Take the Rich Off Welfare

by Mark Zepezauer, Arthur Naiman

Exposes "wealthfare," wasteful government spending on the wealthy, gives specific dollar amounts spent, and offers solutions to the waste

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics, Politics

177 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1996

About the author

Mark Zepezauer is an author and cartoonist based in Tucson, Arizona. He is the author of Take the Rich Off Welfare and The CIA's Greatest Hits as well as the cartoon panel US History Backwards. On his shoulder he carries a Siamese cat.

Reviews

[Public Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the "Real Story" series, these quick little volumes are packed with information. This isn't what you'd call a breezy read. Also, the figures are probably quite out of date more than 20 years later. However, I have no doubt that most of the tax dodges and giveaways are still in full effect. This makes a handy reference for understanding how "corporate wealthfare" works in practice. This little book is still worth your time.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EFFECTIVE COUNTERVAILING FORCE TO CONSERVATIVE ARGUMENTS

Author Mark Zepezauer wrote in the Introduction to this 2004 book, "Wealthfare---the money government gives away to corporations and wealthy individuals---costs us more than $815 billion a year... the Table of Contents ... lists the estimated annual cost of the various subsidies, handouts, tax breaks, loopholes, ripoffs, and scams this book describes... All (this book) says is that it's not fair for people to get rich---and stay rich---by defrauding people who are poorer than them." He also notes that a "wealth tax" of just 4% on the 200 richest people on earth would guarantee everyone enough to eat. (Pg. 3)

He cites a report from the Congressional Budget Office showing that a billion dollars spent on arms exports creates 25,000 jobs, "but if that same billion is spent on mass transit, it creates 30,000 jobs; on housing, 36,000 jobs; on education, 41,000 jobs; or on health care, 47,000 jobs." (Pg. 64) He later notes that while agribusiness consolidation created 36,000 jobs between 1975-1996, "farm employment dropped 667,000 jobs." (Pg. 85)

He disparages subsidies of tobacco, "a drug that kills 48 Americans every hour." (Pg. 87) He observes that "there'd be no market for ethanol without the subsidy." (Pg. 95) He notes that "the Forest Service... continues to shamelessly undervalue our trees... it came up with a value of $2.85... for 1,000 board-feet of lumber (about 1% of the commercial rate)." (Pg. 122)

Obviously geared to the progressive point of view, this book is an excellent resource to help discount various contentions made by conservatives.

[Lee Humphries · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been sitting on my shelf since the late 90's. I think i've been putting off reading it as I suspected it was going to be thoroughly depressing to read and of course I was proved right. The amount of money corporations and the rich generally can get away with and make all the lower paid people pay for everyone else is confirmed in this book. This was published in 1996 so you can just imagine how much worse things have got and how corporations control politics on a global scale to suit their own financial greed.

[Jamie Speka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible read. Organized in a clear, precise way that shows one exactly how these scams are sustained.

It was published in 1996, so needless to say, it's outdated. Most funny was one of the book's solutions to give the media back to the people (which was a good and more simple idea for the 90s, but now it seems virtually impossible with social media). Someone recommended an update on the book for each year, which is a good idea. The book certainly wouldn't be as concise as it is now with all the other scams that have developed post-recession.

Despite how old it is, it's still a must-read. There are hidden gems of information that are foundational to how wealthfare (a clever term used by the book) is utilized now. An update on just how much the tech boom has created greater wealthfare loopholes today would be a must-read. It would also be even more provocative to have a profile on how much each billionaire in the US is costing the majority of taxpayers each year.

What I appreciate about this book is its conciseness, accessibility, and wry diction. Mostly, the title "Take the Rich Off Welfare" reminds us that tax cuts are a form of welfare, but not what is usually discussed as welfare because that label is thrown at poor people when politicians discuss government subsidy "leeches". Never mind that it's actually the rich who are costing the US government more money ($448 billion in 1996 which, adjusted for inflation in 2025, would be around $1.1 trillion). And, that $1.1 trillion figure would likely be even more with today's tax cuts for the rich along with digital banking and a glorious bouquet of even more tax scams.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr said it best:

Whenever the government provides opportunities in privileges for white people and rich people they call it “subsidized” when they do it for Negro and poor people they call it “welfare.” The fact that is everybody in this country lives on welfare. Suburbia was built with federally subsidized credit. And highways that take our white brothers out to the suburbs were built with federally subsidized money to the tune of 90 per cent. Everybody is on welfare in this country. The problem is that we all to often have socialism for the rich and rugged free enterprise capitalism for the poor. That’s the problem.

notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m...

[sologdin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get the objection, though I am suspicious of adopting the 'welfare queen' argument and turning it back against the capitalist class. even the term welfare strikes me as not very useful. in the US, we can discuss specific public assistance programs; to speak generally of 'welfare' is to be kinda fascistic, I think.

[Elagabalus · Rating 3 out of 5]

My copy of this is very outdated, which eventually led me to cease reading. The other reason I stopped reading is that it was already information I already know. The subject is important, and clearly lays out the economic devastation of the masses by the opulent minority. So, a newer edition is most useful for newer readers and will likely help them understand the classist oppression around them.

[Bloblo · Rating 5 out of 5]

relatively short and compact book. corporate bailouts by Obama, and Bush just before him, are nothing new. And they are NOT socialism. welfare for the rich, yes.

[Thomas Ray]

HJ7537 Z46 2004 Memorial Library

[Zon Moy · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it, no longer have a copy and the only problem is that it should be updated each year to cover each years new scams by the rich scum to collect more welfare.