Customer Reviews

Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption Are Undermining America

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2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

It is difficult to believe that some of the reviewers here have actually read "Pigs at the Trough." While they offer personal criticisms of the author herself, they say little about the book she's written.

"Pigs at the Trough" does, stylistically, contain some cliche phrases (the counting of cliches having been mentioned by another reviewer, who has obviously taken up the practice as presented by Martin Amis in his excellent book, "The War Against Cliche"). I attribute some of the cliches, however, to the fact that Ms. Huffington's writing is more like journalism than literature, much more about frank criticism that subtle, ironic remarks (of the sort found in papers like "The Guardian," for example).

Ms. Huffington's aim in "Pigs at the Trough" is to present the facts (and they are facts) on corporate crimes, and to introduce the reader to those who commit them.

"Pigs at the Trough" does not, in my opinion, come across as an attack on all businessmen or on wealthy people. This book is not focused on the fact that these businessmen are wealthy so much as the criminal ways in which they've managed to obtain that wealth. Americans need to be more aware the shamelessly illegal ways in which some businessmen, often CEOs, have obtained (I cannot say "earned") their fortunes.

The businessmen mentioned in "Pigs at the Trough" did not accumulate wealth through an honest work ethic, but out of exploitation, fancy accounting, and the circumvention of laws. They go unpunished for it, and Americans let them.

Yes, there are - obviously - business people in America who live very comfortably and have accumulated their wealth honestly and did not commit crimes in the name of money. These people are not the focus of "Pigs at the Trough", and rightly so.

This is an excellent read, especially if - like me - you have not managed to keep a running tally (and it would be such a lengthy one) of all of the corporate crimes you've heard of, or if you've not memorized all of the names of CEOs who ought to be in prison. Even the daily newspapers that bring us the Enron and WorldCom scandal coverage don't often delve deeply into what exactly a CEO going before Congress has done over the years.

"Pigs at the Trough" is a blunt and effective debriefing on crime for which we are all long overdue.

This was the book that started me reading more and more about politics, and the political influence that afflicts our country. I highly recommend it, and here's why.

In a hard-hitting, almost cynical style that I did appreciate, the author attacks companies that have raped the public and their employees because of their own greed. She names them like a littany of indictments that followed their wake: Adelphia, Tyco, Arthur Andersen, Enron, World Com, to name a few. Huffington shows how these once respected companies, their greed, and the relaxation of regulations have allowed them to virtually alter standard principles of accounting so they can hide money and cheat the government, taxpayers and employees.

Unlike one reviewer here who found her style sarcastic, I didn't mind. After all, these greedy little folks who walked away with millions after stranding customers and leaving employees pensionless, can take a little sarcasm their way. However, I agree with him the quizzes got in the way of the pace of the book, and seemed a little childish. (I always carry a highlighter for books like this one anyway.)

The most important thing Arianna makes clear is that politicians no longer seem to represent the people who elect them, but the interests of the corporations with the largest contributions. (It's called bribery outside of Congress.) This administration has given their blessing with their silence, and has a huge following of people who still believe their gospel while they are getting their own pockets picked. The repudiation of the pension for United Airlines is a perfect example. What did the administration say? Nothing, not a word! But let the poor, little guy declare bankruptcy, and Senator Orrin Hatch and other congressmen of his ilk will be after them on behalf of MBNA, forever.

It's strange that neocons who worship at the holy grail of unrestrained capitalism, have little to say about this book, or challenge its contents. For once they cannot retort with that tiresome, insipid lament, "Well, Clinton did...." It's about the greed that this administration, corporate CEO's, and congressmen have fostered and encouraged with sweetheart deals, no-bid contracts, tax breaks, loopholes, secret meetings, and even corporate protection laws.

It's about people who never seem to have enough, no matter how much they already have. They will always want more.

I just read "Pigs" on a cross country flight. I thought it was an excellent analysis of how the U.S. government no longer functions as a democracy. It works like a radio station payola scheme. Inbred corporate directors steal money from investors and workers by giving each other outrageous amounts of money despite poor performance. Some politicians try to pass laws against these abuses, but these corporate govenors fund election campaigns making it impossible to change the system. Huffington lays out the issues that need to be addressed in order to correct these problems and gives out information on groups working to fix these issues.
I find the attack of this being a communist book to be [silly]. Huffington shows ways to make us back into a democracy where our vote counts and competition is fair. Corporate welfare is a form of communism if you ask me.
In regard to the cliches. Huffington uses the same wit that you could see on the Daily Show, or Politically Incorrect. This isn't a masterpiece, but it is a very accessible and useable guide to how our government currently works.

