Blog Archives
Society’s Inequality
Hijacked connects deregulation, corporate consolidation, political influence, and inequality in a sweeping examination of how economic power can become political power and what you believe citizens can do about it. Why did you choose Hijacked as the title?
The business community, for at least the past fifty years, has been the prime mover behind all the changes you list in your question, functioning through a multiplicity of funds, agencies, think tanks, lobbying, and organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable. The Constitution was written by our founding fathers as a new kind of government, a government that rejected aristocracy and kingship, that argued that all men are created equal. In the 1950s and 1960s, we were growing closer to realizing that initiative. It strikes me that over the past fifty years, the corporate elite have hijacked our country and taken it down an entirely different, dangerous, and damaging path.
You begin by examining what inequality actually means, and acknowledge that some economic inequality is inevitable. Where do you believe inequality becomes harmful to a democratic society?
A society’s inequality becomes harmful when that inequality harms a significant number of its citizens. Disinterested rational folks can argue about whether that is two tenths of a percent, two percent, five percent, or ten percent of the population, depending on their view about minority rights. But today, when the harm is to more than ninety percent of the population, with a small minority responsible for the damage, inequality has been out of control for at least thirty years and is becoming more so by the month.
Hijacked examines healthcare, housing, education, finance, agriculture, transportation, media, privacy, science, the arts, and many other areas. What did examining them together reveal that studying them separately might not?
I am not an expert in every area. In fact, to begin with, I did not know for sure when the problems I was identifying had started, nor how extensive they were. I discovered that, in nearly every field, the problem began in the mid to late 1970s, and that the impact was pervasive, with very few occupations or disciplines escaping the changes corporations were introducing. I discovered that it wasn’t just that money was becoming the only thing that mattered that if an activity was not remunerative, it did not get addressed properly. It was that the new focus was destroying our society.
After spending so much of the book diagnosing problems, why was it important to conclude with a proposed path forward, and what role do you envision ordinary citizens playing in the reforms you propose?
Clearly, telling people what was happening without providing a practical solution would be unkind and also inaccurate. We do still have the opportunity to vote into office people who are incorruptible and focused on helping the people that vote for them. The major issue is trust. So many promises have been broken that citizens are understandably suspicious of all new promises. Most ordinary citizens don’t have the time to devote to active support of an alternative party, but those who do can poll and represent those who don’t. And the biggest role for ordinary citizens would be to express their wishes and their views. Any viable new party, and any viable new politicians, will need to ask them what they think, by e-mail, on social media, in focus groups, and/or text messages, etc., and respond with policies that represent them. One can imagine that when a bill comes to a committee or comes up in Congress for a vote, the representatives would poll their constituents and vote as they wish–ignoring the lobbyists, pressure groups, and visits from CEOs, because government is supposed to be of, by, and for the people.
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In Hijacked, Alan Cohen provides a diagnosis to elucidate America’ s shift from a nation “of, by, and for the people” to one dominated by corporate interests, financial elites, and entrenched oligarchies. Through vivid case studies—from the corporatization of medicine to the consolidation and monopolization of finance, agriculture, the media, housing, politics, etc. — Cohen exposes the mechanisms that have hollowed out our democracy while prioritizing profit over citizens’ well-being.
But diagnosis is only the first step. Cohen outlines a path to recovery: a new, transparent, and decentralized political movement capable of restoring equality, opportunity, and the practical problem-solving spirit envisioned by the Founding Fathers.
Hijacked is both a wake-up call and a roadmap for citizens ready to reclaim their country.
Humanity’s Economic Laws
Waterhole Economies re-imagines economic success through the survival-based, ecosystem-conscious lifeways of hunter-gatherers while exposing how profit, surplus, and endless growth can turn modern economies into engines of collapse. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Because human survival, the goal and outcome of pre-agriculture Hunter-Gatherer economies, is no longer the goal and outcome of modern human economies as it was for those 290,000 years of our species’ existence that preceded the Neolithic Revolution and the adoption of agriculture.
Hence, this book focuses on humanity’s post-Neolithic economic choices and how these might well turn out to be de facto choices to go extinct.
Humans must choose to either return to the survival-driven life-ways that enabled humanity’s collapse-free economic existence, or continue its current life-ways and risk extinction.
