Who Will Tell The People? : The Betrayal Of American Democracy | 
| Author: William Greider
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 105372
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 464
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0671867407
Dewey Decimal Number: 323.0420973
EAN: 9780671867409
ASIN: 0671867407
Publication Date: June 1, 1993
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Product Description
Who Will Tell the People is a passionate, eye-opening challenge to American democracy. Here is a tough-minded exploration of why we're in trouble, starting with the basic issues of who gets heard, who gets ignored, and why. Greider shows us the realities of power in Washington today, uncovering the hidden relationships that link politicians with corporations and the rich, and that subvert the needs of ordinary citizens.How do we put meaning back into public life? Greider shares the stories of some citizens who have managed to crack Washington's "Grand Bazaar" of influence peddling as he reveals the structures designed to thwart them. Without naivete or cynicism, Greider shows us how the system can still be made to work for the people, and delineates the lines of battle in the struggle to save democracy. By showing us the reality of how the political decisions that shape our lives are made, William Greider explains how we can begin to take control once more.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 Some good parts but dated June 9, 2008
William Greider is a good writer and this was an excellent read- in 1992. Many of the complaints he has- such as a regressive tax code- are less applicable after the Clinton years. I just couldn't get into the S&L scandals anymore. Old news.
This is not to say there is nothing of value in the book. Greider does talk eloquently of the corruption of the political process by big money. I think the best part of the book is "Rancid Populism," a chapter on the Republicans' constant betrayal of the middle class and poor at the hands of the wealthy.
Perhaps this book needed an updated edition for the 21st century. Much of it seemed irrelevant today. Who cares whether Henry Gonzales (former Congressman) does on his Saturday nights?
 The Hobo Philosopher September 2, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In trying to understand the modern day world - governments, societies, and general direction of the civilization - I found myself very confused. I wanted to find a professor who could get me up to speed on what is really going on in the world around me. As you know one must choose selectively because there are "so many books and so little time". Consequently I have chosen William Greider as my "Civics" professor.
I have finished my third book by William Greider this morning, "Who Will Tell the People." I thought that to be a wonderful title for a book. I have been asking myself that same questions on many different subjects for many years. If you have also been wondering "Who Will Tell the People", I think I can tell you quite sincerely that one of the people who will tell the people is certainly William Greider.
This book is about Washington, "K" street and the money, games and influence. I thought that I knew about all that stuff but unfortunately I didn't know the half of it.
North America and Western Europe Free at Last January 13, 2006
4 out of 13 found this review helpful
Greider is expansive in is account of the decline of the U.S..Corruption is in your face at all levels.The elite have to be put down,and we now have the weapon.To talk about what should be done as speculation is B.S.unless you are willing to act.Now all can be involved and unknown.Those who have taken can give back.To get to the point stop immigration into the U.S.
By doing this you take away the power of the elite, and you are in charge.Why because it will give you economic power.The elite will have to bargan with you in the work place.No more foreign slave labor to destroy our country.All you have to do is support the Boarder Protection Act-Anti Terroism and Illegal Immigration Control Act HR 4437.It has Bang for the buck, kick their ass.
Bush talks about he cannot waver,well we cannot waver either.Do not let any protestant, catholic,or jew override the constitution for illegal immigrants.They are real threat to the security of the American People. That war we are in was not.How many lives will it cost,and what about the economy.The minority who are crying help us help illegals should get out of U.S.The law on immigration is not enforced TREASON.There is no excuse.Vote the senate and congress out who vote for more immigrants,they are criminals.Prosecute any one assisting a illegal.STOP IMMIGRATION PERIOD fOR FIVE YEARS-FULL EMPLOYMENT.Please do not let the elite and their puppets fool you as they always have.They play both sides.
Greider talks about the elite control.They have educated us to be fools.Class against class to support the elite interest.In the end most of the upper classes are taken out also,But they go down stupid.The only people that are not brainwashed are the elite.They play hard ball,if you want to win be like them,then you will be the boss.You are the majority.Stop being a SHEEP.You have been on your knees long enough,show them you can win.JFK could not win because he did not have the power,you do.
The american culture is finished if we do not act now.Educators are corrupt,news media,banks,oil,insurence,coporates,contractors,government officils,etc.We have to reinstitute the western culture which is our birth right.The people need to know their history.Prior to NAM most americans were western european who fought the american wars.AS with Japan why should we be ashame.We fought for our country,right or wrong.WE won by our power,not by weakness.All nations win and lose and take advantage.There is no law without the power to enforce it.People believe in their nation.The manorities who do not like us need to get out we do not need them.It is a privilege for them to be in U.S. they do not own us.They did not win our freedom.I am referring to third world.The world bank and IMF need to help these people in their own country,not here.We have poverty,long term unemployment that is not counted.Once unemployment insurence is finished,they do not count you as looking for work.American indians,Blacks,poor whites need a minimun standard of living with guality before illegals.They need full employment.Why has the government not taken care of the problem.Banks only take care of themselves with the rest of the elite.