Ms. Huffington is a God-send to a stunned, manipulated and often apathetic nation. Like maverick Senator John McCain she is trying valiantly to warn us to come to our senses before it is too late. I've heard she plans a college tour: PLEASE GO! Perhaps this next generation will do what the latest has so badly failed to do: clean up the corruption in Washington and on Wall Street, so that the rest of us get a fair shake. This woman deserves admiration and support for sharing what she has seen first hand. I admire her.

If you've been reading the news lately, you surely have noticed the string of corporate scandals. What you may not have heard is that much of what the CEO's did -although certainly not all- was actually legal! That's the shameful part of the story.
Ms. Huffington uncovers the corporate/political collusion to rig the game at the direct expense of the public at large and shows the extent to which the problems reach.
It's a fascinating read! My only criticism is that she doesn't put any blame on the public for lazily sitting on the sidelines therby allowing this all to occur.... to our own detriment.

Arianna Huffington is sending pigs to the slaugher in her latest book. No one is spared in her intrepid indictment of the corporate cronies who have brought our economy to its knees. It is a tableau of today's corporate landscape which is replete with avaricious CEOs who have advanced into stratospheric levels of unfathomable wealth. With her characteristic wit and candor, Arianna has revealed her victims' ostentatious lifestyles and the cowardly schemes they employed to finance their way of life. She is a woman who is not a puppet of a political party and therefore panders to no one. This book is great for laissez-faire fans who think the market will regulate itself and that corporations need no oversight.

If you have some doubt as to whether and to what extent American corporate management has set new standards for heartless greed and destruction, or whether and to what extent Congress and the federal agencies meant to regulate these corporations are instead working on their behalf to transfer money, power, and protections from the people to the CEOs, this book may change your way of thinking.

If you already think the pigs are pigs and the feds are a trough, and you don't want to wallow in it, you won't get as much out of this book.

There's no argument for a new way of thinking here. It's just a chronicling of facts, albeit with colorful metaphors sprinkled in. So, it's not really a page-turner, but it is a fine work of reporting on a topic that is extremely hard to communicate. Huffington does as good a job as anyone of describing the mammoth gap between the unimaginably large sums of money stolen by corporate crooks and the petty sorts of crimes that our law enforcement personnel love to prosecute.

Huffington names names, good and bad. But she writes, rightly, that what's needed is a popular revolt, not a single knight in shining armor. The one objection I have in this regard, is that she suggests writing your Congress Members to tell them not to pay attention to letter-writing campaigns, because they may have been solicited by lobbying firms. Yes, it's good to be aware that lobbying firms are buying misleading ads that urge people to write to Congress on some issue. But if people fall for such a ploy, they are still people. In the end, urging Congress to pay more attention to letters (and less to dollars) will have a democratic result. Huffington should be telling people to write, fax, Email, phone, and visit.

Look, I don't know what's up with the personal attack in the previous reviewer's review.. I had never heard of her before, but I guess some people don't like her out of the box. I can only talk about the book. This book will make your blood boil. It lays out fact after fact about HOW corporate America is destroying our Constitution and WHO is doing it: the nuts and bolts. She names names and peppers the book with side bars that make it very, very readable. This is maybe one of the three best books I've read about how America REALLY works. Normally I would just dismiss as propaganda the idea that Big Pharma conspired to let AIDS sweep through Africa.. I am just not that cynical, but she lays it out as a matter of public record how they did just that. Did you know that the average (useless) CEO makes 500 TIMES - not percent but TIMES - what the average worker at the same company makes and IF you're one of the CEOs that drove their company into the ground ala Enron it's many many times that 500 times. She makes a compelling case when she says that corporate America is determined to turn our country into a nation of haves and have nots. Have healthcare? Have a job? Have enough food in your 'fridge or maybe you're one of the 25% of all working people who LINE UP FOR FOOD AT FOOD BANKS.. it's happening people. I didn't know how bad it had gotten, but this book really radicalized me.

With exemplary credentials, Ms. Huffington amply documents an American ruling establishment out of control in its self-serving purpose and stifling greed. Her stunning allegations are made all the more horrific by her careful, irrefutable documentation of facts. This book powerfully calls out for a response: our great democracy is at risk. Are we willing to take the actions necessary to salvage it?

The prosecutors trying the corporate crooks should follow this book for their pitch to the juries. This books gives the best clear explanation of how extreme corporte greed along with political corruption has damaged our country worse than its enemies could. Everyone should read it and then vote angry!