live.  We need to expand these successful parental choice programs that empower parents, not the so-called experts whose policies have contributed to the status quo. Scientific research has shown that disadvantaged students participating in Milwaukee's flagship scholarship program had higher reading and math scores than similar non-scholarship students - and the program costs a fraction of what it does to send those same students to public schools. What's more, Milwaukee Public Schools responded positively to competition for students and associated funding.

In FAILURE, you will learn:

• that more than half of the U.S. offers families private school choice options;
• that school choice improves public schools;
• that more parental choice means more hope for children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds;
• that Education Saving Accounts (ESAs) would allow families school choice for their children;
• about empirical research literature on the effects of school choice; and
• about the origins of the Milwaukee parental choice program.

FAILURE shows federal involvement in education has been an epic failure of myriad ineffective educational programs, a failure of massive wasteful spending, and a failure of the Department of Education to be a partner with state and local governments, rather than a boss. Fortunately, Dr. Alger's rigorous assessment enables her to identify and articulate the best strategy for success - namely, decentralizing education policy by ending federal involvement, returning power to state and local governments, and implementing parental choice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Vicki E. Alger, Ph.D., is Research Fellow at the Independent Institute and the author of more than forty education policy studies. She has provided expert affidavits for the successful legal defense of educational choice programs for low-income, foster-care and disabled children. Her work was also used in the successful legal defense of tax-credit scholarship programs in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Angry White Male By Wayne Allyn Root

ANGRY WHITE MALE

How the Donald Trump Phenomenon is Changing America

and What We Can All Do to Save the Middle Class

By Wayne Allyn Root

Foreword by Roger Stone

Bestselling author, fiery media personality, TV producer and high-energy, in-your-face Donald Trump supporter, Wayne Allyn Root's new book, ANGRY WHITE MALE is the story of a powerful new revolution going on in American politics. Root has declared 2016 the year of the "Angry White Male" - a demographic he calls "the soccer moms of the 2016 election." This book tells their story - it is their personal testimony - and the man leading their latest charge is Donald J. Trump. In this explosive new book, the Trump phenomenon is seen through the eyes of the ultimate angry white male who is determined to save the middle class.

Early in life, Wayne Allyn Root and millions of Americans like him were taught to believe in the things that made America the greatest nation in world history - God, country, family, American exceptionalism, capitalism, Judeo-Christian values, the U.S. Constitution, the great American middle class, second amendment rights, the police and the military.  Republican nominee, Donald Trump, continues to remind us that these values are all under vicious, nonstop, over-the-top attack.  Everything that a typical all-American middle class kid was taught to believe in is being assaulted, brutalized and bankrupted. This is no coincidence.  On the contrary, it is a purposeful planned attack from those who hate America and particularly the white middle class. It is an all-out attack from people who want "to fundamentally change America."  

In ANGRY WHITE MALE, you'll learn:

• Just how much the Obama Administration's policies have damaged America;
• How the media has colluded to destroy Trump in order to get Hillary Clinton elected President - to finish the job Obama began;
• Why the media, liberals and the establishment, including many top elected GOP lawmakers, are so desperate to stop Trump and why they're just fine with the status quo; and
• Why liberals in America hate Trump, God, faith and the Constitution.

In ANGRY WHITE MALE, Root calls it as he sees it - raw, honest, politically incorrect and from the unique vantage point of a blue-collar, middle class kid who graduated from elite Ivy League Columbia University where he met the very leaders at the center of this conspiracy to destroy America and capitalism.  Root will reveal the exact game plan they designed back at Columbia. His college classmate at the time? Barack Obama. Root reveals how each specific policy of the past eight years has oppressed, depressed, targeted, persecuted, intimidated and bankrupted the shrinking middle class. Herein, he provides the playbook to win America back from the liberal Democrats, establishment Republicans, Wall Street titans, Hollywood film moguls, high-tech gurus and corporate elite billionaires who are so desperate to stop Trump.

At the heart of this book are 100 pages of concrete creative solutions in a section called, "God, Guns, Gold, Tax Cuts and Term Limits" in which Root lays out the counter-attack including: Middle Class Income Tax Vacation, Middle Class Contract with America, and the ultimate Middle Class Weapon of Self-Defense.  Trump's historic speeches of late encourage and embolden Americans to embrace a patriot commonsense action plan - not only just to survive, but to thrive and prosper - to make America great again.

