The Big Ripoff: How Big Business and Big Government Steal Your Money (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "This is a book about how the regular guy gets ripped off..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, New York, Philip Morris (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When it comes to the corporations that dominate the US economy, says Carney, there's no difference between Big Business Republicans and Tax-and-Spend Democrats. No matter who's in charge, Big Government and Big Business team up to create a quasi-fascist collective designed to extract maximum revenue from the common citizen. Carney has a host of facts to back up this theory, covering the history of Big Business and Big Government, the tradition of corporate welfare in America, profiles of such private offenders as Phillip Morris and Enron, and the "green" cheat of "environmentalism for profit." Even the heavy taxes and regulation under which large corporations operate is, paradoxically, largely to their benefit, in Carney's view; such impediments serve as barriers to competition, keeping out rivals and allowing monopolies and oligopolies to thrive-and the extra expense, in what becomes a familiar pattern, is simply passed on to the consumer. Though Carney's dire prognosis seems grim, this is an absorbing look at the disconcertingly cozy (and profitable) relationship that has developed between regulator and regulated in America.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

1^st place book winner of the 2008 Templeton Enterprise Award

"...so good that you might even consider putting it under the tree of the liberals on your Christmas list....they will likely find it fascinating how big business uses government to its advantage. Furthermore, they will likely find The Big Ripoff hard to put down due to Carney's compelling style of writing.... Carney smashes the conventional wisdom that big business is inherently pro-free market and anti-government."—from "Santa Government" by David Hogberg (American Spectator, December 15, 2006)

"This book should be read by every Northern Virginia taxpayer for a chapter aptly titled "You Get Taxed, They Get Rich" in which Carney illustrates this dynamic by examining how former Gov. Mark Warner pushed through the largest tax increase in the commonwealth’s history. Warner, now a presidential hopeful, was helped by the state’s top business leaders, who themselves spent more than $7 million lobbying for higher taxes, instead of the other way around." (The Washington DC Examiner)

"Bashing big business is traditionally a left-wing indulgence, but it need not be. Political reporter Timothy Carney, a small-government conservative, takes up the task with relish in the "The Big Ripoff." Along the way, he produces a spirited and eminently readable indictment of the unsavory alliance between corporate and congressional America." (The Wall Street Journal, July 29, 2006)

"...makes a good case that the American people might be better served with less taxpayer subsidization and governmental protection of big business." (The Boston Globe)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 285 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (July 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471789070
• ISBN-13: 978-0471789079
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #558,238 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wake up call, August 10, 2006

By	An investment book reader (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

An important book, particularly before election time. Carney uncovers the millions (maybe billions) of dollars that go directly to big business, compliments of our elected officials (of both flavors), and how big business lobbies government to protect its interests at the expense of smaller business and individuals. It's one thing for government to tax people to provide for the needy, but I don't see how Boeing can ever be described as "needy." Maybe government gets too much money from taxpayers, and politicians need a reminder that they are there to serve and protect -- individuals. Not to take our money to give to the likes of Boeing and ADM and other big companies! You will be shocked, as we all should be. Hopefully this book will inspire some action on the part of voters.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Connecting the dots, August 5, 2006

By	J. Butler (Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For those who always thought business was a supporter of free-market policies - get ready to have your eyes opened. Mr. Carney does a great job of connecting the dots between polices that seem, on the surface anti-business, but instead help one or two major institutions (usually ones that have a long standing relationship with those in power). After reading this book it makes you want to standup - go over to a window and yell "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!!"

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book. It gets close to hitting the target., August 20, 2006

By	Minn-e-sota (heart of the vikings in the new world) - See all my reviews

I've read the book and it's hard hitting and very close to the truth. Today I saw Tim Carney with CSPAN's book review. Very interesting and this is a book that should be on your reading list for the month. However, Tim is dealing with the obvious SYMPTOMS of corruption and collusion on the part of government and big business. The real CAUSE is deeper. As a companion book to this I would HIGHLY suggest reading G. Edward Griffin's: Creature from Jekyll Island. Then you will find out the cause. But congratulations to Tim for helping expose "The Ripoff" to the American Taxpayer. Nothing like using the middle class to have CEO's Million Dollar salaries subsidized by the overtaxed American worker, including small business owners. After the reader has read these two books they need to start asking some deep questions and take action. That means getting involved politically and sadly it's not with our two, bought and paid for political parties anymore. Wait until the reader finds out this coupe occured almost a hundred years ago and is now beginning to strangle the nation economically, morally and now imperils our civil liberties.