About this product: Do you ever wonder if there’s a connection between the corruption scandals in the news and the steady decline in the quality of life for millions of Americans?
Do you ever wonder what corporations get for the millions of dollars they pour into the American political system?
Do you ever think the government has been hijacked by forces hostile to average Americans?
Do you ever want to fight back?
Millions of Americans lack health care and millions more struggle to afford it. Politicians claim they care, then pass legislation that just sends more cash to the HMOs. Wages have been stagnant for thirty years, even as corporate profits skyrocket. Politicians say they want to fix the problem and then pass bills written by lobbyists that drive wages even lower and punish those crushed by debt. Jobs are being shipped overseas, pensions are being cut, and energy is becoming unaffordable. And our government, more concerned about maintaining its corporate sponsorship than protecting its citizens, does nothing about it.
In Hostile Takeover, David Sirota, a major new voice in American politics, seeks to open the eyes of ordinary Americans to the fact that corporate interests have undermined democracy, aided and abetted by their lackeys in our allegedly representative government. At a time when more and more of America’s major political leaders are being indicted or investigated for corruption, Sirota takes readers on a journey that shows how all of this nefarious behavior happened right under our noses—and how the high-profile scandals are merely one product of a political system and debate wholly owned by Big Money interests. Sirota considers major public issues that feel intractable—like spiraling health care costs, the outsourcing of jobs, the inequities of the tax code, and out-of-control energy prices—and shows how in each case workable solutions are buried under the lies of lobbyists, the influence of campaign cash, and the ubiquitous spin machine financed by Big Business.
With fiery passion, pinpoint wit, and lucid analysis, Hostile Takeover reveals the true enemies of reform and their increasingly sophisticated—and hostile—tactics. It’s an essential guidebook for those of us tired of the government selling us out—and determined to take our country back.
About this product: In the 24th century, humans have built a star-spanning Confederacy that encompasses 83 worlds-plus one. The 84th planet is Bakunin, where power belongs to whoever can seize it. With no taxes, no antitrust laws, and no governing body, it's the perfect home base for mega-corporations and criminals.
About this product: "This book examines the effects of hostile takeovers, their impact on regional economies and industries, and the policy implications of such takeovers for both the corporation and the public sector. The book's contributors present arguments for and against corporate takeovers, identifying both the strong and weak points on each side. Then, they consider economic, legal, ethical and geographical issues--particularly interregional issues, legal difficulties involving different levels of governement, and interstate differences." Pension World
About this product: Fascinating as the corporate takeovers of recent years have been--with their "golden parachutes" and junk bonds, "greenmailers" and white knights--it is far from clear what underlying forces are at work, and what their long-term consequences will be. Debate over these questions has become polarized: some see takeover threats as disciplinary mechanisms that induce managers to behave efficiently and move assets to higher valued uses or into the hands of more efficient managers; others claim that corporate raiders have produced few observable increases in operating efficiency, but rather have disrupted business planning, enforced a preoccupation with the short-term, and tilted the balance sheets of corporate America towards dangerously high debt levels. Such sharp conflicts in theory and evidence have produced considerable governmental confusion concerning the appropriate policy response. Scores of bills have been introduced in Congress, but legislators are no more in agreement than scholars.
Knights, Raiders, and Targets represents one of the first sustained efforts to refine and clarify these issues. Based on papers presented at a symposium sponsored by the Columbia Law School's Center for Law and Economic Studies, it also includes discussion of the informal presentations made at the symposium by the CEOs of several major corporations. This important book airs new theories and offers vital and exciting discussion of the essential issues attached to an event that has become central to American corporate culture.
About this product: Written by the first woman director of the Gillette Company, this is an exciting first-hand account of Gillette's successful fight against four hostile takeover efforts during the late 1980s. After a brief, insightful history of the company and the growth of its world-famous products--Gillette razors and blades; Braun coffee machines and electric razors; Oral-B toothbrushes; Paper Mate, Waterman, and Parker pens; and cosmetics--the author tells the inside story of Ronald Perelman's three attempts and the Coniston Partners' one attempt to take over Gillette. Ricardo-Campbell, who chaired Gillette's Finance Committee during this period, provides a fascinating look at the ensuing proxy battles and other intricate financial maneuvers. Combining academic theory and first-hand experience in its discussion of topics such as greenmail and poison pills, this work also features such world-renowned corporate figures as Warren Buffett, Joe Flom, and Eric Gleacher.
