Dark Money - Read Jim Fulner

audio cd

Published Jan. 19, 2016 by Random House Audio.

ISBN:: 978-0-307-97065-7

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 …

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)

1 edition

JIm FUlner reviewed Dark Money by Jane Mayer

2 stars

I read this book at the recommendation of my Aunt Pat because "OMG, Jimmy you don't know what those libertarians are really all about." I did so with the understand that she would return the favor by reading some essential libertarian ideological literature. returnreturnMayer is very far left. She has so many assumptions, that the government has a right to the fruits of others labor for one, and that the anonymity is a vice as another. returnreturnLet us be clear I am not a fan of the Kochs, however, rather than exposing their great evil, Mayer has done nothing but give me more respect for them than I had had before. They do have a through up brining in the literature and the ideology. However their willingness to use the laws to their advantage against that of their ideology, or even at times to focus on increasing government regulation against …

I read this book at the recommendation of my Aunt Pat because "OMG, Jimmy you don't know what those libertarians are really all about." I did so with the understand that she would return the favor by reading some essential libertarian ideological literature. returnreturnMayer is very far left. She has so many assumptions, that the government has a right to the fruits of others labor for one, and that the anonymity is a vice as another. returnreturnLet us be clear I am not a fan of the Kochs, however, rather than exposing their great evil, Mayer has done nothing but give me more respect for them than I had had before. They do have a through up brining in the literature and the ideology. However their willingness to use the laws to their advantage against that of their ideology, or even at times to focus on increasing government regulation against their competitors did give me great pride that the Libertarian Party all but kicked them out back in 1983. It is completely missed on Mayer that libertarianism brought to its logical conclusion would have encouraged their political opponents to "expose" what they have been doing as opposed to statist quoe we have now "protecting" them from what they have. returnreturnThe other thing that was plainly clear here is that Mayer seems to have very little respect for her readers. She repeats information frequently, such as "The 1980 platform of the Libertarian Party that David Koch had ran for Vice President under" she either thinks her readers are stupid and have forgotten, or that she has written it assuming that it is going to be used primarily for quoting by others. returnreturnThe rest of the rouge gallery has learned from what the Kochs have done to transform the Republican party to move the Party further into corporate interests. returnreturnNot once does Mayer even question if what the "Dark Money" is doing may be moral, not once does she investigate the ideology behind the corporatists, she simply assumes its evil and then goes about exposing how they did their evil. returnreturnIf you want to strengthen your own positions, to pat yourself on the back for being right, this book is for you, if you want to get a historical perspective on the corporate interest in American politics, however; this book is not for you.