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Title: Who Will Tell The People? : The Betrayal Of American Democracy by William Greider ISBN: 0-671-86740-7 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 01 June, 1993 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.18 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Are We Close to Losing Our Democracy to Corporate Interests?
Comment: Written in the era of Ross Perot and Jerry Brown and focused on the Savings and Loan scandal that cost taxpayers at least $200 Billion dollars, this insightful book identifies many factors behind the growing power of transnational corporations to set the national agenda. Villains include an expanding executive branch, the collusion of both major parties with Wall Street interests, the increasing use of technical jargon in the halls of power, and a press that seems more focused on selling celebrities than examining policies.
Greider's prophetic book, written in 1992, anticipates how NAFTA, GATT, and the most favored trade status with China all passed - could be pushed through by a Democratic president (Clinton) and a Republican Congress in a bipartisan effort. Polls, by the way, showed the vast majority of Americans oppossed to all three pieces of legislation. A populist political critic, Greider suspects what is good for Wall Street might not be good for Main Street. (Of course, many people living on Main Street owe some stock too.)
I first read this book in 1992, and wondered if Greider was exaggerating to make more compelling copy. Re-reading parts today and knowing the disaster caused by NAFTA, Greider emerges as one of the few political analysts aware of the signifance of trade to Wall Street and the negative influence on corporate money on both parties.
"We're perilously close to not having a democracy," warms Greider, noting that while many elements are involved in disenfranchising the American public, none are buried secrets and all are familiar features. Campaign finance reform, of course, remains the preferred euphemism for legalized bribery used to win Congressional votes and manipulate regulatory decisions. Incumbents like the system (shock, shock) and reformers seem to lose in primaries (McCain, Bradley.) Greider makes a few commonsense suggestions: more press coverage of how government actually works, campaign finance reform, and elections on the weekends.
Unfortunately, this witty tirade, written with outrage and fury, seems more relevant today than ever. Both moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats support unrestricted trade leaving true outsiders like Nader and Buchanan to articulate the fair trade argument. Greider suggests that the possibilities for renewing American democracy are dwindling -despite technological advances that could revitalize citizen activism.
A fascinating, sobering book for the 2000 election season.
Rating: 4
Summary: Penetrating Analysis Of Federal Political Corruption!
Comment: Ah, once more into the breach, dear friends. Like Shakespeare's goode King, Rolling Stone editor and contributor William Greider is once more up in arms, and in this powerful and provocative book takes thoughtful aim against the bloodied and crippled state of the contemporary American polity. Greider convincingly details the many ways in which the democratic process has been compromised, corrupted and co-opted by the powerful economic influences of corporate America. In doing so, he focuses on the actual process of how the federal government works, and illustrates in shocking fashion with a number of specific anecdotes the degree to which the political system has been bought off by transnational corporations and the media.
The author's list of un-indicted co-conspirators is long and illustrious; transnational corporations, the electronic media, the political parties, so-called interest groups like the NRA and the Milk Lobby, and an occasional populist group, all trying to foist their narrowly focused interests into self-serving legislation and regulation against the much broader interest and liberties of the citizenry at large. The fact that they consistenly succeed to our detriment is powerful testimony as to the accuracy of this analysis. The author reserves special vile for the activities of the two political parties, who he contends are more aptly described as the power-drunk fraternal twin children of the wealthy power elite than they are a responsive and representative force out to accomplish the messy business of democratic governance. Acting in the elite's perceived social, economic, and political interests, the federal government manages the tax structure, social benefits, and economic policies in ways that ensure the rich and powerful gain further advantage at the cost of the rest of the populace.
Yet Greider sees a unique opportunity in the brave new world of post-cold war conditions to right the existing wrongs of the present situation. Through a re-energized populist political movement, he argues, the people could seize control of the process and demonstrate the continuing power of the citizenry to manage and control their collective destinies. By such practical means as organizing boycotts of errant transnational corporations to bring them into line in order to continue benefiting in our domestic marketplace (the largest single economy in the world), the people could bargain by using the power of their purse strings.
As much as I like Greider and enjoy his critical skills and analysis, even I have to admit that such a social revolution is an unlikely event; anyone aware of the degree to which our citizenry are politically apathetic, and who recognizes that the only energy an average middle class American expends is usually associated with an self-absorbed pursuit of video games and backyard barbecues, also realizes that they are unlikely to be the nucleus of any kind of meaningful social revolution. Viewed in such circumspect terms, it is hard to picture the citizens of contemporary society gaining anything like that sort of enlightened self-awareness or concerted political action in the near future. Yet despite his unrealistic hopes for such an unlikely change in the present arrangements, this is a good book, and has a worthwhile and penetrating analysis that quite specifically blueprints the nature of the corruption and co-option of the federal government by the transnational corporations. I enjoyed reading it, and plan to read sections of it again because of its powerful analysis. Enjoy.
Rating: 5
Summary: History Proved Him Right
Comment: It's funny how some negative reviews of this book spoke about how wrong Greider was and how right corporate superheros like Jack Welch were. Now in 2003 as America struggles to rebuild after the savage [things] that these corporate overlords have done (Enron? Worldcom? Global Crossing?) we see just how accurate Greider's predications were. The men who rose to power in the 1990's didn't get there because they loved all humanity, they got there because they wanted power above all else. It wasn't the job or the love for their products, it was for money. If they had to fire tens of thouands of people, if they had to bankrupt the company, that was fine. THEY got to keep their millions in the form of Golden Parachutes. History has now born this simple truth out. Power doesn't neccesarilly corrupt, but absolutely corrupt people seek power at any cost.
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Title: Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country by William Greider ISBN: 0671675567 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 15 January, 1989 List Price(USD): $19.00 |
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Title: The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy by William Greider ISBN: 0684862190 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 01 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $28.00 |
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Title: ONE WORLD READY OR NOT : THE MANIC LOGIC OF GLOBAL CAPITALISM by William Greider ISBN: 0684835541 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 10 February, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Fortress America: The American Military and the Consequences of Peace by William Greider ISBN: 1891620452 Publisher: PublicAffairs Pub. Date: December, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Power Game by Hedrick Smith ISBN: 0345410483 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 29 September, 1996 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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