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The Great American Disconnect: Seven Fundamental Threats to Our Democracy
The story of America, as told to us by the political establishment, is not unlike scripture that attempts to explain our circumstances in a manner that must be accepted as gospel. The truth is that America has been hijacked by powerful special corporate interests whose paths toward profit are lubricated by political accomplices complicit in a scheme that suppresses opportunity and freedom among the masses. Our state of denial has caused us to drift far from the nation we believe ourselves to be while holding tightly to an image of the nation we wish to be.
Such is the state of our disunion. Welcome to The Great American Disconnect.
Our laws equate corporations with people. Our government favors progress at any cost over preservation at every cost. We use food to make fuel while children go hungry, vilify climate science and freely refer to environmentalism as a form of Nazism—as if protecting that which gives life to the planet is somehow evil. We claim to honor our soldiers but where is the honor in deploying them just to protect our oil interests? We attack corporate subsidies for renewable energy while protecting tax breaks and loopholes for large fossil fuel companies. An aging middle class population, which for years paid into the Social Security and Medicare systems, believes such programs should be abolished for future generations. Fiscal conservatives call for more deregulation—the most liberal and irresponsible of economic beliefs— a strategy that nearly led to the collapse of the entire economic system.
In 1929 the American economy collapsed under its own weight; the result of hubris, greed and the belief that progress was a fundamental and irreversible aspect of capitalism. The primary distinction between then and now is that today’s American economic system isn’t collapsing from the top down; it’s rotting from the inside out. This is what happens when an organism is beset by disease.
The Great American Disconnect explores the democratic creation myth and attempts to verbalize the malaise that has taken hold of our political system.
Such is the state of our disunion. Welcome to The Great American Disconnect.
Our laws equate corporations with people. Our government favors progress at any cost over preservation at every cost. We use food to make fuel while children go hungry, vilify climate science and freely refer to environmentalism as a form of Nazism—as if protecting that which gives life to the planet is somehow evil. We claim to honor our soldiers but where is the honor in deploying them just to protect our oil interests? We attack corporate subsidies for renewable energy while protecting tax breaks and loopholes for large fossil fuel companies. An aging middle class population, which for years paid into the Social Security and Medicare systems, believes such programs should be abolished for future generations. Fiscal conservatives call for more deregulation—the most liberal and irresponsible of economic beliefs— a strategy that nearly led to the collapse of the entire economic system.
In 1929 the American economy collapsed under its own weight; the result of hubris, greed and the belief that progress was a fundamental and irreversible aspect of capitalism. The primary distinction between then and now is that today’s American economic system isn’t collapsing from the top down; it’s rotting from the inside out. This is what happens when an organism is beset by disease.
The Great American Disconnect explores the democratic creation myth and attempts to verbalize the malaise that has taken hold of our political system.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2013
About the author
Jed Morey
1 book4 followersJed Morey is the publisher of the Long Island Press, Long Island’s Cultural Arts and Investigative News Journal. Morey received his undergraduate degree from Skidmore College and a Masters in Business Administration from Hofstra University. He serves on the board of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center in Nassau County, as well as the President’s Council of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Long Island. Additionally, Morey authors a column for the Long Island Press titled “Off The Reservation” and is a staunch advocate for American Indian rights. His column was voted Best Column in New York by the NY Press Association in 2010 and third overall in the nation among alternative publications by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia in 2012. He lives on Long Island with his wife, Eden White, and their two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 8, 2014
I started reading Jed Morey a few years ago when I needed to get a clear eyed-view of what was going on. He asks the difficult questions and looks beyond pat answers to get to some uncomfortable truths. He begins his first book by comparing the Constitution to Scripture and the Founding Fathers to infallible deities - and then dismantles that notion. He continues with thoughtful analysis of key events in recent US history - and no one is safe from his scrutiny: not Democrats, not Republicans. With every page that I turned, my head nodded and my heart filled - because this is exactly what we need. We need the real stories. We need someone to put into perspective what this country is experiencing - to distinguish what are growing pains and what has been downright theft and criminal manipulation designed to not only uphold the status quo, but to move it into an ever-elusive place in society where few are ever welcomed. With clever turns of phrase, Morey crafts a narrative that reads like the underside of the real American history - and as such, it should be read by every person who ever lifts a lever to vote for a candidate at any level. It should be taught as part of any political science curriculum. And it should be enjoyed by pundits and scholars alike - and anybody who gives a shit about this country.
