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Welfare for the Rich: How Your Tax Dollars End Up in Millionaires' Pockets—And What You Can Do About It
In today’s ultra-polarized and highly partisan political environment, Welfare for the Rich is one of the rare books written to appeal to engaged and open-minded citizens from across the political spectrum.
Welfare for the Rich is the first book to describe and analyze the many ways that federal and state governments provide handouts—subsidies, grants, tax credits, loan guarantees, price supports, and many other payouts—to millionaires, billionaires, and the companies they own and run. Many journalists, scholars, and activists have focused on one or more of these dysfunctional programs. A few of the most egregious examples have even become famous. But Welfare for the Rich is the first attempt to paint a comprehensive, easily accessible picture of a system largely designed by the richest Americans—through lobbyists, lawyers, political action committees, special interest groups, and other powerful influencers—with the specific goal of making sure the government keeps wealth and power flowing from the many to the few.
Welfare for the Rich is the first book to describe and analyze the many ways that federal and state governments provide handouts—subsidies, grants, tax credits, loan guarantees, price supports, and many other payouts—to millionaires, billionaires, and the companies they own and run. Many journalists, scholars, and activists have focused on one or more of these dysfunctional programs. A few of the most egregious examples have even become famous. But Welfare for the Rich is the first attempt to paint a comprehensive, easily accessible picture of a system largely designed by the richest Americans—through lobbyists, lawyers, political action committees, special interest groups, and other powerful influencers—with the specific goal of making sure the government keeps wealth and power flowing from the many to the few.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2020
About the author
Phil Harvey
12 books33 followers
Phil Harvey’s fiction has appeared in twenty-two literary magazines, including Phantasmagoria, which nominated one of his stories for a Pushcart Prize, and Antietam Review, which named another the winner of its annual contest. Most recently his work has appeared in The MacGuffin, Natural Bridge, and the Dos Passos Review.
Harvey’ nonfiction includes: Let Every Child Be Wanted, which drew praise from former President Jimmy Carter; Government Creep, which, as one reviewer noted, “proves that government has invaded virtually every nook and cranny of our lives,” and The Government vs. Erotica, which Publishers Weekly and Booklist praised, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Roundtable nominated as the year’s best book on intellectual freedom, and Media Coalition called “a frightening, enlightening story.”
By day, Phil Harvey is president of DKT International, a non-profit family planning and AIDS prevention organization, and president and majority shareholder of Adam & Eve, a mail-order business that sells sexually oriented books and films. He lives with his wife, Harriet Lesser, in Cabin John, Maryland. He is stepfather and grandfather to several very promising kids. He welcomes emails from readers who have serious and thoughtful questions about any of his stories, novels or books.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 19, 2020
Impeccably researched, authors Phil Harvey and Lisa Conyers point out the absurdity of poor and middle class taxpayers supporting the wealthy through special tax breaks. Thankfully, the book doesn't read like a treatise on taxes - it's a collection of stories showing harm done to the average person and why this outrageous alliance between government and big business continues to exist. It's about eliminating competition so the benefits accrue to few, while spreading the costs amongst many.
The authors aren't shy about naming names, offering opinions and - most important - providing ideas for how the little guy can get involved in combatting the issue. If you think there's nothing you can do... well, that's just what the lobbyists, government officials and corporate welfare recipients want you to think. Read the book and get active!
The authors aren't shy about naming names, offering opinions and - most important - providing ideas for how the little guy can get involved in combatting the issue. If you think there's nothing you can do... well, that's just what the lobbyists, government officials and corporate welfare recipients want you to think. Read the book and get active!
October 8, 2020
What a controversial book this will be for some people! Welfare for the Rich’s promising cover caught my attention as soon as I took a glance of it on the kindle store, especially when I read How Your Tax Dollars End Up in Millionaires' Pockets—And What You Can Do About It since I am pretty sure we have all thought about this at some point in our lives.
Authors Phil Harvey and Lisa Conyers are able to skillfully give account of how governments pass laws that may end up selfishly benefiting the wealthy themselves, either by special favors, subsidies, grants, among others. The theory presented in this book is backed up by graphs and pie charts, which definitely help readers picture this reality in their minds.
