Rating: 
Summary: Must Read For All
Review: This book should be read by every American from all walks of life. This is an issue that affects us all. These issues are relevant and real, and every single one of us feels the influences and consequences of them in our everyday lives. Objective, balanced, and brilliantly written, this book is very conveniently organized. In addition to the table of contents, throughout the book there are topics in bold face, introducing the subject to come. One does not have to read this book from front-to-back if they don't want to, but can jump around. This is not an "esoteric" piece of work at all, and the many facts and factual tidbits are very interesting. A lot of research and time was obviously put into this book. It begins with the historical preface our nation. What was the Boston Tea Party really about? The move for independence? The Bill of Rights? 14th Amendment? One can learn of many factual occurrences that took place in the past and are happening in the present. It progresses up to our current year, discussing the recent scandals of companies like Enron etc. This is not a "gloom and doom" book at all but an objective overview, and Hartmann gives specific and realistic actions that can be taken to move us back on track. Recent examples of legal actions taken by communities of average citizens from middle-America are noted and explained. Being well-covered and balanced, Hartmann examines and clearly explains the causes, actions, and consequences covering a wide array of issues such as free-trade, globalization, the media, privacy, judicial decisions, human rights, corporate behavior, recent corporate scandals, domestic and international politics, and Congressional and state legislation, and regulations. This book can be helpful, interesting and informative, for folks who have an interest in some, or all of these areas. Yet, it's also written for the layman, or casual observer of these recent events we've been exposed to by the (sleeping) media in recent years. There is plenty of flavor in this book. This is one of the books that are equal to Korten's "When Corporations Rule the World," and other well-read books about this realm of our contemporary lives. Must read for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Buy It; Read It, and Let's Roll!
Review: This book tells the truth about America today. It is a call for a peaceful revolution. Hartmann details every milepost along the way from colonial America to today in the transformation of our country from the intentions of Jefferson, Madison, Washington, and Adams into the worst nightmare of Alexis de Tocqueville, expressed in 1835-- from a government of the people, by the people, and for the people to one of fascistic neo-feudalism presided over by huge corporations.
But...lest one be totally demoralized by these facts, Hartmann provides a common sense roadmap by which humans can once again assert control over government and the corporate hijackers who have pirated away true freedom as envisioned by the founders.
This book is a manifesto for putting America back on track. There should be a well-read copy in every home with thinking Americans everywhere joining in a grass roots campaign to take back our heritage, our freedom, and our birthright.
Buy it; read it, and let's roll!
Rating:
Summary: American Revolution Redux
Review: This composition is easy to read and organized. The foundation of the American Revolution is delineated and is systematically built upon as the book progresses. Every page has something informative or insightful regarding our Constitution's genesis, the real intentions of our Founding Fathers and how Coporations have replaced human beings as the benefactors of our constitutional law. Any and every American should have this book. It provides a relevant and long forgotten historical education, currently missing from most high school history and civics classes.
Rating:
Summary: A must read.
Review: This exceptional book will change the way you read the newspaper and understand world events. The author is not against big business or against corporations in general. In fact he claims to have started more than a dozen corporations himself. What he does is to meticulously detail how an 1886 Supreme Court decision's headnote gave modern corporations a tool that can too easily be abused. The subtitle "The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights" is, if anything an under statement. The book is also a refreshing change from those who would attack corporations using exaggerationa and inflamatory rhetoric. Instead, the reader is treated to a methodical analysis of the evolution of corporate rights in America, from the founding of our country to modern times. Indeed, the first third of the book is focused on history, and a fascinating history that makes it hard to put the book down. Like many excellent works the strength of the book is not just in the new information it provides but in the author's ability to draw together disparate strands of things we already know and show their connections. The reader will often find themselves thinking "I never thought of things in that way." In the end I'm less optimistic than the author that the problem can be fixed, but I applaud his efforts.
Rating:
Summary: A must read.
Review: This exceptional book will change the way you read the newspaper and understand world events. The author is not against big business or against corporations in general. In fact he claims to have started more than a dozen corporations himself. What he does is to meticulously detail how an 1886 Supreme Court decision's headnote gave modern corporations a tool that can too easily be abused. The subtitle "The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights" is, if anything an under statement. The book is also a refreshing change from those who would attack corporations using exaggerationa and inflamatory rhetoric. Instead, the reader is treated to a methodical analysis of the evolution of corporate rights in America, from the founding of our country to modern times. Indeed, the first third of the book is focused on history, and a fascinating history that makes it hard to put the book down. Like many excellent works the strength of the book is not just in the new information it provides but in the author's ability to draw together disparate strands of things we already know and show their connections. The reader will often find themselves thinking "I never thought of things in that way." In the end I'm less optimistic than the author that the problem can be fixed, but I applaud his efforts.
Rating:
Summary: PRO-DEMOCRACY, HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF CORPORATE TYRANNY
Review: Thom Hartmann's Unequal Protection: The rise of corporate dominance and theft of human rights could have served as a model for Thomas Jefferson on how America's corporations should have been controlled by the U.S. Constitution. Jefferson sent recommendations, such as including a bill of rights, in letters from Paris to James Madison who was at the constitutional convention in Philadelphia in 1789. If Jefferson could have anticipated that America's corporate genie would some day take over the whole country, he might have passed Hartmann's suggestions on to Madison for putting the genie back into its bottle. At the turn of almost every page of Unequal Protection, there is an undercurrent of restoring Jefferson's dream of an egalitarian democracy, now being usurped by giant corporations in America. The Introduction to Hartmann's book tells us, " ... [it] is about the difference between humans and the corporations we humans have created. The story goes back to the birth of the United States ... this book is about values and beliefs ... I'm visiting stories of democracy and corporate personhood ... (It's amazing what we don't learn about in school) ... I'm suggesting we should put corporations into their rightful context and place ..." The Prologue concludes, "In Pennsylvania's Thompson Township, the Chairman of the elected township supervisors, Bruce Bevins said, 'A person is a living thing and a corporation is not." These are the first shots in a new American Revolution, one that will be fought with petitions and votes instead of guns and troops. It's a revolution to win back democracy." Possibly the best part of this book is saved for last: Part 4: Restoring Democracy As The Founders Imagined It. This is not a Pollyanna collection of feel good, social action proposals but rather hard nosed, practical remedies for using the political and legal American institutions that exist. The recommendations, collected in the appendix, are backed up by well organized, factual information aimed at legally removing personhood from corporations. Filling over fifty pages with interesting and useful information, the appendix appropriately begins with a Postscript that is a verbatim quote of the 1936 acceptance speech in Philadelphia by Franklin Delano Roosevelt upon his nomination for President by the Democratic party. Back then, Roosevelt tried raising the alarm about the "New kingdoms" built upon concentration of control over material things. "Through new uses of corporations, banks and securities - all undreamed of by the [Founding] Fathers - the whole structure of modern life has been impressed into this 'royal' service," he warned. With Unequal Protection, Hartmann has written an important book that deserves to be taken seriously. Even those who consider themselves well read will learn a great deal about the hitherto not well described, but fascinating history of the rise of American corporations. Also, those who value democracy and detest corporate tyranny have to read this book for learning how to reestablish the government for and by the people within our society as was originally intended by the Founders.
Rating:
Summary: Have We Come Full Circle?
Review: To say the bookshelves are flooded with political fodder these days is an understatement. Some blame the state of the nation on "Stupid White Men", others talk about "Winning the War of Liberty over Liberalism". No matter where you look or what you read, the mudslinging is intense. At times, these authors make EMINEM's rap "battles" with gangsters in the movie "8 Mile" look like an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club. Unequal Protection, however, is not one of these books. It is an historical documentary of sorts that traces the history of the corporation and its role in society from the East India Company, through the FORTUNE 500 of today. It examines the people, actions, beliefs, and mistakes that have led to the extreme concentration of power and wealth among a select few global corporations. While laying the foundation for the future of the United States, keeping power in the hands of the people and preventing institutions similar to the East India Company from gaining unlimited economic and political power was one of the key drivers. For many years corporations were kept relatively well in check and responsible to the people and governments that granted them the right to exist. The passage of the 14th amendment, intended to give all persons (not corporations) equal rights, combined with a ruling in single court case that has been mistakenly interpreted to define corporations as "persons" like you and me opened the door to all kinds of crazy claims by corporations. Subsequent claims and court rulings have directly and indirectly granted corporations virtually unbridled power through creative legislation and enabled some to operate with no consequences whatsoever for damaging and deadly actions. "Unequal Protection" also discusses of NAFTA, which appears to have granted corporations the authority to override what people and sovereign nations have determined to be in their own best interest. This may include protecting local jobs and economies, banning Frankenfoods with the potential to disrupt and/or destroy the food supply and outlawing toxic additives or chemicals known to have adverse effects on public health and the environment. The pursuit of profit is a necessary and healthy part of a democracy and free market economy. However, when it is the exclusive focus, to the detriment of the environment, the commons, and the health and well being of the people that make up societies and corporations, its time to take back the reigns. When corporations factor in the human and environmental costs associated with doing business and can be held accountable for their actions will real change begin. Through the acceptance of corporations as persons in the legal sense, we've come full circle to facilitate and reward the types of actions and behaviors of the East India Company that this country originally fought so hard to get away from. Unequal Protection is an outstanding work. It's history with a perspective, but does not in any way sink to the political mudslinging ways of other books that may be classified in a similar category.
Rating: 
Summary: Marxist Garbage
Review: Typical Marxist nonsense wrapped in a neat little package for socialists to love. I have some news for you socialists: - Economic rights are the greatest "human rights" that people have. The right to the fruit of your labors. The right to keep what you earn. THOSE are your rights. - Corporations are the ultimate example of economic rights in action. They are not some evil, mystical entities that exist in a vacuum to destroy us all. They are US. We own them and work for them. They are the ultimate expression of the ultimate good that is capitalism. And that is the source fallacy of this book and all others like it: the notion that capitalism is bad and socialism is the answer. This has been proven wrong more times than I can count. Capitalism is the only way to freedom and happiness. Embrace it. And read some Ayn Rand while you're at it.
Rating:
Summary: Marxist Garbage
Review: Typical Marxist nonsense wrapped in a neat little package for socialists to love. I have some news for you socialists: - Economic rights are the greatest "human rights" that people have. The right to the fruit of your labors. The right to keep what you earn. THOSE are your rights. - Corporations are the ultimate example of economic rights in action. They are not some evil, mystical entities that exist in a vacuum to destroy us all. They are US. We own them and work for them. They are the ultimate expression of the ultimate good that is capitalism. And that is the source fallacy of this book and all others like it: the notion that capitalism is bad and socialism is the answer. This has been proven wrong more times than I can count. Capitalism is the only way to freedom and happiness. Embrace it. And read some Ayn Rand while you're at it.
Rating:
Summary: unequal protection: the rise of corporate dominance and the
Review: Until I read this book, I had no idea what the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution was really about. Shame on the American history textbooks! Multnational corporations and their ills are nothing new. Hartmann, in a very fact-based way, lays out the history for us in a quick and concise way. I consider this a must-read for all peoples who think our democracy is working.
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