January 5, 2014
I won this as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
I have to say I learned a lot from this book. Morey did a great job covering current topics and examining more than one side of the argument. No party was exempt from his scrutiny. He definitely cleared up quite a few details on the issues that he chose to cover. I’ve watched some of the topics on the news and depending on which station you watch, you get an entirely view of what the truth actually is. My usual response is to blame the party that I hate more instead of digging for the truth.
One thing that floored me was Obama and our continued involvement in our current wars. I definitely have been blind to what is really going on and it definitely has changed my perception of what I hear and read. We seem to be blind that are rights are slowly eroding and we don’t seem to even care or slap a clever phrase on it so we feel better about why we are doing it.
We are definitely living in a time of inequity and it doesn’t seem that we want to look back in history to see how things went in the past. I am of the philosophy that putting our all our eggs in one basket is not the best idea and that sharing isn’t all that bad. The book is really accessible and was broken down well. I really enjoyed this book and definitely a worthwhile read.
I have to say I learned a lot from this book. Morey did a great job covering current topics and examining more than one side of the argument. No party was exempt from his scrutiny. He definitely cleared up quite a few details on the issues that he chose to cover. I’ve watched some of the topics on the news and depending on which station you watch, you get an entirely view of what the truth actually is. My usual response is to blame the party that I hate more instead of digging for the truth.
One thing that floored me was Obama and our continued involvement in our current wars. I definitely have been blind to what is really going on and it definitely has changed my perception of what I hear and read. We seem to be blind that are rights are slowly eroding and we don’t seem to even care or slap a clever phrase on it so we feel better about why we are doing it.
We are definitely living in a time of inequity and it doesn’t seem that we want to look back in history to see how things went in the past. I am of the philosophy that putting our all our eggs in one basket is not the best idea and that sharing isn’t all that bad. The book is really accessible and was broken down well. I really enjoyed this book and definitely a worthwhile read.
January 4, 2014
I won this in a GoodReads' First Reads giveaway.
I've held off on writing a review for so long because everything in the book stayed with me. It angered me. I think that any review I write won't be sufficient enough to praise this book. Morey focuses on the aspects of our government and of our country that the majority know and understand the least. I learned a great deal more about economics, especially with the early sections on deregulation and speculation. The amount of control that one person can have is astounding and frightening, and to see it abused is nauseating, yet so unsurprising, given the ethics of many of today's "leaders."
My one minor quibble is Morey's discussion of Occupy Wall Street. Again, like many recent well-intentioned efforts, I think it's badly executed. It has no clear message and certainly isn't a revolution. I wish it was - if it had been, maybe the political and economic landscape would look a whole lot different.
This is a must-read for anyone with the slightest interest in the inner workings of government, politics, and the economy. It took a while for me to read, but it was absolutely worth it.
I've held off on writing a review for so long because everything in the book stayed with me. It angered me. I think that any review I write won't be sufficient enough to praise this book. Morey focuses on the aspects of our government and of our country that the majority know and understand the least. I learned a great deal more about economics, especially with the early sections on deregulation and speculation. The amount of control that one person can have is astounding and frightening, and to see it abused is nauseating, yet so unsurprising, given the ethics of many of today's "leaders."
My one minor quibble is Morey's discussion of Occupy Wall Street. Again, like many recent well-intentioned efforts, I think it's badly executed. It has no clear message and certainly isn't a revolution. I wish it was - if it had been, maybe the political and economic landscape would look a whole lot different.
This is a must-read for anyone with the slightest interest in the inner workings of government, politics, and the economy. It took a while for me to read, but it was absolutely worth it.
January 27, 2014
When I first started reading this book I was a little skeptical and thought just another author ranting and raving about the world's problems and how to fix them. However this book isn't really about that at all. It is a book trying to make us aware of the history of the US and how things are changing every day, not necessarily for the better. Sometimes it can bog down on capitalism and corporate power but all in all he is very fair on all his subjects and it made for a very interesting book and an enlightening one.
March 18, 2014
This book was a real eye opener, almost scary when you learn what is really going on in this country. I learned so much. I really, really found this book like an economics lesson and I mean in a good way. Chock full of facts. I actually loved this book and gave it to my teenage son to read who is 17, he said it was crazy good. DOn't need to be a Repulican or Democrat here. A really good book. Thank you Jed for an outstanding read. Will read again.
June 22, 2014
I've always enjoyed reading Jed Morey's writings on www.longislandpress.com and www.jedmorey.com. Jed has no allegiance to political party nor the news that is fed to us by the media. Jed delves into what is really going on in our world and it would be my hope that this book acts as a catalyst for others to do the same. Great job Morey!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews