How You Got Screwed: What Big Banks, Big Government, and Big Business Don’t Want You to Know—and What You Can Do About It PDF
Preview How You Got Screwed: What Big Banks, Big Government, and Big Business Don’t Want You to Know—and What You Can Do About It
To Mary, the love of my life. Copyright © 2018 by Allen Marshall All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or [email protected]. ® ® ® Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. , a Delaware corporation. Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. Cover design by Rain Saukas Cover photo credit: iStock ISBN: 978-1-51072-592-8 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-51072-593-5 Printed in the United States of America CONTENTS Introduction PART I: THE MONEY MASTERS 1. The Money System 2. Wall Street 3. The Housing Market 4. Retirement Promises 5. Caveat Emptor: The Money Masters PART II: BIG GOVERNMENT 6. Politicians 7. The Government 8. The Military 9. The Education System 10. Caveat Emptor: Big Government PART III: BIG BUSINESS 11. Big Business 12. The Healthcare System 13. Big Media 14. Caveat Emptor: Big Business PART IV: TAKING ACTION 15. Root Elements of a Screw Job 16. The End Game 17. What You Can Do About It Endnotes INTRODUCTION I remember playing a game of Monopoly with a friend when I was maybe ten or eleven years old. I was doing well, but I was still losing—and that’s when I realized that my friend, who was acting as the bank, was cheating by secretly moving money from the bank over to his own pile. Once I figured this out, I quit the game: Why play when it’s impossible to win? In a nutshell, that’s what’s happening to you in today’s America. Throughout your entire childhood, you were told about the American Dream, and how if you worked hard and did the right things, you could build a good life for yourself. If you’re reading this, then you’ve figured out that something went wrong: Either someone’s cheating, or they changed the rules without telling you. I’m here to tell you that this is exactly what happened. The generations before you actually did have a real shot at achieving their dreams. However, over time, so many people cheated and used shortcuts to achieving their goals, that they ended up changing the nature and accessibility of American Dream. They rigged the game, and now that it’s your turn to play, they’ve made it almost impossible for you to win. WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? Do any of the following criteria describe you? • You’re carrying huge amounts of college debt. • You’re an adult still living with your parents because you can’t afford to move out. • You’re not able to find a job that pays a livable amount of money. • You want to get married, but you can’t afford it. • Prices keep going up, but your income doesn’t follow. • You’ve got health insurance but can’t afford medical care due to the high deductibles. • You joined some movement like Operation Wall Street or the Tea Party, or followed a revolutionary politician like Ron Paul or Bernie
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