Pigs at the Trough

Whofilledthetrough?Whosetthetableatthebanquetofgreed?HowhasitbeenpossibleforcorporatepigstogorgethemselvesongrosslyinflatedpaypackagesandheapinghelpingsofstockoptionswhiletheaverageAmericanstrugglestomakedowiththeirleftovers?ProvocativepoliticalcommentatorAriannaHuffingtonyanksbackthecurtainontheunholyallianceofCEOs,politicians,lobbyists,andWallStreetbankerswhohaveshownabrutaldisregardforthoseintheofficecubiclesandonthefactoryfloors.Assheputsit:"Theeconomicgameisnotsupposedtoberiggedlikesomeshadyringtossonacarnivalmidway."Yetithasbeen,allowingcorporatecrookstobilkthepublicoutoftrillionsofdollars,magicallymakingourpensionsand401(k)sdisappearandwalkingawaywithastronomicalpayoutsandabsurdlylavishperks-for-life.Themediahaveputtheirfingersonpiecesofthesordidpuzzle,butPigsattheTroughpresentsthewholeuglypictureofwhat'sreallygoingonforthefirsttime—ablistering,wickedlywittyportraitofexactlyhowandwhytheworstandthegreediestarerunningAmericanbusinessandgovernmentintotheground.Tyco'sDennisKozlowski,Adelphia'sJohnRigas,andtheThreeHorsemenoftheEnronApocalypse—KenLay,JeffSkilling,andAndrewFastow—arenotjustafewbadapples.Theyaremanifestationsofamegatrendincorporateleadership—theriseofacallousandavariciousmind-setthatiswildlyoutofwhackwiththecorevaluesoftheaverageAmerican.WorldCom,Enron,Adelphia,Tyco,AOL,Xerox,MerrillLynch,andtheotherscandalsareonlythetipofthetipofthecorruptioniceberg.Makingthecasethatourpublicwatchdogshavebecomelittlemorethanobedientlapdogs,unwillingtobitethecorporatehandthatfeedsthem,AriannaHuffingtonturnsthespotlightonthetoughreformswemustdemandfromWashington.Weneed,sheargues,togowaybeyondthelameCorporateResponsibilityActifwearetostopthevoraciouscorporatepredatorsfromeatingawayattheveryfoundationsofourdemocracy.Devastatinglyfunnyandpowerfullyindicting,PigsattheTroughisarousingcalltoarmsandamust-readforallthosewhoareoutragedbythescandalousstateofcorporateAmerica.