A longtime critic of hostile cash takeovers of large corporations, Edmund Kelly believed that if the organized insincerity of advisors and corporate control entrepreneurs in the tight knit takeover community was told, this alone would contribute to a decline in the acceptance of the hostile bid as an acquisition method. Copies of The Takeover Dialogues were purchased primarily in 1988 by investment and commercial banking and corporate law firms, executives and business libraries. Prominent uninvited cash takeover bids averaged 17 a year for the period 1985 - 1988. There were 6 in 1989 and 2 in 1990. For the years 1991 -1999 they averaged 1.2 a year. In these carefully reasoned dialogues, Edmund Kelly also examines the impact of corporate raids on the business community and society. Kelly believes the ideal corporation translates capital and human energy into a community service institution that is ultimately greater than the sum of its parts.
This book raises important questions of public policy about issues affecting the institutions upon which we all depend for our continued prosperity. It is important reading for anyone concerned about the future of corporate business in a capitalistic society.
CC Williams is a financial analyst who's on the fast track of life and is determined to stay there. She clawed her way out of the hell of the powerless underclass and keeps herself grimly focused, with nightmares of either being frozen into a shipsicle and sent to the Outer Rim or dying slowly as the authorities harvest her limbs and other body part to pay off the massive debts she accrued getting where she is.
When the multi-planetary company she works for sends CC to audit the far flung Vesta Colony to learn why assets keep hemorrhaging away, she knows this is her big chance to make the Ultimate Career Move and be finally free.
Vesta turns out to be unlike anything CC has ever seen and the deeper she delves, the more twisted things get until her life--not to mention her career--hangs in the balance. CC finds herself confronting not just insider trading and fraud, but attempted murder as well. Who's at fault? She's got a colony of suspects, including old friends, old rivals, and a dashing EarthServ pilot who knows a whole lot more about CC and her world than he's letting on.
Will CC find out in time--or will the takeover she fears turn not just hostile but deadly?
About this product: The destruction of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) as a cooperative and united fellowship of more than 16 million Baptists over more than 25 years by the actions and spirit of fundamentalist leaders can be compared to the 9/11 destruction delivered in one morning to the World Trade Center towers. The grave difference is that the 9/11 masterminds were sworn enemies of the United States. Their intention was to cause as much death and destruction as possible. The masterminds of the destruction of the unity and fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention were Paige Patterson and Paul Pressler, a theologian and a judge, two Southern Baptist insiders who betrayed the SBC and all it has stood for for more than 150 years. Further, the destruction of the unity and fellowship of Southern Baptists is worse than the Enron and WorldCom scandals because it was led by deceitful Baptist leaders who conducted their crusade under the themes of "believe the Bible" and "a high view of Scripture." In reality it was, and still is, perhaps the biggest hoax ever attempted by some Baptists against other Baptists. Author John W. Merritt served as a Southern Baptist missionary in Europe for 34 years. He was in "the eye of the storm" when the aggression of fundamentalist Southern Baptist trustees took their movement to Europe. In his book, and in his talks, Merritt documents their deceit. In this important, historic and difficult book, Merritt clarifies who calls and sends missionaries and under whose authority they live and work. He presents 10 arguments that the SBC fundamentalist movement is "another gospel" and offers five proposals to churches to help them regain their autonomy under the authority of Christ. He also offers a new vision for a new future for Southern Baptists. Merritt writes that church communities must participate in fair, free and open forums of discussion on the Bible to overcome the divisions and bring unity to the Baptist churches, associations and Convention. The Betrayal makes a compelling case, using clear, strong, and timely examples, that the Southern Baptist Convention is in desperate need of new leadership, including new trustees, new heads of boards, seminaries and agencies. All of these should know the difference between good and evil and courageously practice the good.
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