What do you think?
Rate this book
Catastrophe: How to Stop Obama's War on Prosperity and Defend American Liberty and Security
We have to stop Obama's radical agenda. Now. We must act before President Barack Obama fully implements his radical political agenda. Because after Obama has won his war on prosperity and canceled the war on terror, it will be too late to regain our liberty or our security. Here's the truth about Obama and his radical policies: And Obama is not working alone. Congress is complicit in the conspiracy. It's a catastrophe. But as Dick Morris and Eileen McGann remind us, “This is no time for apathy or alienation or hopelessness. It's a time for action.” And that action must begin now—before it's too late.
384 pages, Paperback
Published June 22, 2010
22 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
About the author
Dick Morris
49 books66 followersDick Morris, the President of Vote.com, was President Clinton's chief strategist and advisor in the 1996 campaign. He has handled the campaigns of a large number of American politicians including Trent Lott, William Weld, Pete Wilson and a whole lot of others. He's now a commentator on the Fox News Channel and writes a weekly column in the New York Post. He has written four recent books: Behind the Oval Office, The New Prince, Vote.com and Power Plays.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 24, 2019
From the title of the book, I was hoping the author would focus a little more on the Obama presidency. In spite of my expectation, I still enjoyed the subject matter. Since this book was written during Obama's first term as president, the content is dated as I have the luxury of looking back on how history unfolded. Overall, the book was a worthwhile read from a political science standpoint. The author researched his information and had a great working knowledge of his findings. Subscribe to his daily videos and reference his website for more current information.
March 15, 2018
I was already aware of a lot of the things the author details in this book but still learned some things. I liked hearing another perspective and analysis by someone who has access to a lot more of the back stories and facts that are not readily available to the general public. Since the book was written in 2009 I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read it but I think it was worthwhile to put the predicted future history in perspective.
August 1, 2018
A thorough, clear, and convincing explanation for the world-wide climatic catastrophes of the mid-sixth century.
February 21, 2010
A decent book. Morris, a former Clinton White House advisor turned to conservatism after witnessing the shameful deeds done by the Clinton administration. This book got shrill though. It has a lot of good information in it, good bi-partisan criticism of our elected officials on both sides of the isle, and shows how both parties are compromised by corruption, underhanded dealings, and so forth (Bush and Cheney funneled money into their oil buddies - but Obama's doing the same thing, etc.). Lots of good information on how most of Obama's staff and the leaders of the current congress have been in bed for years with the same financial institutions that they are now deriding. They're all in bed with them. And in the case of the homosexual Barny Frank, this is literal. He had a ten-year relationship with one of the head guys over at Freddie and Fannie, who funneled money to one another for favors. That sort of thing. A really disturbing chapter on major American corporations being funded by radical Islamics through Muslim pressures to create "Sharia compliant" company indexes - companies who are Islamic "kosher".
Morris has some problems, however, but they are not unusual problems. He derides "classical economics" as being "daft," and then defines classical economics as Milton Friedman's Chicago School (26). Friedman might be influential in our economic system, but he essentially compromised on the Federal Reserve and other bad things we're doing. Which means that his economics are neither "free market" nor "classical." Other than that and the shrillness of places (mostly the introduction and conclusion) the book was a solid, though not a favorite, read.
Morris has some problems, however, but they are not unusual problems. He derides "classical economics" as being "daft," and then defines classical economics as Milton Friedman's Chicago School (26). Friedman might be influential in our economic system, but he essentially compromised on the Federal Reserve and other bad things we're doing. Which means that his economics are neither "free market" nor "classical." Other than that and the shrillness of places (mostly the introduction and conclusion) the book was a solid, though not a favorite, read.
October 14, 2022
I read this book about 13 years before writing this review. So although I’m a little bit rusty, I feel particularly qualified to slander Dick Morris.
When I read this book I was rather young—I considered myself a “conservative,” as much as an 18 year old kid can be. The one positive thing I would say about this is that the amount of shaky economics and empty logic is what helped move me away from the right. Since reading this I took many political science classes in college, which further expanded my understanding of the topics Morris presents.
Morris has a very thin grasp on what “Socialism” is. This was one of the first times I read about Socialism, and because I was simply intellectually curious I went on to learn much much more about it. Looking back, this book feels like 100% propaganda, which honestly makes me kind of sad because at the time it seemed like there was at least SOME valuable info here. It may not be on the level of a Rush Limbaugh, or Sean Hannity—but that almost makes it worse. This book acts like it knows so much about Keynesian Economics, while equating it directly 1:1 to authoritarian governments. It’s for the most part, pseudo-intellectual.
Maybe I should give it a re-read one of these days, but also, nah. This book is trash and I’m glad it helped push me away from a deeply flawed ideology.
When I read this book I was rather young—I considered myself a “conservative,” as much as an 18 year old kid can be. The one positive thing I would say about this is that the amount of shaky economics and empty logic is what helped move me away from the right. Since reading this I took many political science classes in college, which further expanded my understanding of the topics Morris presents.
Morris has a very thin grasp on what “Socialism” is. This was one of the first times I read about Socialism, and because I was simply intellectually curious I went on to learn much much more about it. Looking back, this book feels like 100% propaganda, which honestly makes me kind of sad because at the time it seemed like there was at least SOME valuable info here. It may not be on the level of a Rush Limbaugh, or Sean Hannity—but that almost makes it worse. This book acts like it knows so much about Keynesian Economics, while equating it directly 1:1 to authoritarian governments. It’s for the most part, pseudo-intellectual.
Maybe I should give it a re-read one of these days, but also, nah. This book is trash and I’m glad it helped push me away from a deeply flawed ideology.
October 19, 2015
I already knew about most of the issues in the book, but I learned a lot more about them from the detailed data provided. There were two things that I didn't realize that are appalling.
Many corporations have Islam advisory boards to help the company do business according to Sharia law. In the United States, American law should prevail. The book includes specifics about companies and the advisors they use, some of whom are known terrorists.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a major problem for veterans returning from war, which isn't surprising. What is surprising is the Veterans Administration response: the funding and programs for mental illness are negligible compared to the funding and programs for physical problems. Of course, soldiers who have been shot and lost limbs need treatment and rehabilitation but so do soldiers who have been damaged by the stress of war.
The best thing about the book is that the authors include action steps. The number and severity of problems can seem so overwhelming that we can become discouraged and think there's nothing we can do. Knowing specific steps to take can help turn this country around.
Many corporations have Islam advisory boards to help the company do business according to Sharia law. In the United States, American law should prevail. The book includes specifics about companies and the advisors they use, some of whom are known terrorists.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a major problem for veterans returning from war, which isn't surprising. What is surprising is the Veterans Administration response: the funding and programs for mental illness are negligible compared to the funding and programs for physical problems. Of course, soldiers who have been shot and lost limbs need treatment and rehabilitation but so do soldiers who have been damaged by the stress of war.
The best thing about the book is that the authors include action steps. The number and severity of problems can seem so overwhelming that we can become discouraged and think there's nothing we can do. Knowing specific steps to take can help turn this country around.
October 1, 2016
This was written in 2009 and predicts all sorts of horrible things that Obama will bring about. Remember the rampaging inflation the stimulus caused? He predicted it. I do think that some of his complaints are valid, but they're often the result fo Obama being, like a majority of Republicans and Republicans, a corpratist rather than a socialist. On Obamacare, he starts out well, pointing out that doctors & nurses aren't so underutilized that assing millions of new patients won't gum up the works, but then he talks about a few Canadians who didn't want to wait their turn and came to the U.S. to get things done faster. I strongly suspect that there are a lot of Americans with untreated ailments because they don't have either health insurance or money. John Edwards cad a guy up on his campaign stage who was born with a cleft palate and had just had surgery in his 50s that enabled him to talk. This shouldn't happen. He's also inconsistent, saying that government shouldn't get involved in business, then demanding that AIG close or divest itself of its sharia-compliant products because the government owns a majority interest.
September 23, 2009
This was a very informative read. Morris tends to be "over the top" when it comes to predicting the consequences of the current political trends....but he does a great job of explaining the history behind various economic philosophies and how they've worked in the past. He has also done his research when commenting on public figures like Chris Dodd and various "stealth lobbyists."
Some chapters are more valuable than others but overall it's a good read for anyone who wants to be up to date on what's happening in Washington. Morris is obviously conservative so his writing will appeal more to people who tend to agree with him. However, his tone is objective (though passionate) and he doesn't resort to name-calling to make his point.
If the list of federal bailout recipients doesn't make your blood boil, I don't know what would.
Some chapters are more valuable than others but overall it's a good read for anyone who wants to be up to date on what's happening in Washington. Morris is obviously conservative so his writing will appeal more to people who tend to agree with him. However, his tone is objective (though passionate) and he doesn't resort to name-calling to make his point.
If the list of federal bailout recipients doesn't make your blood boil, I don't know what would.
November 8, 2009
I only gave two stars because to say I "liked" the book would be akin to enjoying horror movies before bed. If even half of what Dick Morris predicts comes to pass (and I can see the wheels moving in that direction), it will be a sad day for this country. Our freedoms and liberties are at stake and the older I get the more libertarian I become. Government has its place, to work for the people that elected them, not to run private businesses or tell me how to live my life or raise my children. Overall, it's a good book, just full of "scary" scenarios for the more conservative among us. I do have to agree with his assessment that there is very little distinction these days in Washington between Dems and Repubs.
November 10, 2009
Politics for me is very confusing and frustrating, but this book helped me understand better the current issues our country is going through. For instance, I always hear that big government is bad, but I had never understood why. Dick Morris explained so clearly the consequences and reasons behind the concepts. I found it extremely helpful! He was actually a political adviser for Bill Clinton for 20 years, but most of his views seem to be Republican. I'm a novice at all this political stuff but I found the book very enlightening! I'm finally starting to form my own opinions on things. He covered topics relating to health care, banking, Keynes economics, lobbying, military problems, etc.
June 22, 2012
These one-word title conservative tv/radio pundit quickies all have that same made-in-ten-days quality. The first part of this book is an excellent discourse on the failure of Keynesian economics, and the myth of FDR and how he actually prolonged the depression. But after that, to stretch it out into a book, the author just throws sundry articles in ranging as far away as our moral responsibilty for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
From now on I'll probably avoid titles like *Screwed* and *Cowards,* and find something that is not simply a one-sided cash in on current celebrity.
I'm also finding recently that columnists are not especially great political book writers. Better to find an expert in a specific area.
From now on I'll probably avoid titles like *Screwed* and *Cowards,* and find something that is not simply a one-sided cash in on current celebrity.
I'm also finding recently that columnists are not especially great political book writers. Better to find an expert in a specific area.
February 6, 2010
The facts are interesting, what percentage of tax revenue comes from the top 1, 5 and 25% of tax payers. How the federal government and the fed encouraged, even in some cases put quotas on easy loans to help more people get into houses. How members of congress took/take favors from people who do business with the government. But then he interprets it all as a deliberate conspiracy by Pres. Obama to start class warfare and move the US into socialism. I agree that Obama wants to increase the size and role of government, but not as much as Dick M thinks. If your job depends on finding conspiracies by the other side, you see more than if your job is farming.
December 8, 2009
At first, the title sounds like overblown alarmism. But a brief perusal of the content will quickly convince any concerned reader that Dick Morris has chosen this title appropriately and purposefully. Morris reads like a modern historian, laying out the facts of our current political climate in meticulous detail (everything is highly referenced for those who want to double-check his sources).
Unlike those who merely whine about "how bad things are", Morris gives practical solutions and an urgent call to action. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to help stem the tide of socialism in this country!
Unlike those who merely whine about "how bad things are", Morris gives practical solutions and an urgent call to action. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to help stem the tide of socialism in this country!
August 25, 2016
The name of the book that I read by Dick Morris is Armageddon. Since it is not listed in a Goodreads list, I included Catastrophe as the book.
This is a very comprehensive book. It points out ALL of the issues related to the Clintons going back to the beginning of their careers. Much of it is known by the public, but this is in much more detail.
It basically gives a recipe to Donald Trump on how to defeat Hillary Clinton in the general election. I'm sure his people have read this book and I'm sure her people have read this book.
It is interesting to note, that a person who worked so closely to the content, is so negative about them.
This is a very comprehensive book. It points out ALL of the issues related to the Clintons going back to the beginning of their careers. Much of it is known by the public, but this is in much more detail.
It basically gives a recipe to Donald Trump on how to defeat Hillary Clinton in the general election. I'm sure his people have read this book and I'm sure her people have read this book.
It is interesting to note, that a person who worked so closely to the content, is so negative about them.
