Buying Of The President

[Motokid]

Has anybody read The Buying Of The President 2004 by Charles Lewis?
In an effort to keep this thread open I am just wondering if you thought the book was complete crap,
or you found it to be a very eye opening, and frightening exposure of the American political system?

If you could limit replies to your overall view of the book itself, and not get specific there should be no problems keeping thread open.

I found the book to be very disturbing, and I’m wondering why more Americans have never even heard of it? In the same breath I also understand why a huge portion of America does not want anybody to know about it. I would highly recommend then next time you’re in a library that you pick this book up. Especially if you’re an American old enough to vote. On the other hand, if you’re already having trouble sleeping maybe steer clear of this one.

 

[novella]

This is old news, Moto. What is the big surprise here? That the US is a plutocracy. The Constitution ensured that 200 years ago. The US has never been anything else but a country governed by the wealthy in their own self interest.

Voting has always been an undemocratic process, thanks to the Electoral College and voting laws that have traditionally been labyrinthine and restrictive (limited by landownership in some states, poll taxes, literacy tests, exclusion of entire populations, awkward registration processes).

Can you name a President who did not get the office without a lot of money and the explicit backing of big business and the established wealthy?

The US Constitution was design explicitly to protect the property and power of the plutocrats who wrote it.

Personally, I think a book like this is a waste of time, unless you're completely ignorant of American law and history.

 

[Motokid]

It’s one thing to suspect extremely questionable behavior, and quite another to have it all laid out in front of your face in black and white in such a seemingly unbiased fashion. I believe most Americans don't have a clue, and probably most of those don't want a clue either.


I’ll put you in the “thinks it’s crap" column.

 

[novella]

I’ll put you in the “thinks it’s crap" column.

Wait a sec. That's not quite fair or accurate.

It's all true, but nothing new. It's worth knowing, but you should know it already.

This past election there was much discussion about these financial backers and allegiances, particularly among the big dem bloggers. My feeling is, so what, this is not news. This is just a grocery list of the particular offenders this time around.

Eating mostly fruits and vegetables and exercising for an hour a day will make me healthier. I could buy a book that tells me which vegetables and which exercise, but I don't want to spend 20 dollars on something I already know.