Root tells us why he and his fellow Americans have every right to be angry.  He urges the middle class to take charge before they are legislated, targeted, intimidated and censored out of existence - and thus left penniless, powerless, jobless, feckless and afraid to speak out for fear of being shouted down and labeled a racist... and worse.

About the Author: Wayne Allyn Root is a middle class warrior and capitalist evangelist.  He is an entrepreneur, media personality, TV producer, syndicated columnist, international business speaker, and radio talk show host. Root is the author of several bestselling books including The Ultimate Obama Survival Guide, The Murder of the Middle Class, and The Power of RELENTLESS. He was the 2008 Libertarian VP nominee and has been the opening speaker at many Donald Trump events. He currently hosts his own radio show in Las Vegas and is a regular contributor to Fox News, Breitbart, TheBlaze, Newsmax, Townhall, the Washington Times, and USA Today.

SandyPundits Goes to the 2016 RNC Convention

FAILURE By Vicki E. Alger

 New Book Gives U.S. Department of Education a Failing Grade

Education, being one of the top issues debated by the presidential candidates, is very much on the minds of all Americans.  Trump advocates for school choice, refers to common core as a "disaster," and is calling for an end to the Department of Education. Clinton wants to socialize students and believes that it takes a village to raise a kid. In an important new book, education reform expert Vicki E. Alger, Ph.D., author of FAILURE: The Federal Misedukation of America's Children, shows us what the problems are and offers sound strategies toward improving on the failures of America's educational system.

In FAILURE, you'll learn that for nearly 100 years the federal government left education almost entirely in the hands of state and local governments. Gradually, however, federal restraint gave way, culminating in 1979 with the creation of the U.S. Department of Education - a sprawling bureaucracy with more than 4,000 employees, 100 programs, and an annual budget of approximately $70 billion. What caused this dramatic transformation? Has it improved student performance? And how can we best ensure that America's schoolchildren will get the education they need for thriving in an increasingly technological, competitive global economy?

When President Jimmy Carter established the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in 1979 as the thirteenth cabinet-level agency, the advocates of a larger role for the federal government in education hailed it as a hard-won victory for America's taxpayers, educators and school children. But thirty-six years later, ED has yet to live up to the promises, which tells us:

• It has failed to act as a genuine partner to state and local governments, but instead lords over them. Strings attached to federal funding have created an ongoing tug-of-war between the feds and the states.
• It has failed to ensure that federal dollars are spent efficiently. Programs remain spread across multiple departments, perpetuating redundancy and waste of taxpayer dollars.
• It has failed to appreciably improve student academic performance. International assessments reveal that 17-year-olds as a group are only slightly better in math than they were in 1978, and their reading ability has remained flat since 1971.
• ED has failed to reach every meaningful goal its advocates had promised.

After providing a history and assessment of federal involvement of education (including a comparison with top-performing education systems worldwide), FAILURE offers a way forward. Dr. Alger's steps include:

• Immediately eliminating 19 non-program offices and divisions within the Department of Education, and returning the $14 billion in savings to taxpayers via a tax credit;
• Letting the American people work with local lawmakers and educators to set priorities that meet the specific needs of students in their communities;
• Empowering citizens to create parental choice programs in the states - including  tuition tax credits and educational savings accounts; and
• Abolishing ED and returning the federal government to its constitutional role in education (none).

Federal involvement in education, FAILURE shows, has been an epic failure - a failure of ineffective educational programs, a failure with massive wasteful spending, and a failure of the Department of Education to be a partner with state and local governments. Fortunately, Dr. Alger's rigorous assessment enables her to identify and articulate the best strategy for success - namely, decentralizing education policy by ending federal involvement, returning power to state and local governments, and implementing parental choice. [more...]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Vicki E. Alger, Ph.D., is Research Fellow at the Independent Institute and the author of more than forty education policy studies. She has provided expert affidavits for the successful legal defense of educational choice programs for low-income, foster-care and disabled children. Her work was also used in the successful legal defense of tax-credit scholarship programs in the U.S. Supreme Court.