Billionaire Democracy, George R. Tyler
Billionaire Democracy, George R. Tyler
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Billionaire Democracy
The Hijacking of the American Political System

Author: George R. Tyler

Narrator: William Hughes

Unabridged: 9 hr 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/30/2018

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included

Synopsis

This isn’t your America. No matter who the president is.We are told that, when we vote and elect representatives, we gain a voice in government and its policies. Yet, it hasn’t translated our preferences into higher living standards for the majority of us.In America, the wealthy few have built a system that works in their favor, while maintaining the illusion of democracy. American voters have little influence on policies engineered by lawmakers. Political scientists call it the “income bias,” causing lawmakers to compete to satisfy preferences of donors from the top 1 percent instead of the middle class. It is why our economy has been misfiring for most Americans for a generation, wages stagnating and opportunity dwindling.Economist George R. Tyler lays out the fundamental problems plaguing our democracy. He explains how our democratic system has eroded the middle class and provides a comparison to peer democracies abroad. He shows where we fall short and how other rich democracies avoid the income bias pitfall. He also outlines reforms to improve our government’s responsiveness.It’s time for the people of this nation to demand a government that properly serves us, the American people.

About George R. Tyler

George Tyler is an economist who has extensive private and public-sector exposure to international issues and foreign economics and political systems. He is the author of Billionaire Democracy as well as What Went Wrong: How the 1% Hijacked the American Middle Class–and What Other Countries Got Right. His experience in the US Senate and Treasury and with economic systems in Europe and across the globe give him an expansive perspective on the many variations of capitalism and democracy worldwide.  He worked in the United States Senate for eighteen years. He served as senior economist to former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey and to Sen. Lloyd M. Bentsen (D-TX). Appointed by President Clinton as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, her has worked closely with top policymakers like Lawrence Summers and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. His international exposure was intensified when working at the World Bank in Washington. Drawing on his international experience and contacts, he co-authored the creation of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) in 1999. As a member of the DNDi audit committee, he gained extensive exposure to Europe and economic systems across the globe. 

About William Hughes

William Hughes is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. A professor of political science at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon, he received his doctorate in American politics from the University of California at Davis. He has done voice-over work for radio and film and is also an accomplished jazz guitarist.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Hazel on February 04, 2018

An excellent compendium of reasons America has become a low-quality democracy, and what we can do to fix it. Very interesting discussion of what other, more truly democratic nations are doing to enhance their long-term economic growth. Codetermination, following German legislation to ensure that wor......more

Goodreads review by Bookworm Between the Sheets on March 01, 2018

Billionaire Democracy is filled with statistics, footnotes, and research quotes that back up George R. Tyler's points of views. I found the book to primarily discuss the demise of the Republican party and its agenda, but it also does at a fewer stance the Democratic Party as well. I wish this book h......more

Goodreads review by Melinda on February 24, 2018

Interesting read. Probably didn’t understand all of the concepts in here, but the author did a bang up job of trying to explain things to the layman. There was info about fake news, politics, economics, democracy, proportional representation....etc with examples from all sorts of countries to show c......more

Goodreads review by Ray on March 24, 2019

I learned a a lot from this book Turns out you don’t need to buy votes if you can control the news people watch and slant it in favor of your candidate. You don’t need to buy votes if you have the power ie the money to gerrymander districts. If you belong to the .1 percent that contributes 55 % of a......more

Goodreads review by James on January 26, 2018

This book couldn't be more timely or more on target. Tyler dissects America's unresponsive democracy in which the popularity of government policies simply doesn't matter if moneyed interests don't want them. With thorough scholarship and comprehensive historical background, Tyler shows how our syste......more

Quotes

“Everyone knows about these problems. George Tyler offers clear, original, and inventive solutions.” The Atlantic

“A profound, clearly and provocatively written indictment of the American political system by an insider who has seen up close how it works. This book is a must-read for all sentient American citizens.” Clyde Prestowitz, New York Times bestselling author

“A powerful critique of America’s dysfunctional democracy. Tyler vividly illustrates how government policy is bent to serve the needs of the wealthy few and shows that only fundamental political reforms can make America truly democratic.” Martin Gilens, author of Affluence & Influence

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