Breaking Through Power: It's Easier Than We Think

by Ralph Nader Narrated by David Colacci

Overview

In Breaking Through Power, Ralph Nader draws from a lifetime waging-and often winning-David vs. Goliath battles against big corporations and the United States government. In this succinct, Tom Paine-style wake-up call, the iconic consumer advocate highlights the success stories of fellow Americans who organize change and work together to derail the many ways in which wealth manipulates politics, labor, media, the environment, and the quality of national life today. Nader makes an inspired case about how the nation can-and must-be democratically managed by communities guided by the United States Constitution, not by the dictates of big businesses and the wealthy few. This is classic Ralph Nader, a crystallization of the core political beliefs and commitments that have driven his lifetime of advocacy for greater democracy.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"One of the many virtues of Ralph Nader’s new book, Breaking Through Power, is how it enable us to move past the personalities and tweets of the day to confront the dominant political-economic forces that shape our society."—National Nurse Magazine

"Ralph Nader's latest book is a how-to guide for fighting corporate power. Nader is still pressing forward, still cautiously hopeful—even after so many decades in the arena. Things may seem grim but the numbers and the evidence are on our side, he’s saying. We know the problems. We know what needs to be done. Here’s an action plan. It’s time to stop talking and get to work."—Theo Anderson, In These Times

"Nader sustains a strong case of grievances against the 'power of the plutocracy' and 'the present two-party duopoly that ministers to their demands.' In the final chapter, the lengthy 'Why Democracy Works,' the author offers a suggestion for 'Citizens Summons,' which would summon members of Congress home to hear the grievances of their constituents. In an era of political gridlock, Nader argues, mostly convincingly, that a 'left/right alliance' can get the country back on track."—Kirkus Reviews

"Ralph Nader's small book packs a big wallop and is nothing less than a portable pocket dynamo for energizing citizen action for change. It is a must read for all who want to make a powerful case that an abuse of power is neither deserved nor inevitable, mobilize support for a cause, and chart a course leading to corporate and government responsiveness and accountability. Breaking Through Power reminds us why Mr. Nader has been so influential for over half a century. His soaring optimism and confidence in the ability of people themselves to take back control of their lives demonstrates that the best of Mr. Nader's incomparable legacy is likely yet to come."—Nick Allard, President and Dean, Brooklyn Law School

". . . books like this inspire and create a common language and framework for us to help divert the historical progression and bend the arc towards justice. We need clarity of thought and clarity of principle to succeed and we need to learn how to be insanely successful in these endeavors because, frankly, organized, civilized life depends on it."—Romi Mahajan, Countercurrents

Kirkus Reviews

2016-05-31
Another populist manifesto from the veteran political activist and anti-corporate consumer advocate.Younger voters might wonder who this author is who has hijacked Bernie Sanders' message. But it's a sign of change that ideas that had Nader (Unstoppable: The Emerging Left-Right Alliance to Dismantle the Corporate State, 2014, etc.) branded as a spoiler as a third-party progressive, when he siphoned votes from the left in the close 2000 presidential election, are now common currency in the Sanders campaign. Nader barely mentions his past as a perennial presidential aspirant or pays more than lip service to the Sanders campaign—"Senator Bernie Sanders repeatedly says, ‘They [the small billionaire class] want it all.' "—but his message seems very much in tune with the times, in a culture of Occupy and Black Lives Matter. "Changes for a better society often start with the power structures sensing a growing rumble from the people," writes the author, sensing that growing rumble and signs of hope in issues ranging from homosexual marriage and transgender equality to environmental activism and campaign finance reform. "From the abolition of slavery to the introduction of seat belts," he writes, "great social gains have been achieved when people mobilize, organize and resist the power of the few." Despite a false equivalency that seems tone-deaf (slavery and seat belts?), Nader sustains a strong case of grievances against the "power of the plutocracy" and "the present two-party duopoly that ministers to their demands." In the final chapter, the lengthy "Why Democracy Works," the author offers a suggestion for "Citizens Summons," which would summon members of Congress home to hear the grievances of their constituents. In an era of political gridlock, Nader argues, mostly convincingly, that a "left/right alliance" can get the country back on track.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170577712
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	01/17/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged

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