Grieder states the case you have to act,and now it is so easy a new beginning.All we have to do is stop immigration,that will be the new AMERICA.Do not let them B.S. you anymore.
GRIEDER has tried to help you help yourself.Maybe we should have a draft no exemp for the educated.Get rid of electorial college.Get rid of Federal Reserve it is a violation of the constitution.Put all government officials in prison who commit treason or violate the law of the U.S. no exception.We should be proud to be americans.A revolution to enforce the constitution.Read the declaration of independence,and right of man,common sense,Thomas Paine.God whoever he is bless america.
Always celebrate christ birthday if you are christian,merry
christmas,remember the ten commandments.God is what you believe he is,so all can believe what they want,but do not deny my right whether you are gentile jewish or other.First amendment right.Do unto others as you would have them do to you.An atheist can have compassion.Why would any one hate JC a lover of man.The jews can believe any thing they want as well as all others.Bring christmas back,santa clause,silent night,etc.Keep in mind our founding fathers,and the settlers who made america.Keep our culture alive. The minority are the manority,and they are in america?????????????????????????????????KEEP IT THAT WAY MULTIcultualism does not work on large scale.Look at the problems in north america and western Europe.What a joke.
Thing Haven't Changed Much April 11, 2005
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
It has taken me several months, but I have finally finished reading Who Will Tell The People by William Greider. It wasn't an easy book to read, it deals with government policy, protocol, politics, economics, and history. However, it was a fascinating book, therefore I stayed with it as I read several other books in between its completion. I have been a fan of Greider's since I started reading his articles about politics and the economy in the pages of Rolling Stone.
It is amazing how accurate Greider's description of the failings of democracy is today, 12 years after the book had been published (1992)-not much has changed, especially during the build up to the November 2004 elections. Most of his examples come from the Carter-Regan-Bush administrations or before. But he does an amazing job of showing how the power of the people has been transferred over the years into the hands of the rich and powerful. However, he does provide examples of how these powerful forces have been overcome by grass roots movements, and he seems hopeful that someday the true spirit of democracy will be seen in government.
One of his biggest concerns is how government fails in its greatest role upholding laws:
"Corrective mechanisms that are supposed to prevent political manipulations have been purposely weakened. And public inherits a grave injustice: a government that will not faithfully perform its most basic function-enforcing laws." (107)
Corporations will often accept fines rather than changes business practices that are in opposition to laws passed by the government for the good of the people. How long did it take to get air bags installed as a matter of course in cars?
He goes on to look at the unseemly practice of government officials going from public office to corporations:
"The federal government as a whole ahs been reduced to a training camp for private enterprise-a school in which the students learn the skills and insider knowledge that will be most valuable to outside employers. Under those circumstances only the most dedicated civil servants-or the most incompetent-are willing to remain in the public's hire." (116)
I know every administration is guilty of this, but it seems more visible in this one with Condi Rice coming from Exxon and Dick Cheney from Halliburton. The first MBA president, who has run every company that he has led into the ground save the Texas Rangers, scares me-business leaders are beholden to their stockholders-everyone else has to fend for themselves, this model works well when you think of shareholders as the people who gave money to his campaign,
The Democrats are just as guilty of this as the Republicans as Greider discusses in his chapter "Who Owns The Democrats?" And it's the same sort of big business types who fund Democrat candidates. The move to the center economically happened long before Clinton. This in turn leads to the kind of corporate welfare documented here:
"As it turned out, General Electric was possibly the biggest single winner in Ronald Regan's celebrated tax cuts. It had corporate profits of $6.5 billion during 1981-1983 and, astonishingly, received a tax rebate of $283 million form the federal government. Its tax burden went from $330 million a year to minus $900 million a year-money the government now owed GE. By rough estimate, the 1981 tax legislation yielded as much as $1.3 billion for General Electric over several years and probably much more in the long run." (341-342)
In the chapter "The Closet Dictator" he discusses the dangers of globalism, a chapter I'll guess that led him to write his book on globalism, One World Ready Or Not. All in all, it was a very thought-provoking book. Actually, it riles me up, because there's so little we can do about it. I guess democracy is a sort of utopian goal that we have to constantly strive for.
History Proved Him Right February 13, 2003
27 out of 27 found this review helpful
It's funny how some negative reviews of this book spoke about how wrong Greider was and how right corporate superheros like Jack Welch were. Now in 2003 as America struggles to rebuild after the savage [things] that these corporate overlords have done (Enron? Worldcom? Global Crossing?) we see just how accurate Greider's predications were. The men who rose to power in the 1990's didn't get there because they loved all humanity, they got there because they wanted power above all else. It wasn't the job or the love for their products, it was for money. If they had to fire tens of thouands of people, if they had to bankrupt the company, that was fine. THEY got to keep their millions in the form of Golden Parachutes. History has now born this simple truth out. Power doesn't neccesarilly corrupt, but absolutely corrupt people seek power at any cost.
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