July 30, 2009
This book gets two stars from me partly because much of the stockpile of statitistical information was a little beyond my political scope and attention span. I have always found Dick Morris's TV persona to be very personable and funny, but that does not come across in this book nor was it probably intended to I suppose. May be Eileen does the writing and he consults..So anyways, the book focuses on the grim and albeit hopeless financial crises in America, how we got here, secret deals that were made that succeeded the loans,stimulus packages,and so on.
July 14, 2010
I'm sure my left-wing liberal friends will cringe, but this book is like a course in economics, so far. He traces the history of the tax laws and describes various economic philosophies, and the wedge he sees Obama's policies driving between taxpayer groups, and away from personal responsibity and sharing the burden. It's well-written with lol funny parts just in the way he phrases things. Very readable, and full of facts (all the spending projects of the stimulus bill are included, ie.) Thought provoking.
September 23, 2009
The contents of this book, all easily verified by simple searches, is a mind-blowing, easy to read account of the radicalism of the Obama administration and how his policies are destroying whatever savings and investments we manage to have by causing never before heard of federal debt and by growing the federal government and solidifying his own power. it also delineates the Obama lies (easily verified), and predicts what is in store for a weakened USA.
April 21, 2010
I've always loved Dick Morris's researching, even though he's an ardent conservative (which could bias his writing, but doesn't). He provides telling insight, pulling no punches as he rakes Republicans and Democrats over the coals. What I like the most, though, is his constant use of actual reported, documented facts, statistics, and numbers.
Anyone interested in current events and politics would do well to read Dick Morris.
Anyone interested in current events and politics would do well to read Dick Morris.
January 14, 2011
Dick Morris was a player in the Clinton administration. But he has seen the light and has put together a good argument as to why the current administration does not have the best interests of the country at heart. On the contrary, they have a certain view on how the country should be taking care of everyone and redistributing the wealth. This book is insightful and thought provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
January 24, 2015
I am enjoying this book. Dick provides lots of facts, figures and data to support his positions and his explanations of what politicians are doing to try and make this country into what they think it should be. I'm sure some have sincere motives, but I fear many don't. We should be able to learn from the experiences of Europe but instead we seem dead set on repeating the things that have bankrupted Greece, Iceland and will soon bankrupt others. Good book.
August 14, 2009
I only got to around page 100, because i couldn't understand the big words anymore. what i did read and understood was great...i just don't think the book was written for a 15 year old. bought it at borders, and gave it to my uncle. i love dick morris on fox news..he has really good dialouge live...but in book writing, i can't understand much.
October 21, 2009
Politically I like to be a little more optimistic than this doom and gloom view of Obama's presidency. Not saying I would have given him the peace prize yet, but Dick Morris would sure like to bury all hope here. I take all of these political extreme books with a grain of salt. There were many interesting points brought out, particularly about health care and special interest groups.
August 7, 2009
Morris gives concrete examples of shenanigans that are going on in both political parties. He offers alternatives of how we can let our voice be heard to let representatives know just what we want. Quick read that's an eye-opener.
September 5, 2009
One more source that Americans can turn to for what is happening to our country. It isn't good and we had better wake up and fight back or we won't have a democratic republic any longer. A must read!
November 17, 2009
Dick Morris and his wife are excellent writers. The book is to the point and not written in legalese but plain english. In it they describe what is happening to our country and what we hopefully can do to get it out of this mess.
January 18, 2010
I've always kind of liked Dick Morris ... not sure I agree that things are quite as dire as he claims in this book, but he does make a lot of good points. It will be interesting to see what the next three years bring.
September 6, 2010
Dick Morris tells it like it is and it's not a pretty picture. How our government and special interests are transforming . . . a slump into a crash, freedom into socialism, and a disaster into a Castastrophe . . . and how to fight back.
Read
August 4, 2011Must read. This book clearly states not only what I disagree with, but more importantly WHY I disagree with every single thing this man wants to do. This isn't just a disagreement about policy, this is the future of our country and I will not give in. Obama must be stopped.
July 11, 2012
First half of this book was great....informative, insightful, and intriguing. The second half read more like an Economics class textbook. I'm sure that excites some people, but not really me. Overall just an average book, and I expected a little more from Dick Morris.
November 4, 2009
WELL WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED HOWEVER BORING
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews