Corporate Conspiracies: How Wall Street Took Over Washington

Description

From New York Times bestselling authors Richard Belzer and David Wayne comes a hard look at the wrongs done to us all by big business in America. Here is an explosive account of wrongful acts perpetrated, and the ensuing cover-ups inflicted upon us, by American corporations. The bestselling author team of Richard Belzer and David Wayne exposes the ways that the capitalist regime has got us under their thumbs-from the mainstream media and its control over us, to the trillions stolen by big banks and mortgage companies during the mortgage crisis, to the scams perpetrated by Big Oil and Big Pharma. The one common victim of all that corruption is the American public, and Corporate Conspiracies wants to do something about it. Corporate Conspiracies takes dead aim at those who take advantage of us little guys. Probably most disturbing is the book's examination of politics and capitalism teaming up against us-how politicians and lobbyists all have their hands in each other's pockets while stabbing us in the back, and how the well-established energy lobby-including petroleum, natural gas, and coal-has played a dominant role in the shaping of US foreign policy for decades. Did you know that companies at times know that their products will kill people, but they do nothing, because it is actually cheaper to compensate the victims than it is to correct the problem? And did you know that the Pentagon is sending $1.5 trillion of our tax dollars to their corporate buddies for a new fighter jet that is already superfluous? This book is guaranteed to make us all think twice about being enslaved and cheated by corporate America. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Richard Belzer is a stand-up comedian, actor, and author (with David Wayne) of the New York Times bestsellers Hit List and Dead Wrong. He splits his time between France and New York City. David Wayne is the author of five bestselling books, including Dead Wrong: Straight Facts on the Country's Most Controversial Cover-ups and Hit List: An In-Depth Investigation into the Mysterious Deaths of Witnesses to the JFK Assassination (both written with Richard Belzer). He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Praise for Corporate Conspiracies "Belzer and Wayne have given us a sobering chronicle of the world's model democracy's tragic devolution to corporate kleptocracy." -ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR., New York Times bestselling author, Framed "If you think corporate America is out to kill you, there's good news-you're not crazy. As Richard Belzer and David Wayne explain, by putting profits ahead of people, corporations and banks are killing us with their products, pollution, and plunder." -DAVID TALBOT, New York Times bestselling author, The Devil's Chessboard "This book gets right down to the nitty-gritty about how our democracy has been hijacked by corporate interests that have taken over 'the best politicians that money can buy.' Read it and be amazed at the extent of corruption." -GOV. JESSE VENTURA, former governor of Minnesota and New York Times bestselling author "America has lost its mind and Belzer and Wayne have found it. Here are hard-core stories of America selling its soul and democracy that have you saying 'Holy shit!' every time you turn to a new page. Worth the price just for the tragic story of Robin Williams's Big Pharma-induced suicide. Burns into you like a fucking tattoo." -GREG PALAST, New York Times bestselling author, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy "Get your hands on Corporate Conspiracies, read its succinct and extremely well-sourced and highly corroborated evidence, and finish with a substantial basis for your views, one that may knock you off your feet. This book is the real deal, and there isn't a wasted word in it. Its timing is frightening, its messages urgent. Run, don't walk, to get your hands on a copy." -WILLIAM J. MARTIN, former Chicago assistant state's attorney and author of The Crime of the Century "Corporate Conspiracies is a very timely and disturbing look at how controlled American society has become, with the average citizen completely unaware of the extent to which corporations have taken over our democracy. Big Brother is not only watching you-he is making decisions for you! You will never look at Wall Street, the corporate matrix, or 'your' government the same way again after reading this book." -VINCE PALAMARA, author of Survivor's Guilt, JFK, and The Not-So-Secret Service "Insightful, poignant, and timely, Corporate Conspiracies is a must-read for all who are concerned about the future of democracy and economic justice in our nation at a time of corporate greed and political chicanery." -ARTHUR BLAUSTEIN, author of Make a Difference, former chair of the National Advisory Council on Economic Opportunity "Corporate Conspiracies reveals what happens when conspiracy theory becomes conspiracy fact. Authors Belzer and Wayne tell us what we the people can do to get our democracy back. The need for this remarkable, meticulously researched volume has never been greater or more urgent. Start reading it now." -ALAN AXELROD, author of Full Faith and Credit "Belzer and Wayne document the demise of our representative form of government. Ever since we legalized the bribery of our public officials and the equating of money to free speech, we have become captive to what I believe is a form of economic slavery." -LEN COLODNY, New York Times bestselling coauthor, Silent Coup and The Forty Years War "It is obvious that throughout Richard Belzer's acting and comedy career, he remained a voracious reader and close observer of the corruption and decline of the American democracy. Corporate Conspiracies is a useful and timely guidebook for those engaged in the battle to reclaim our government from the clutches of runaway corporate power." -ALEXANDER ZAITCHIK, author of The Gilded Rage "Richard Belzer and David Wayne have raised some very provocative questions about the influence of corporate money on government-from banks to the media and on to energy companies and everything in between. Though you may not agree with the answers, it never hurts to have your preconceptions challenged, and the authors have done just that." -MIKE FARRIS, attorney, author of A Death in the Islands: The Unwritten Law and the Last Trial of Clarence Darrow "Belzer and Wayne provide a tough, candid view of the powers-that-be in the United States and the harsh impact of their manipulative actions on our lives. This no-holds-barred analysis tells us how things are rather than how we would prefer them to be." --J. MALCOLM GARCIA, author, What Wars Leave Behind: The Faceless and the Forgotten "Belzer and Wayne authoritatively cite how corporations drive us to war, corrupt the election process, despoil the environment and our bodies and, tragically, more. This is an essential guide for restoring democracy in the United States." -BRAD SCHREIBER, author, Revolution's End: The Patty Hearst Kidnapping, Mind Control, and the Secret History of Donald DeFreeze and the SLA "Reading Corporate Conspiracies made me angry. It made me think. It also told me how we can all regain control over our fate as a nation. Richard Belzer and David Wayne show us that corporate conspiracy is real and hidden in plain sight." -William Matson Law, author of In the Eye of History: Disclosures in the JFK Assassination Medical Evidence Praise for Corporate Conspiracies "Belzer and Wayne have given us a sobering chronicle of the world's model democracy's tragic devolution to corporate kleptocracy." -ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR., New York Times bestselling author, Framed "If you think corporate America is out to kill you, there's good news-you're not crazy. As Richard Belzer and David Wayne explain, by putting profits ahead of people, corporations and banks are killing us with their products, pollution, and plunder." -DAVID TALBOT, New York Times bestselling author, The Devil's Chessboard "This book gets right down to the nitty-gritty about how our democracy has been hijacked by corporate interests that have taken over 'the best politicians that money can buy.' Read it and be amazed at the extent of corruption." -GOV. JESSE VENTURA, former governor of Minnesota and New York Times bestselling author "America has lost its mind and Belzer and Wayne have found it. Here are hard-core stories of America selling its soul and democracy that have you saying 'Holy shit!' every time you turn to a new page. Worth the price just for the tragic story of Robin Williams's Big Pharma-induced suicide. Burns into you like a fucking tattoo." -GREG PALAST, New York Times bestselling author, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy "Get your hands on Corporate Conspiracies, read its succinct and extremely well-sourced and highly corroborated evidence, and finish with a substantial basis for your views, one that may knock you off your feet. This book is the real deal, and there isn't a wasted word in it. Its timing is frightening, its messages urgent. Run, don't walk, to get your hands on a copy." -WILLIAM J. MARTIN, former Chicago assistant state's attorney and author of The Crime of the Century "Corporate Conspiracies is a very timely and disturbing look at how controlled American society has become, with the average citizen completely unaware of the extent to which corporations have taken over our democracy. Big Brother is not only watching you-he is making decisions for you! You will never look at Wall Street, the corporate matrix, or 'your' government the same way again after reading this book." -VINCE PALAMARA, author of Survivor's Guilt, JFK, and The Not-So-Secret Service "Insightful, poignant, and timely, Corporate Conspiracies is a must-read for all who are concerned about the future of democracy and economic justice in our nation at a time of corporate greed and political chicanery." -ARTHUR BLAUSTEIN, author of Make a Difference, former chair of the National Advisory Council on Economic Opportunity "Corporate Conspiracies reveals what happens when conspiracy theory becomes conspiracy fact. Authors Belzer and Wayne tell us what we the people can do to get our democracy back. The need for this remarkable, meticulously researched volume has never been greater or more urgent. Start reading it now." -ALAN AXELROD, author of Full Faith and Credit "Belzer and Wayne document the demise of our representative form of government. Ever since we legalized the bribery of our public officials and the equating of money to free speech, we have become captive to what I believe is a form of economic slavery." -LEN COLODNY, New York Times bestselling coauthor, Silent Coup and The Forty Years War "It is obvious that throughout Richard Belzer's acting and comedy career, he remained a voracious reader and close observer of the corruption and decline of the American democracy. Corporate Conspiracies is a useful and timely guidebook for those engaged in the battle to reclaim our government from the clutches of runaway corporate power." -ALEXANDER ZAITCHIK, author of The Gilded Rage "Richard Belzer and David Wayne have raised some very provocative questions about the influence of corporate money on government-from banks to the media and on to energy companies and everything in between. Though you may not agree with the answers, it never hurts to have your preconceptions challenged, and the authors have done just that." -MIKE FARRIS, attorney, author of A Death in the Islands: The Unwritten Law and the Last Trial of Clarence Darrow "Belzer and Wayne provide a tough, candid view of the powers-that-be in the United States and the harsh impact of their manipulative actions on our lives. This no-holds-barred analysis tells us how things are rather than how we would prefer them to be." --J. MALCOLM GARCIA, author, What Wars Leave Behind: The Faceless and the Forgotten "Belzer and Wayne authoritatively cite how corporations drive us to war, corrupt the election process, despoil the environment and our bodies and, tragically, more. This is an essential guide for restoring democracy in the United States." -BRAD SCHREIBER, author, Revolution's End: The Patty Hearst Kidnapping, Mind Control, and the Secret History of Donald DeFreeze and the SLA "Reading Corporate Conspiracies made me angry. It made me think. It also told me how we can all regain control over our fate as a nation. Richard Belzer and David Wayne show us that corporate conspiracy is real and hidden in plain sight." -William Matson Law, author of In the Eye of History: Disclosures in the JFK Assassination Medical Evidence Praise for Corporate Conspiracies "Belzer and Wayne have given us a sobering chronicle of the world's model democracy's tragic devolution to corporate kleptocracy." -ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR., New York Times bestselling author, Framed "If you think corporate America is out to kill you, there's good news-you're not crazy. As Richard Belzer and David Wayne explain, by putting profits ahead of people, corporations and banks are killing us with their products, pollution, and plunder." -DAVID TALBOT, New York Times bestselling author, The Devil's Chessboard "This book gets right down to the nitty-gritty about how our democracy has been hijacked by corporate interests that have taken over 'the best politicians that money can buy.' Read it and be amazed at the extent of corruption." -GOV. JESSE VENTURA, former governor of Minnesota and New York Times bestselling author "America has lost its mind and Belzer and Wayne have found it. Here are hard-core stories of America selling its soul and democracy that have you saying 'Holy shit!' every time you turn to a new page. Worth the price just for the tragic story of Robin Williams's Big Pharma-induced suicide. Burns into you like a fucking tattoo." -GREG PALAST, New York Times bestselling author, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy "Get your hands on Corporate Conspiracies, read its succinct and extremely well-sourced and highly corroborated evidence, and finish with a substantial basis for your views, one that may knock you off your feet. This book is the real deal, and there isn't a wasted word in it. Its timing is frightening, its messages urgent. Run, don't walk, to get your hands on a copy." -WILLIAM J. MARTIN, former Chicago assistant state's attorney and author of The Crime of the Century "Corporate Conspiracies is a very timely and disturbing look at how controlled American society has become, with the average citizen completely unaware of the extent to which corporations have taken over our democracy. Big Brother is not only watching you-he is making decisions for you! You will never look at Wall Street, the corporate matrix, or 'your' government the same way again after reading this book." -VINCE PALAMARA, author of Survivor's Guilt, JFK, and The Not-So-Secret Service "Insightful, poignant, and timely, Corporate Conspiracies is a must-read for all who are concerned about the future of democracy and economic justice in our nation at a time of corporate greed and political chicanery." -ARTHUR BLAUSTEIN, author of Make a Difference, former chair of the National Advisory Council on Economic Opportunity "Corporate Conspiracies reveals what happens when conspiracy theory becomes conspiracy fact. Authors Belzer and Wayne tell us what we the people can do to get our democracy back. The need for this remarkable, meticulously researched volume has never been greater or more urgent. Start reading it now." -ALAN AXELROD, author of Full Faith and Credit "Belzer and Wayne document the demise of our representative form of government. Ever since we legalized the bribery of our public officials and the equating of money to free speech, we have become captive to what I believe is a form of economic slavery." -LEN COLODNY, New York Times bestselling coauthor, Silent Coup and The Forty Years War "It is obvious that throughout Richard Belzer's acting and comedy career, he remained a voracious reader and close observer of the corruption and decline of the American democracy. Corporate Conspiracies is a useful and timely guidebook for those engaged in the battle to reclaim our government from the clutches of runaway corporate power." -ALEXANDER ZAITCHIK, author of The Gilded Rage "Richard Belzer and David Wayne have raised some very provocative questions about the influence of corporate money on government-from banks to the media and on to energy companies and everything in between. Though you may not agree with the answers, it never hurts to have your preconceptions challenged, and the authors have done just that." -MIKE FARRIS, attorney, author of A Death in the Islands: The Unwritten Law and the Last Trial of Clarence Darrow "Belzer and Wayne provide a tough, candid view of the powers-that-be in the United States and the harsh impact of their manipulative actions on our lives. This no-holds-barred analysis tells us how things are rather than how we would prefer them to be." --J. MALCOLM GARCIA, author, What Wars Leave Behind: The Faceless and the Forgotten "Belzer and Wayne authoritatively cite how corporations drive us to war, corrupt the election process, despoil the environment and our bodies and, tragically, more. This is an essential guide for restoring democracy in the United States." -BRAD SCHREIBER, author, Revolution's End: The Patty Hearst Kidnapping, Mind Control, and the Secret History of Donald DeFreeze and the SLA "Reading Corporate Conspiracies made me angry. It made me think. It also told me how we can all regain control over our fate as a nation. Richard Belzer and David Wayne show us that corporate conspiracy is real and hidden in plain sight." -William Matson Law, author of In the Eye of History: Disclosures in the JFK Assassination Medical Evidence