What first inspired you to use the waterhole as the central image for the book’s economic and ecological arguments?
This is a book about human survival,and that survival model began and took shape around the waterhole.
Waterholes were often the primary sources, if not the only sources of water, and hence were indispensable to all species’ survival – predator and prey alike.
While all species needed to quench their thirst to survive, they also needed to learn that they must be willing to share this indispensable resource with other species in need. It forced species, predator and prey alike, to co-exist, and that to survive they must be willing to share, to live and let live – a survival metaphor modern humanity has long abandoned.
From an economic perspective, though indispensable for survival, waterholes were freely available to all species – from the industrious dung beetle to the massive elephant – from those who merely needed a sip to those who needed multiple gallons at a time.
We learn that products and services that are essential for life and survival (food sources, water, sunshine, oxygen, as well as airconditioning in these scorching days, while they would be in high demand, were never intended to be governed by humanity’s economic laws of supply and demand, nor have their availability manipulated by pricing mechanisms – but rather were intended to be freely available and shared, not monopolized by any single species as is commonplace among modern human economic systems.
Here is where the economic principles of the market, demand and supply, fall apart. The economics of the waterhole leaves no room for the economics of Adam Smith et al.
Today, modern human economies utilize resource scarcity to manipulate demand and supply, as is being done with petroleum products. On the contrary, the economics of the waterhole taught species that sharing enabled survival, whereas hoarding drove economic collapse and death.
Hence our pre-agriculture hunter-gatherer forebears learned that freely sharing the Earth’s resources enabled theirs, as well as all Earth-life species’ survival.
How can modern societies adopt the principles of sharing, restraint, and coexistence without romanticizing hunter-gatherer life?
The principles of sharing, restraint, and coexistence, though practiced by hunter-gatherers more than likely may not have begun entirely with them.
Rather, these life-ways were more than likely practiced by other Earth-life species, the majority of whom predated humanity.
Humans then were the Johnny-come-latelys, and more than likely, adopted most of these life-ways from other biodiversity species that predated them. So romanticizing Hunter-gatherer life might well be little more than humanity crowing for the home team.
Modern humans can also adopt these life-ways by imitating their pre-agriculture hunter-gatherer forebears, the way they, more than likely, imitated the life-ways of other earth-life species that preceded them.
Which present-day economic practice do you believe poses the greatest threat to long-term human survival?
Farming to grow food and burning fossil fuels to generate energy pose the greatest threats.
Farming and agriculture began soon after the Neolithic Revolution and have become one of the greatest threats to human survival. To adopt agriculture was to declare war on nature, on Earth’s ecosystems and biodiversity that comprise the very foundations of life, and has led to the extinction of innumerable Earth-life species.
Similarly, the use of fossil fuels as an energy source generates greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that trap and enable the buildup of heat in Earth’s atmosphere- which, in turn, is driving global warming and potentially human extinction.
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Ninety-seven percent of the time Homo sapiens lived on Earth, or until about 12,000 years ago, all peoples were foragers of wild food, living a type of subsistence lifestyle in economies that relied on hunting and fishing animals, foraging for wild vegetation and other nutrients, and converging around waterholes to slake their thirst. Their economies required a daily pursuit and collection of wild foods to make a living, collecting numerous species over whose reproduction and sustenance they had no control.
And yet, they were the only human economies that persisted without collapse for 97 percent of our species’ existence, and somehow managed to do so for those 290,000 years mostly without ravaging the planet’s habitats and ecosystems and destroying its biodiversity, nor threatening the pre-agriculture hunter-gatherer societies that relied upon them to make a living, with risks of a potential extinction the way twenty-first century economies are threatening humans today.
It bears asking (don’t you think?): Is there something our pre-agriculture hunter-gatherer forebears knew about how to make a living and survive on this Earth, without destroying its ecosystems and biodiversity, that Neolithic Revolution through twenty-first century humans, notwithstanding all our accumulated knowledge, science, technologies, innovations, and supposed superiority – still don’t get? Clearly, the answer must be yes. But what?
Join me in exploring what modern humans may have forgotten.
There Once Was an Idea Called America
Richard Daniel McCann’s There Once Was an Idea Called America is a forceful examination of what the author sees as the gradual dismantling of the nation’s economic, political, and cultural foundations. McCann’s central concern is that America has drifted away from the principles that once supported its constitutional republic, including national sovereignty, individual liberty, religious faith, strong families, private ownership, and a thriving middle class. Rather than treating the country’s problems as isolated controversies, he presents them as interconnected parts of a larger struggle over what America will become.
The book begins with the economic pressures facing the middle class, tracing the effects of deindustrialization, corporate consolidation, automation, stagnant wages, political neglect, and the movement of jobs overseas. McCann connects economic insecurity to the growing influence of corporations, lobbyists, wealthy donors, and the military-industrial establishment. His discussion of campaign financing, Citizens United, super PACs, dark money, and the revolving door between government and lobbying gives the book one of its strongest through lines. Whether discussing Democratic or Republican administrations, he argues that ordinary citizens increasingly compete against powerful institutions with far greater access to elected officials.
From there, McCann turns to national sovereignty and freedom of expression. He views uncontrolled immigration, international governing bodies, foreign military commitments, and open-border policies as threats to the country’s ability to determine its own future. His chapter on free speech expands the argument into universities, school boards, corporations, government agencies, and social media platforms. The examples involving cancel culture, campus speech restrictions, online censorship, book bans, and political pressure show that his concern isn’t confined to one institution. His writing is direct and urgent, and he makes it clear that protecting disagreeable speech is essential to preserving meaningful debate.
The later chapters focus on journalism, education, religion, crime, gender politics, abortion, and the stability of the American family. McCann believes news organizations have traded impartial reporting for political advocacy, creating a public that no longer trusts the information it receives. He writes with the same intensity about cultural issues, particularly parental authority, Christian faith, public education, and traditional family structures. At times, the rapid movement between subjects and the consistently confrontational language can make the analysis feel more like an extended warning than a measured investigation. Still, the book’s organization, extensive references, historical context, and consistent viewpoint give readers a clear understanding of the author’s position and the values he hopes to defend.
There Once Was an Idea Called America will appeal most to readers concerned about political corruption, globalism, free speech, border security, media bias, family values, and the future of American democracy. It’s particularly suited to conservative readers, independent voters, students of contemporary politics, and anyone interested in arguments for restoring national identity and civic responsibility. As a work of conservative political nonfiction, American political commentary, cultural criticism, and social issues analysis, the book offers a passionate call for citizens to protect constitutional government, rebuild domestic institutions, and take a more active role in shaping the nation’s future.
Pages: 172 | ISBN : 978-1608628971
Influence, Governance, and Accountability
Our Next 250 Years is a wide-ranging civic examination of American democracy, framed by the notion that democracy isn’t sustained by sentiment alone. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Democracy is one of the most successful forms of government ever created, but success in the past does not guarantee success in the future. America today faces challenges that the Founders could not have anticipated, including a population more than one hundred times larger, a vastly more complex economy, rapid technological change, and institutions operating at a scale never before imagined.
I wrote this book because I believe citizens should periodically step back and ask whether the systems that served previous generations are still serving us as effectively as possible. Too much public discussion focuses on personalities, parties, and daily controversies. I wanted to focus on the underlying structures of representation, influence, governance, and accountability that shape outcomes regardless of who holds office.
The goal is not to criticize democracy, but to strengthen it by encouraging thoughtful examination of how it can continue to serve citizens over the next 250 years.
How do you define meaningful political influence for ordinary citizens in a modern democracy?
Meaningful political influence exists when citizens have a realistic ability to affect public policy and government decisions through lawful democratic processes. Voting is an important part of that influence, but it is not the only part.
Citizens should be able to communicate their concerns, organize around shared interests, participate in public debate, and reasonably expect that elected representatives remain responsive to the people they serve. Influence does not mean always getting one’s preferred outcome. In a democracy, disagreement is inevitable. It means having a voice that can be heard and a system that remains accountable to the public.
As societies grow larger and more complex, preserving that connection between citizens and decision-makers becomes increasingly challenging. One of the central questions explored in the book is whether existing institutions continue to provide that connection as effectively as they once did.
