Bizarro Robin Hood
January 24, 2008 11:39 AM Subscribe
As the U.S. may be heading into a depression, David Cay Johnston's latest book, Free Lunch, investigates how government policy deliberately continues to be shaped to effectively subsidize the rich, by taking money from the middle class and poor.
Coverage is limited of course, but can be found at PBS, NPR (Audio Interview), and Democracy Now, to name a few. He discusses his previous book at Democracy Now as well. Similar activity previously covered here.
Coverage is limited of course, but can be found at PBS, NPR (Audio Interview), and Democracy Now, to name a few. He discusses his previous book at Democracy Now as well. Similar activity previously covered here.
This post was deleted for the following reason: If your main link is an amazon book page, there's probably not enough there there to justify a post. -- cortex
Does it contain any information on the temperature of fire?
But seriously, anything that brings us one step closer to throwing corporations out of office is awesome by me.
Also, I love this reviewer who says he's a populist, but only for other countries. The USA of course doesn't have any top 1% who are screwing everyone else. And if such a creature did exist, they got there by hard work.
posted by DU at 11:47 AM on January 24, 2008
But seriously, anything that brings us one step closer to throwing corporations out of office is awesome by me.
Also, I love this reviewer who says he's a populist, but only for other countries. The USA of course doesn't have any top 1% who are screwing everyone else. And if such a creature did exist, they got there by hard work.
posted by DU at 11:47 AM on January 24, 2008
this is sort of thin gruel for a FPP. kind of like the thin gruel i'll be forced to eat when the depression hits.
posted by Hat Maui at 11:50 AM on January 24, 2008
posted by Hat Maui at 11:50 AM on January 24, 2008
Depression? I'm going to spend my rebate on hard tack and canned preserves then.
posted by psmealey at 11:50 AM on January 24, 2008
posted by psmealey at 11:50 AM on January 24, 2008
Steaming pile of an FPP, kind of like the steaming pile Hat Maui will leave after eating the thin gruel.
posted by sfts2 at 11:52 AM on January 24, 2008
posted by sfts2 at 11:52 AM on January 24, 2008
The richest 2% of adults in the world own 50% of the household assets in the world. The richest 1% own 40% of the world's wealth.
In other words, duh.
posted by Pastabagel at 11:53 AM on January 24, 2008
In other words, duh.
posted by Pastabagel at 11:53 AM on January 24, 2008
This kind of seems like a commercial for Mr. Johnston's book, which of course we would all do well not to buy, right? I mean, considering the coming cataclysm and all. Considering how you'll be burning it for warmth next winter, amirite.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 11:59 AM on January 24, 2008
posted by kittens for breakfast at 11:59 AM on January 24, 2008
Did you just link to an amazon page? Really?
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:59 AM on January 24, 2008
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:59 AM on January 24, 2008
As the U.S. may in the future be hit by lightning, Jeffrey S. Rosenthal's latest book, Hit By Lightning, deconstructs the odds and oddities of chance, examining both the relevant and irreverent role of randomness in our everyday lives.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 12:05 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 12:05 PM on January 24, 2008
$600 checks for everyone! That will fix it.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 12:08 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 12:08 PM on January 24, 2008
Let them eat juiceCake!
posted by dersins at 12:10 PM on January 24, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by dersins at 12:10 PM on January 24, 2008 [1 favorite]
The $300 I got in '01 sure turned things around.
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 12:21 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 12:21 PM on January 24, 2008
Well, I heard this guy on NPR and I thought it was interesting as hell. This post is a bit thin, but it's really a fascinating topic to me.
These stores beg for millions of dollars in incentives from our local tax dollars when they can easily afford to finance the construction themselves, then once the store is in operation, they get to keep the sales taxes.
The sales taxes. That the government imposes by force of law. The Sam Waltons get to keep that. And the rest of us have less money to pay for shit for the public good, like schools and parks.
Seems pretty fucked up to me. But I guess I'm a dumbass.
posted by BeerFilter at 12:26 PM on January 24, 2008
These stores beg for millions of dollars in incentives from our local tax dollars when they can easily afford to finance the construction themselves, then once the store is in operation, they get to keep the sales taxes.
The sales taxes. That the government imposes by force of law. The Sam Waltons get to keep that. And the rest of us have less money to pay for shit for the public good, like schools and parks.
Seems pretty fucked up to me. But I guess I'm a dumbass.
posted by BeerFilter at 12:26 PM on January 24, 2008
You would have been better served making the NPR and PBS links in the main body of your post. A link to a book for sale isn't exactly "best of the web" (or even "average for the web").
posted by pardonyou? at 12:37 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by pardonyou? at 12:37 PM on January 24, 2008
Amazon product pages are acceptable posts? I think I will make a FPP to this book. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
posted by caddis at 12:38 PM on January 24, 2008
posted by caddis at 12:38 PM on January 24, 2008
Just to be clear, the book itself doesn't really have anything to do with a possible recession/depression. The OP sort of derailed his own thread by throwing in that little bit of editorializing.
That being said, the interviews, particularly the Terry Gross interview BeerFilter is referring to, are well worth watching.
posted by Doug at 12:42 PM on January 24, 2008
That being said, the interviews, particularly the Terry Gross interview BeerFilter is referring to, are well worth watching.
posted by Doug at 12:42 PM on January 24, 2008
The Way reduces excess and fills need, but the way of humans is not so: they strip the needy to serve those who have too much. -Tao Te Ching, Chapter 77
It kills me to see us, with so much potential for good, keep repeating the same mistakes warned about thousands of years ago.
posted by SaintCynr at 12:43 PM on January 24, 2008
It kills me to see us, with so much potential for good, keep repeating the same mistakes warned about thousands of years ago.
posted by SaintCynr at 12:43 PM on January 24, 2008
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posted by jeffamaphone at 11:47 AM on January 24, 2008