Leadership in Turbulent Times, by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Enjoyed this read and a good reminder that turbulent times have existed well before our current state.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38657386-leadership

Profiles of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson gave me a better perspective on each of them and they stand in marked contrast to one specific other example.

As I think about my strong feelings about the honor and integrity or lack thereof by certain leaders I question if I am too critical. As I read of each of these leaders, though, I don't think I am. Even as their (the 4 leaders profiled) drive and ambition, or work styles or positions could lead to some people hating them or burnout among team members, there was a humanity and desire to serve all of America and serve in America's best interests that is not apparent in a more current example. While each of them had their ambition and ego, Kearns Goodwin provided so many examples of where they put country first, ahead of self or party. One specific example being Lincoln's resolve to work as the Civil War wound down on bringing the South back into the fold with a softer touch rather than giving them a rough response to what could be argued treasonous acts against the union of the United States. He didn't refer to them as enemies or traitors, as some now refer to fellow citizens in our current discourse.

It reminds me of some Mattis quotes and commentary:

"When you’re going to a gunfight, bring all your friends with guns,” he writes. “Having fought many times in coalitions, I believe that we need every ally we can bring to the fight.....I have never been on a crowded battlefield, and there is always room for those who want to be there alongside us.”

Mr. Mattis also expresses, in blunt terms, his concern that the current, divisive political climate is harming the country. “What concerns me most as a military man is not our external adversaries; it is our internal divisiveness,” he writes. “We are dividing into hostile tribes cheering against each other, fueled by emotion and a mutual disdain that jeopardizes our future, instead of rediscovering our common ground and finding solutions.”

He adds: “We all know that we’re better than our current politics.”

******************

Unfortunately, we are not following Melania's plea to "be best", and mixing up, both internally and outside of the U.S., who our friends and enemies are.

The Complete Far Side: Vol 3, Gary Larson

Great memories in reading through this one, and now I want to check out Vols 1-2, shout out to the Mooresville Public Library for providing my last few reads.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50323.The_Complete_Far_Side_1980_1994

Part of the good memories was thinking back to my first years as a grad student/junior military officer in the Army Reserve.  My fellow soldiers and officers at Fort Meade would bring in Far Side comics that they thought applied well to me as a nerdy grad student. Always great to have a personal brand...

They may have started with the Midvale School for the Gifted cartoon, so perhaps not so complimentary, but I always enjoyed the contributions and laughs.

Rick Wilson's "Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real about the Worst President Ever"

In my confirmation bias reading tour, this is a complementary piece to Amanda Carpenter's book I addressed last week. This one is by far more vulgar and profane, but like the other, published by a Republican, not by Democrats, so not an attack from the left.

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/39312362-everything-trump-touches-dies

Some of those reviews point out his attacks on Trump apologists and supporters, and I agree much of that is over the top. Attacks on people's sexual experience or lack thereof are of no real value or import in addressing the challenges of today's current executive branch environment, and in that sense one could argue is part of the problem.

Does a good job pointing out differences between nationalism and conservatism. I've always been a bit confused by folks calling non-Trump conservatives RINOs, when it makes more sense to me to label Trump a RINO given his positions on many social, economic and policy positions.

Amanda Carpenter's "Gaslighting America: Why We Love it When Trump Lies to Us"

This is clearly one of those "confirmation bias" reading selections. 

Others rated this one more highly than I would:
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/35068841-gaslighting-america

I guess I was hoping for some insights that were not readily apparent and covered frequently. Of course, much of what he does is so obvious, the most recent example being #Sharpiegate #SharpieTrump.

What she could have covered about what this gaslighting is doing now is distracting from more important things the administration is doing, relative to a whole laundry list of important issues: the use or misuse of funds, immigration and the wall, environmental protections, trade wars, and so on.

The most interesting part of the book- by far- for me:
I wonder if her coverage of the Cruz- Politifact dust up on pages 121-122 was done with a recognition that she and Cruz were engaging in one of Trump's favorite moves. Say something incendiary or on the edge, and when called on it, say it is a joke.... and then go back to "but here are the facts" and indicating it wasn't a joke, after all. Come on, Amanda, was Death to America Day a joke or not?  When she goes to Breitbart News to defend their humor, well, she's using Breitbart News, well-known for... well, not for a strong reliance on facts, anyway.

I don't love it when powerful people lie to me. I find it odd that people argue they don't look for morality and integrity in their leaders, they just want someone who gets stuff done. If the person has no integrity, can you trust that they'll get it done, or will they just use a sharpie to do what has been termed in certain cultures as "pencil-whipping"?  Or using the platform to encourage people to attend their golf clubs, resorts and hotels? When someone in politics says "believe me," I immediately want to run the other way.

And I get less upset by the liar as much as those who enable, support and defend the liar.

Niall Ferguson's "The Ascent of Money, A Financial History of the World"

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. 

Some others like it and others not so much.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2714607-the-ascent-of-money

Two parts that stood out to me from my 27+ years off and on in the military, and especially prominent after last year at the War College and in certain special projects:

1. We studied some history of war during that year and even classical war literature- Thucydides and those way back types- acknowledge that war is an expensive proposition. If you want to fight one, behind the question of "can I fight and win" is the question of "can I (or my country) pay to make it happen?" While not a particularly prominent piece of this book, it does get addressed and added to my thoughts about it.

2. With a paperback version printed in 2009, it had some thoughts and analysis about what had recently happened (financial crisis, MBS and CDOs, bailouts of large financial institutions), but what I found even more interesting were comments and analysis musing about the future. Specifically, questions about "what would it be like if the U.S. and China, rather than cooperating as the two largest economic powers, started competing as adversaries or enemies." And here we are, a couple of days after the latest round of tariff increases/levies, with businesses and consumers negotiating the uncertainties of the "easy to win" trade war.