Why do you think many citizens feel politically powerless even while living in a democracy?
Many citizens feel politically powerless because modern government operates on a scale that is difficult for individuals to comprehend, let alone influence. Decisions affecting millions of people are often made within large institutions, bureaucracies, regulatory agencies, courts, and legislative bodies that can seem distant from everyday life.
At the same time, citizens are exposed to a constant stream of political information, much of it focused on conflict, controversy, and problems that appear beyond individual control. This can create the impression that participation has little effect.
Whether that perception is entirely accurate is less important than the fact that it exists. A democracy depends on citizens believing their participation matters. If large numbers of people conclude that their voices no longer make a difference, civic engagement declines and trust in institutions weakens.
One purpose of this book is to examine why that perception has developed and to explore ways democratic systems might be strengthened so citizens can maintain confidence that their participation still matters.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from Our Next 250 Years?
More than anything, I hope readers come away with a renewed appreciation for the importance of thoughtful citizenship. Democracies do not sustain themselves. They depend on informed, engaged citizens who are willing to think critically about the challenges facing their nation and the institutions that govern it.
The book does not attempt to tell readers what to think or which political positions to adopt. Instead, it encourages them to examine important questions about representation, influence, accountability, governance, and the long-term future of American democracy.
I also hope every reader makes a commitment to vote in every election. Voting remains one of the most important responsibilities of citizenship, and every election helps shape the future direction of our communities, states, and nation. Beyond voting, I hope readers discuss these issues with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. A healthy democracy depends on citizens who are willing to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and help build a more informed electorate.
If the book encourages readers to become more knowledgeable voters, more active participants in civic life, and more thoughtful stewards of America’s future, then it will have achieved its purpose. The next 250 years of American democracy will be shaped not only by elected leaders, but by millions of citizens who choose to stay informed, stay engaged, and take seriously their role in self-government.
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In Our Next 250 Years: Representation and Influence, Charles Patton examines how America’s system of representation has drifted from its original purpose. As the population grew and institutions evolved, the connection between citizens and their elected officials weakened. At the same time, organized influence—through money, lobbying, and privileged access—expanded its role inside government.
The result is a system in which influence often outweighs representation.
Drawing on history, constitutional design, and modern political realities, this book explores how that shift occurred and why restoring meaningful representation is essential to the future of American democracy.
Representation and Influence is the first volume in the Our Next 250 Years series.
It’s NOT Just About Money
The Leader Connection – The Foundation dives deep into the human side of leadership, covering topics like empathy, communication, adaptability, and the nuances of eight distinct leadership styles, as well as providing actionable strategies for leaders. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Observing the current discussions and insights about labor, staffing shortages, and turnover, I felt compelled to share my journey and passion with a broader audience.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about leadership and employee connection?
It’s only about the money!
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
1. Understand Your Leadership Style
2. The Importance of Your Role in Building Connections and Enhancing Culture
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The Leader Connection – The Foundation?
The book serves as a crucial resource for both novice and seasoned leaders, offering valuable insights to help achieve success.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
THE LEADER CONNECTION
The book dives deep into the human side of leadership. It is part reflection and part manual, weaving together Parker’s personal journey with practical advice. He covers empathy, communication, adaptability, and the nuances of eight distinct leadership styles. The core message is clear. Leadership is not about authority. It is about building trust, connection, and growth within a team. Through stories, frameworks, and exercises, Parker paints a picture of leadership as a living relationship between people rather than a system of control.
Reading this, I felt drawn to Parker’s honesty. He doesn’t pretend to have been a perfect leader, and that humility makes the lessons hit harder. The mix of memoir and guide felt refreshing. Some moments, especially when he shared about his father, his son, or his own missteps, carried a warmth that made me pause. The book sometimes lists traits and challenges like lecture notes. The sincerity behind it kept me engaged, and I found myself reflecting on my own experiences with bosses who inspired connection versus those who drained it.
What stood out most for me was how personal and vulnerable his approach is. I appreciated the balance between theory and story. The chapters on servant leadership and authentic leadership especially struck a chord. They reminded me that good leadership often looks less like grand gestures and more like quiet acts of service. It reads like someone thinking aloud after a long career, eager to pass on everything they’ve learned.
I would recommend The Leader Connection to managers who are tired of dry business texts and want something more human. It’s also a good pick for anyone stepping into leadership for the first time and looking for guidance that feels grounded rather than academic. Parker doesn’t promise easy answers. What he offers instead is a lived-in, heartfelt reminder that leadership is about people, and that connection is what makes the work worthwhile.
Pages: 186 | ASIN : B0FN1VV122
Understanding Economics
Why You Should Give a Damn About Economics a passionate and plainspoken call to action aimed squarely at the average American voter to help them understand how government spending and economic principles shape their daily lives. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Most citizens have not had basic economics, and it is important for them to understand that in order to understand the economic policies we are following and the dangers we face. So, part II delved into the key issues and severe problems that most people do not think about. We must get there attention and hope they will recognize the serious nature of our economic problems, AND let their elected representatives know they want it fixed.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Basic economics first, both micro and macro in an easy-to-understand condensed version but covering all the major topics. Then introduce the problems in a way that they can relate to and understand. I try to get across how serious the problems are and what we can do about them.
What is one thing about economics in politics and its impact on the average American that you think is misrepresented in the media?
The bias is widespread, and it leans left in almost all cases. I want them to understand good economic policies beget good results, and our out-of-control spending to buy votes, is killing this country. Limited Government + fiscal restraint + reasonable regulations will get us back to growth and prosperity, as we used to have it.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Why You Should Give a Damn About Economics?
Our spending is out of control and the deficits will eventually destroy this country for our kids and grandkids. Our debts today are around $37 trillion and moving in 10 years to nearly $70 trillion if we stay on our current course. That will destroy us. But the politicians are focused on the next election, not the next generation, so they do anything to get elected, and if we are uninformed about the consequences, we will keep supporting them as they buy our votes with endless give-a-ways.
America is facing a fiscal crisis. The accumulating national debt now reaches into the tens of trillions—and shows no end in sight. Meanwhile, our leaders in Washington have done little to mitigate this threat. In Why You Should Give a Damn About Economics, business executive and former CPA Leslie A. Rubin explains why this pressing issue matters to every American.
In simple, straightforward language, Rubin explains how national economics affects our daily lives. He aptly outlines the basics of US economic policy, the crisis we face today—and both the pitfalls and benefits of proposed solutions. A concise but comprehensive handbook, Why You Should Give a Damn About Economics provides the tools we need to disarm the debt bomb before it’s too late.
Why You Should Give a Damn About Economics: The US Debt Crisis and Your Future
After reading Why You Should Give a Damn About Economics by Leslie A. Rubin, I found it to be a passionate and plainspoken call to action aimed squarely at the average American voter. The book is split into two parts. The first explains foundational economics concepts like supply and demand, fiscal and monetary policy, and different types of economic systems, all in accessible terms. The second half focuses on the United States’ growing national debt, the dangers of inflation, entitlement programs, and governmental inefficiencies. Rubin argues that an uninformed electorate is a key reason behind poor economic policy, and he believes that basic economic literacy is the only way to correct our course.
Rubin is not an academic economist, and that turns out to be one of the book’s strengths. He writes like a concerned citizen, not like someone trying to prove his intellect. The tone is direct and sometimes emotional. There are moments when the fear of economic collapse feels almost like a doomsday warning, but Rubin keeps it grounded with historical context and real-world examples. He even manages to inject humor through little sidebars and “KISSEs” (Keep It Simple, Stupid Examples), which made me smile more than once.
Rubin clearly emphasizes concerns about government overreach, and he makes an effort to stay nonpartisan. His perspective brings a clear and focused argument, though readers from different viewpoints might see things differently. His tone throughout carries a strong sense of urgency, especially when discussing the national debt and entitlement spending. At times, it feels intense, but it comes from a place of concern and care for the country’s future. His passion is clear, and his message is meant to prompt action.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who feels left out of economic conversations or overwhelmed by jargon-filled debates on fiscal policy. It’s especially helpful for young adults, new voters, or anyone who wants to understand how government spending and economic principles shape their daily lives. If you’re someone who’s been tuning out because economics sounds boring or too complicated, this book might change your mind.
Pages: 202 | ASIN : B0CY2W2J6H
