Anybody else here read 'Confessions of an Economic Hitman'?

[debbierlus]

I started to read it last night.

It is an important book. Not just because it outlines the way the United States controls countries through blackmail & insertion of governments that benefit only the US corporate interests, but because it points out that was is truly needed is perception change.

Our system is built on exploiting people. American people were (somewhat) isolated from this phenomenon until globilization made the American worker another dispensable commodity. And, the reality is hitting us that we are dispensable to the corporate powers that be, if they can get their needs (labor, consumers) somewhere else at a bigger profit.

In order for our system of government to truly change, we would need a mass perception chage. An awakening to the following:

Consumption as the vehicle for our entire existence is not sustainable or desirable. We must turn away from a life of pursuit of things.

Wealth is not related to work ethic, merit, or actual contribution/creation of ANYTHING. The elite wealth uses other people's work, ideas, energy, toil to make their money while only giving back the tiniest amount to sustain the servitude. Acknowledgement of a modern slavery to corporations must be part of the awakening. We must stop coveting their wealth, and instead show disdain and contempt for greed. We are in the midst of a class war. The masses don't uprise because they are under the severe delusion that they too - might join the one percent.

[Joanne98]

1. I read it. It's a great book!

[valerief]

2. Hmm

"The masses don't uprise because they are under the severe delusion that they too - might join the one percent."

Isn't it more likely that they want to keep their job and health insurance and not be homeless? Most people aren't under the delusion of someday becoming very wealthy, at least, no one I know.

[Kansas Wyatt]

8. No, that's not the reason

The masses don't uprise, because they fear they will lose everything that they have worked very hard for a long time to get. As in meager personal property, and leveraged personal property they cannot afford to default on. A lot of people have struggled very hard to earn their minimal employment positions, and have retirement investments attached with their employment as well. They fear losing what little they do have, and have already worked very hard for.

In the last few decades, our Corporate Government has transformed the New Deal and progressive income tax system, into using the Social Security contract to switch over to a regressive income tax system that enslaved working Americans for the benefit of the Wealthy Elite and Corporate America. Many people still do not have a clue that they have rewritten the laws, and have been using the New Deal against their best interests and welfare, to benefit the few. Bait and switch contract ploy is the bottom line for what they have done, and our Corporate Government now owns 'We The People.' Window dressing here, token efforts there, but the main objective is still acheived for the Wealthy Elite and Corporate America.

[Coexist]

3. that was one of our DU Book Club picks!

Here is a link to the discussion on that - please consider joining the club - it is fun to discuss this and other great non-fiction books together.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=209&topic_id=1504&mesg_id=1504

[mike_c]

4. it's an excellent book-- I highly recommend it....

It's not a scholarly or comprehensive treatment, just one man's personal history, so some people have reported being disappointed by its "limitations." I think that makes it more approachable, frankly, and makes it more plausible for people who are not yet completely ready to believe how bad U.S. foreign policy has been since WWII.

[lanah]

5. I heard a great interview with him on democracy now....

he explains exactly what has happened to every politician in this country and why our country is so fu**ed up.

This book highlights why we need to throw them all out to regain our democracy
www.NotOneIncumbent.com

[IsItJustMe]

6. No, but I seen the author give an in-depth interview on DEMOCRACY NOW.

Facinating

[doublethink]

7. Great Read.

EHM's using totally inflated statistics to get foreign nations into never-ending indebtedness to the U.S. and it's corporations. Backed by the IMF, World Bank, etc... The Jackles sent in when EHM's fail. And lastly the Military. Everyone involved in this scheme driven basically by greed. Good couple of chapters on Iranian geopolitical history which would be relevant to what's going on now. Good boots on the ground book as it relates to U.S. Hegemony. Also gives you a feel for the citizens of these other country's from their perspective, and consequences of globalization on them. Easy reading, definitely recommended. Peace.