Dark Money

The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right

By: Jane Mayer

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Length: 16 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Why is America living in an age of profound economic inequality? Why, despite the desperate need to address climate change, have even modest environmental efforts been defeated again and again? Why have protections for employees been decimated? Why do hedge-fund billionaires pay a far lower tax rate than middle-class workers?

The conventional answer is that a popular uprising against "big government" led to the rise of a broad-based conservative movement. But as Jane Mayer shows in this powerful, meticulously reported history, a network of exceedingly wealthy people with extreme libertarian views also played a key role by bankrolling a systematic, step-by-step plan to fundamentally alter the American political system.

The network has brought together some of the richest people on the planet, foremost among them Charles and David Koch. Their core beliefs - that taxes are a form of tyranny; that government oversight of business is an assault on freedom - are sincerely held. But these beliefs also advance their personal and corporate interests: Many of their companies have run afoul of federal pollution, worker safety, securities, and tax laws.

When libertarian ideas proved decidedly unpopular with voters, the Koch brothers and their allies decided on another path. If they pooled their vast resources, they could fund an interlocking array of organizations that could work in tandem to influence and ultimately control academic institutions, think tanks, the courts, statehouses, Congress, and, they hoped, the presidency.

The political operatives the network employs are disciplined, smart, and at times ruthless. And their efforts have been remarkably successful. Libertarian views on taxes and regulation, once far outside the mainstream and still rejected by most Americans, are ascendant in the majority of state governments, the Supreme Court, and Congress. Meaningful environmental, labor, finance, and tax reform have been stymied.

Jane Mayer spent five years conducting hundreds of interviews - including with several sources within the network - and scoured public records, private papers, and court proceedings in reporting this book. In a taut and utterly convincing narrative, she traces the byzantine trail of the billions of dollars spent by the network and provides vivid portraits of the colorful figures behind the new American oligarchy.

Dark Money is a book that must be listened to by anyone who cares about the future of American democracy.

©2016 Jane Mayer (P)2016 Random House Audio

Fact attack

This clever and revealing book exposes the extent to which a few mega-rich families in the United States cynically manipulate and control the political machinery in order to increase their profits. Their overriding goal is to minimise the role of government. This involves reducing taxes and encouraging free, unregulated trade. In their ideal world, social welfare programmes would be eradicated or stripped to the bare minimum, and there would be no environmental regulations placing restrictions on polluting industries. For example, they invest a lot of money in spreading seeds of doubt about global warming being caused by carbon dioxide emissions.

What’s good about this book is that it succeeds in presenting mountains of evidence of this manipulative activity, which has gone on for decades and is continually increasing in intensity. Huge sums of money are spent in subtle and strategic Machiavellian ploys to achieve these goals. It will leave you in no doubt that America is controlled, or at least heavily influenced by, unscrupulous, greedy, selfish elites who care only about money, power and perpetuating their dynasties.

What’s bad about this book, aside from the fact that it is depressing and leaves you feeling powerless, is that it is just a succession of facts, one after the other. It’s really hard to maintain concentration because it is like listening to a shopping list of 247 items. They may be accurate, they may be damning, they may represent extensive investigation and research by the author, but these things alone do not an entertaining listen make – and this is nothing to do with the inadequacies of the narrator – she is very good.

I stuck with it out of a sense of the worthiness of the material – the world does need to know that this is happening – but it was hard work and my concentration strayed frequently. I feel bad saying this because it’s an important work and I don’t want to discourage people from listening, but it isn’t a lot of fun.

Scarier than Pet Cemetary

Would you listen to Dark Money again? Why?

I don't know...it scares me. I listen to this for at least an hour per day while at the gym.It doesn't keep me awake, too long, at night but everyday I get another dose of why I fear for this country. It is clearly controlled by the wealthiest among us for their own purposes. Every day I learn of another reason why.

What did you like best about this story?

It's non-fiction. Interesting question, what did you like best? Let's see, that this proves the country was bought by the mega-wealthy? No, that's not a 'best' item. That it is a call-to-arms for everyone other than the 0.1% to tell our elected officials, especially in Congress, what it will take to keep them in office.

Have you listened to any of Kirsten Potter’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't but I am willing to see what else she'll read to me.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me fear for this country's future. With Citizens United there is a real risk to democracy as we were taught in school, a very real risk.

care about democracy? read this book.

Mayer devastates readers with a monumental expose' on the true power of the Kochtopus. Beware, you will cry tears of frustration and powerlessness. Everyone needs to read this book if they care about the future of democracy around the world.

Read and learn about American plutocracy.

Mayer lays out in stark detail how America has allowed vast wealthy interests the means to purchase our politics. Read and despair.

Republican Party?

More like Republican Puppets. Everyone knows there's shenanigans in politics; but what Jane Mayer describes is repugnant. To think these people think THEIR way is the right way.

Bet my last dollar they were the last kids picked on anyone's team.

EXCELLENT; informative; and deeply troubling!!!

Sadly, this book confirms some of my suspicions about the deep-pocketed controls over our politics, society and soon the everyday experiences, comfort and likely suffering of the majority of American citizens residing in the US as well as other members of the poor and middle-classes worldwide. Our days in the sun may be numbered.

Still, an excellent, educative and surprisingly detailed account that is well-read and absolutely worthy of a careful listen.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, "Dark Money".

super depressing

Honestly I loved this book but it is incredibly depressing that so few people can have so much power. It's unfortunate that we have allowed this to happen in our country with Citizens United being implimented and other laws, like the Fairness Doctrine, being repealed. I hope that with the current presidential administration, people will see that the rich and powerful do not deserve to have this power because they can't treat their fellow humans with basic dignity and respect.

Evil

A brilliant and frightful revelation of the Koch brother's unspeakably evil empire. Listen to it now!

Incredible informative

Excellent research and writing. A very sad story of what the real America has become.

An Eye Opener!!<br />

I knew the rich were involved in the elections but had no idea how deep answer sophisticated they had become.