Review
Arianna Huffington, popular pundit, columnist, and author, is not known for her polite criticisms or her carefully worded complaints. In the course of Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption Are Undermining America, the corporate CEOs, accountants, politicians, and lobbyists at who she takes aim receive little relief from their porcine characterization first intimated in the book’s title. And while she is full of invective for Enron’s Kenneth Lay,…
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It is difficult to believe that some of the reviewers here have actually read “Pigs at the Trough.” While they offer personal criticisms of the author herself, they say little about the book she’s written.
“Pigs at the Trough” does, stylistically, contain some cliche phrases (the counting of cliches having been mentioned by another reviewer, who has obviously taken up the practice as presented by Martin Amis in his excellent book, “The War Against Cliche”). I attribute some of the cliches, however, to the fact that Ms. Huffington’s writing is more like journalism than literature, much more about frank criticism that subtle, ironic remarks (of the sort found in papers like “The Guardian,” for example).
Ms. Huffington’s aim in “Pigs at the Trough” is to present the facts (and they are facts) on corporate crimes, and to introduce the reader to those who commit them.
“Pigs at the Trough” does not, in my opinion, come across as an attack on all businessmen or on wealthy people. This book is not focused on the fact that these businessmen are wealthy so much as the criminal ways in which they’ve managed to obtain that wealth. Americans need to be more aware the shamelessly illegal ways in which some businessmen, often CEOs, have obtained (I cannot say “earned”) their fortunes.
The businessmen mentioned in “Pigs at the Trough” did not accumulate wealth through an honest work ethic, but out of exploitation, fancy accounting, and the circumvention of laws. They go unpunished for it, and Americans let them.
Yes, there are – obviously – business people in America who live very comfortably and have accumulated their wealth honestly and did not commit crimes in the name of money. These people are not the focus of “Pigs at the Trough”, and rightly so.
This is an excellent read, especially if – like me – you have not managed to keep a running tally (and it would be such a lengthy one) of all of the corporate crimes you’ve heard of, or if you’ve not memorized all of the names of CEOs who ought to be in prison. Even the daily newspapers that bring us the Enron and WorldCom scandal coverage don’t often delve deeply into what exactly a CEO going before Congress has done over the years.
“Pigs at the Trough” is a blunt and effective debriefing on crime for which we are all long overdue.
This was the book that started me reading more and more about politics, and the political influence that afflicts our country. I highly recommend it, and here’s why.
In a hard-hitting, almost cynical style that I did appreciate, the author attacks companies that have raped the public and their employees because of their own greed. She names them like a littany of indictments that followed their wake: Adelphia, Tyco, Arthur Andersen, Enron, World Com, to name a few. Huffington shows how these once respected companies, their greed, and the relaxation of regulations have allowed them to virtually alter standard principles of accounting so they can hide money and cheat the government, taxpayers and employees.
Unlike one reviewer here who found her style sarcastic, I didn’t mind. After all, these greedy little folks who walked away with millions after stranding customers and leaving employees pensionless, can take a little sarcasm their way. However, I agree with him the quizzes got in the way of the pace of the book, and seemed a little childish. (I always carry a highlighter for books like this one anyway.)
The most important thing Arianna makes clear is that politicians no longer seem to represent the people who elect them, but the interests of the corporations with the largest contributions. (It’s called bribery outside of Congress.) This administration has given their blessing with their silence, and has a huge following of people who still believe their gospel while they are getting their own pockets picked. The repudiation of the pension for United Airlines is a perfect example. What did the administration say? Nothing, not a word! But let the poor, little guy declare bankruptcy, and Senator Orrin Hatch and other congressmen of his ilk will be after them on behalf of MBNA, forever.
It’s strange that neocons who worship at the holy grail of unrestrained capitalism, have little to say about this book, or challenge its contents. For once they cannot retort with that tiresome, insipid lament, “Well, Clinton did….” It’s about the greed that this administration, corporate CEO’s, and congressmen have fostered and encouraged with sweetheart deals, no-bid contracts, tax breaks, loopholes, secret meetings, and even corporate protection laws.
It’s about people who never seem to have enough, no matter how much they already have. They will always want more.