karlhungus reviewed Dark Money by Jane Mayer
Review of 'Dark Money' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Like bury my heart at wounded knee, should be required reading for US citizens.
Epub, 464 pages
English language
Published April 2, 2017 by Doubleday.
Dark Money
The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right
by Jane Mayer
5 stars
(16 reviews)
Who are the immensely wealthy right-wing ideologues shaping the fate of America today? From the bestselling author of The Dark Side, an electrifying work of investigative journalism that uncovers the agenda of this powerful group.
In her new preface, Jane Mayer discusses the results of the most recent election and Donald Trump’s victory, and how, despite much discussion to the contrary, this was a huge victory for the billionaires who have been pouring money in the American political system.
Why is America living in an age of profound and widening economic inequality? Why have even modest attempts to address climate change been defeated again and again? Why do hedge-fund billionaires pay a far lower tax rate than middle-class workers? In a riveting and indelible feat of reporting, Jane Mayer illuminates the history of an elite cadre of plutocrats—headed by the Kochs, the Scaifes, the Olins, and the Bradleys—who have bankrolled …
Who are the immensely wealthy right-wing ideologues shaping the fate of America today? From the bestselling author of The Dark Side, an electrifying work of investigative journalism that uncovers the agenda of this powerful group.
In her new preface, Jane Mayer discusses the results of the most recent election and Donald Trump’s victory, and how, despite much discussion to the contrary, this was a huge victory for the billionaires who have been pouring money in the American political system.
Why is America living in an age of profound and widening economic inequality? Why have even modest attempts to address climate change been defeated again and again? Why do hedge-fund billionaires pay a far lower tax rate than middle-class workers? In a riveting and indelible feat of reporting, Jane Mayer illuminates the history of an elite cadre of plutocrats—headed by the Kochs, the Scaifes, the Olins, and the Bradleys—who have bankrolled a systematic plan to fundamentally alter the American political system. Mayer traces a byzantine trail of billions of dollars spent by the network, revealing a staggering conglomeration of think tanks, academic institutions, media groups, courthouses, and government allies that have fallen under their sphere of influence. Drawing from hundreds of exclusive interviews, as well as extensive scrutiny of public records, private papers, and court proceedings, Mayer provides vivid portraits of the secretive figures behind the new American oligarchy and a searing look at the carefully concealed agendas steering the nation. Dark Money is an essential book for anyone who cares about the future of American democracy. source: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/215462/dark-money-by-jane-mayer/
Applemcg reviewed Dark Money by Jane Mayer
Review of 'Dark Money' on 'LibraryThing'
5 stars
This is my highest-rated book i'll not finish. Books such as this needn't be judged on their literary merits. While I'm not qualified as a literary critic, this book poses no stylistic nor comprehension challenge to any reader. Read it as an expose. Life is short; my reading further would be "preaching to the choir". I'm hanging it up at Chapter Nine: "Money is Speech: The Long Road to Citizens United". Having just finished the chapter on climate science denial, I advise sharing this with your friends who remain in that camp. I suspect this is a limited audience to those who pass by here. Presumably we are all readers, as are our friends and associates. Should you encounter such an ostrich, direct them to Mayer's "Dark Money". returnreturnWere my highlighter not electronic, I'd be on my third at this point in the book. I withhold the fifth star as …
This is my highest-rated book i'll not finish. Books such as this needn't be judged on their literary merits. While I'm not qualified as a literary critic, this book poses no stylistic nor comprehension challenge to any reader. Read it as an expose. Life is short; my reading further would be "preaching to the choir". I'm hanging it up at Chapter Nine: "Money is Speech: The Long Road to Citizens United". Having just finished the chapter on climate science denial, I advise sharing this with your friends who remain in that camp. I suspect this is a limited audience to those who pass by here. Presumably we are all readers, as are our friends and associates. Should you encounter such an ostrich, direct them to Mayer's "Dark Money". returnreturnWere my highlighter not electronic, I'd be on my third at this point in the book. I withhold the fifth star as i believe one's ratings should reflect a binomial distribution. My quota for the fifth star is exhausted by Menand's, The Metaphysical Club, Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, and Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here. For a forecast of all this, you might try Confessions of an Economic Hitman.returnreturnSee my comments section or comments on my Opinion page in my weblog, under "Dark Money: the Koch brothers": applemcg.wordpress.com/category/opinion/