The main aim of the narrative is to inform Americans, especially taxpayers, how their money ends up in richer people’s hands. Even though the main target is Americans, I believe readers from other countries can find this book beneficial. Totally recommended!
Authors Phil Harvey and Lisa Conyers are able to skillfully give account of how governments pass laws that may end up selfishly benefiting the wealthy themselves, either by special favors, subsidies, grants, among others. The theory presented in this book is backed up by graphs and pie charts, which definitely help readers picture this reality in their minds.
The main aim of the narrative is to inform Americans, especially taxpayers, how their money ends up in richer people’s hands. Even though the main target is Americans, I believe readers from other countries can find this book beneficial. Totally recommended!
March 31, 2021
This was well researched and well argued. My only issue is that it had a clearly ideological bias and it omitted important information. I’m very familiar with OSHA and EPA regulations and I know for a fact that both agencies provide free compliance assistance to small businesses and reduced fines based on employer size and income. Discussing how much regulatory agencies beat up on small business, without bringing this up, seems disingenuous to me. In fact, it made me a bit more skeptical about all of the other arguments he raised, which cover systems I am less familiar with.
October 9, 2020
Welfare for the Rich: How your Tax Dollars End Up in Millionaires’ Pockets is an amazing book written by Lisa Conyers and Phil Harvey.
I really enjoyed reading this piece of work that describes and analyses the ways in which the government provides help to the citizens such as subsidies, credits and so on.
It is thorough but simple at the same time. It makes it easy for people with no previous education and not much experience to learn about this topic. I felt that the book is well structured and very helpful since it contains valuable information.
I have been searching for a book like this for months. The information that it contains has been presented to me many times, but never in such a digestible and simple format. I definitely learned things here that I didn't learn in other books.
Its 301 pages are full of details that really caught my attention and I found it hard to put it down.
Without any hesitation, I give this excellent book a 5-star recommendation!
I really enjoyed reading this piece of work that describes and analyses the ways in which the government provides help to the citizens such as subsidies, credits and so on.
It is thorough but simple at the same time. It makes it easy for people with no previous education and not much experience to learn about this topic. I felt that the book is well structured and very helpful since it contains valuable information.
I have been searching for a book like this for months. The information that it contains has been presented to me many times, but never in such a digestible and simple format. I definitely learned things here that I didn't learn in other books.
Its 301 pages are full of details that really caught my attention and I found it hard to put it down.
Without any hesitation, I give this excellent book a 5-star recommendation!
October 8, 2020
Read this book if you want to know where your taxes money goes!
Taxes. No one can’t avoid paying them. Or shouldn’t! But, where does all the money go? How does the system work?
In Welfare for the Rich, the writers Phil Harvey and Lisa Conyers answer all these - and much more- unanswered questions.
The book contains simple, explanatory graphics that help any average reader like me to fully understand how the economy works.
The details and topics explained in this book are not only informational but also thought-provoking. This is because next time you find yourself calculating your taxes, you will do them with the words of this book in your head.
The language that the authors used allows any reader to easily comprehend the ideas developed. Even if you don’t know a lot about numbers, you will be able to read the story.
I strongly recommend this book to all current and future tax-payers.
Taxes. No one can’t avoid paying them. Or shouldn’t! But, where does all the money go? How does the system work?
In Welfare for the Rich, the writers Phil Harvey and Lisa Conyers answer all these - and much more- unanswered questions.
The book contains simple, explanatory graphics that help any average reader like me to fully understand how the economy works.
The details and topics explained in this book are not only informational but also thought-provoking. This is because next time you find yourself calculating your taxes, you will do them with the words of this book in your head.
The language that the authors used allows any reader to easily comprehend the ideas developed. Even if you don’t know a lot about numbers, you will be able to read the story.
I strongly recommend this book to all current and future tax-payers.
August 16, 2023
Yeah, who knew? The rich are the biggest welfare kings and queens out here. I'm shocked. Appalled. Not really...👎
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews