The Best Democracy Money Can Buy by Greg Palast (2002, Hardcover)

I listened to an episode of Coast to Coast AM with George Knapp (January 2012) and Greg Palast was his guest. He was peddling his book Vultures Picnic. Instead of buying that book I chose this one.

Democrats and Republican loyalist can find a lot to hate about this book.

Are the two political parties in America out for your best interest? Of course not! Who do they really represent? The represent large multi-national corporations who have no loyalty to citizens of the Untied States or any country.

The first section will make Republican adherents mad. Did George Bush legitimately win the state of Florida in 2000? Are Republican party loyalists willing to take look a corporation called ChoicePoint whose job is to purge illegitimate voters names out of the registry? Who do you think owns ChoicePoint? Who did they actually purge from the voters registry?

This section alone would be an instant turn off to the George Bush worshipers. Dont gloat democrats, there is plenty of material to anger Bill Clinton worshipers.

Why do you think Wal-Mart had Hillary Clinton on its board of directors. Hillarys salary is probably the best money the richest family in the world has spent. Wal-mart is the largest employer and its employees pay are near or below the poverty line. Most qualify for welfare! Thats another way t look at trickle down economics. Not much trickle from the Waltons.

The next section deals with globalization. What is the IMF and World Bank? Why is it that we do not hear much about these organizations? Wherever these organizations go to fix things, they always make things worse for the people there. Notice the press in America makes note of the IMF riots by discussing how many cars they turned over or buildings destroyed by the rioters. The question left unanswered is: Why are they rioting? Would we riot if that happened to us?

Bottom line: Wherever the IMF and World Bank go, they hurt the people in the countries they help. The question is: who do these organizations really help?

Free Trade. Sounds like a good idea. The word free in free trade is a misnomer. Look who benefits at free trade and look who is punished.

Example: In Chile, General Pinochet seized power (with the help of the CIA) in 1973. The unemployment rate at that time was 4.3%. After 10 years of Milton Friedmen free-trade economics it rose to 22%.

The WTO can change laws of all countries. Including the laws of the United States. Why did Bill Clinton go along with this? Does Bill Clinton Represent you?

A nice section on Pat Robetson is in the book. Are religious leaders pious, or are they hypocrites? What does the 700 club do with its money? Why are good people always duped by these guys?

The CIA does the bidding of its real masters: The multi-national corporations! Examine documents revealed to the public showing The Cola-Nut Coup in Chile. ITT pledged 1 Million dollars to the CIA for this Coup. David Rockefellers group pledged 1/2 a Million. What rewards do you think they will get if the coup is successful?

The untold story of the Exxon Valdez. Was this accident the result of an alcoholic captain? Or was there things Exxon has hidden from us. Why is the CIA wiretapping people that have dirt of Exxon?

What is Whackenhut? Can you believe there is a prison industry?

Did energy corporations cause the California energy crisis? Learn how deregulation caused a 300% price hike.

We can learn from this but we probably wont