Product Description

Hartmann argues that the middle class is not the natural consequence of a free market based economy, but rather, the intended result of policies put into place to maximize the public good. Unfortunately, he maintains, the American middle class is on its deathbed.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #101548 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 239 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Beginning with the Reagan administration, the U.S. government has steadily instituted policies and legislation that favor corporations over citizens, argues Air America host Hartmann (The Ultimate Sacrifice). Analyzing the rhetoric and policies of the current administration's "compassionate conservatism," Hartmann goes on to detail the ways in which safety nets for working people (from progressive taxation to antitrust legislation to Social Security) have been steadily weakened, and argues that an empowered, educated middle class is crucial to a functioning democracy. Chapters detail the ways in which what gets called "the free market" is not really free (for good reason, he notes), how "We the People create the middle class," how the policies of the Founding Fathers and figures like FDR still have a lot to teach us, and ways for "Leveling the Playing Field." Though far from comprehensive, and despite its sensationalist title, Hartmann's latest is an intelligent critique of the contemporary plight of the middle class.
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Customer Reviews

great book.... a must read
This book was a real eye opener. Its a call to arms to take back our country.

Brain Food
Thom Hartmann is by far the smartest and most dead-on of all the liberal talk rado hosts that I have heard and this is the first book of his that I have read. The book goes back historically to help the reader understand where the country started to go wrong as it deviated from the constitution and the true vision of the founding fathers and started to cater to big business/corporations. If you want the facts layed out quickly and in layman's terms, this book is perfect. Hartmann makes the case that true democracy cannot sustain without a solid middle class and that since the 1970's the middle class is steadily shrinking and is being targeted by the right-wing.

Screwed: Undeclared War Against the Middle Class
Thom Hartmann is the smartest person in the media today --- maybe in the world! He brings his vast knowledge of history to every book he writes so that the reader knows the subject from its very beginning --- how and why we got to where we are. But he doesn't stop with that. He offers positive solutions for the mess that we're in today. I highly recommend this book, and I recommend listening to Thom on various progressive radio channels. It's a valuable lesson every day.