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Master Plan: The Hidden Plot To Legalize Corruption In America
For decades, a shadowy network of corporate elites, political operatives, and Supreme Court justices has worked behind the scenes to dismantle campaign finance laws and rig the system in favor of the ultra-wealthy. Master Plan uncovers the hidden history of how unrestrained money and influence have transformed the United States into a full-fledged kleptocracy — where policy is bought, elections are manipulated, and corruption operates in plain sight.
Based on the award-winning investigative podcast from The Lever, journalist David Sirota and producer Jared Jacang Maher trace this blueprint back to a little-known memo written by future Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell. With newly unearthed documents and gripping storytelling, they reveal how this manifesto became a roadmap for dismantling democracy — one that corporate leaders implemented at secret meetings in places like Disney World, that inspired wealthy anti-government radicals like Joseph Coors to fund the Heritage Foundation, and that paved the way for operatives like Roger Ailes to build Fox News. From Nixon’s Watergate cover-up to the Citizens United ruling and today’s dark-money super PACs, Master Plan exposes the calculated efforts to use wealth to control political leaders and legalize corruption at every level of government.
With the 2024 election marking the most expensive in U.S. history, the Supreme Court enabling corruption, and Elon Musk openly seizing government functions, this book arrives at a crucial moment — just as Project 2025 and a second Trump presidency aim to enact the final phase of this 50-year plan.
With expanded reporting and exclusive materials not included in the podcast, Master Plan is the definitive history of how America’s democracy was hijacked — and what can still be done to reclaim it.
Based on the award-winning investigative podcast from The Lever, journalist David Sirota and producer Jared Jacang Maher trace this blueprint back to a little-known memo written by future Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell. With newly unearthed documents and gripping storytelling, they reveal how this manifesto became a roadmap for dismantling democracy — one that corporate leaders implemented at secret meetings in places like Disney World, that inspired wealthy anti-government radicals like Joseph Coors to fund the Heritage Foundation, and that paved the way for operatives like Roger Ailes to build Fox News. From Nixon’s Watergate cover-up to the Citizens United ruling and today’s dark-money super PACs, Master Plan exposes the calculated efforts to use wealth to control political leaders and legalize corruption at every level of government.
With the 2024 election marking the most expensive in U.S. history, the Supreme Court enabling corruption, and Elon Musk openly seizing government functions, this book arrives at a crucial moment — just as Project 2025 and a second Trump presidency aim to enact the final phase of this 50-year plan.
With expanded reporting and exclusive materials not included in the podcast, Master Plan is the definitive history of how America’s democracy was hijacked — and what can still be done to reclaim it.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 12, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 4, 2026
AMAZING BOOK! I've read a good number of really good books so far this year - but this stands out as the best. When I'm reading something, it's not uncommon for me to use post-its to indicate important sentences or passages. My copy of 'Master Plan' is now nearly flooded with post-its. There's one on the majority of pages - and the text is only 200+ pages.
But Sirota has written a work teeming with urgency He has a LOT to say, in a well-thought-out manner that does not mince words. It's thorough, deep but accessible (sort of the way Howard Zinn writes in 'A People's History of the United States') and overflowing with passion and immediacy.
Over years, I have - through books - sought out information that would educate me re: how our country got to the point that it's at today. I have had a desire to get to the crux of the matter: why is everything so fucked-up?
This led me to books like Jane Mayer's 'Dark Money', Nancy MacLean's 'Democracy in Chains', Christopher Leonard's 'Kochland', Kurt Andersen's 'Fantasyland' and 'Evil Geniuses', Levitsky & Ziblatt's 'How Democracies Die' and 'Tyranny of the Minority', Timothy Snyder's 'On Tyranny', Michael Fanone's 'Hold the Line'... a number of others.
There's been no end to the flow of information. Yet, I still didn't feel I was getting to the pinpoint, to what put us on the cul-de-sac we're on.
'Master Plan' has taken care of that. I was surprised in realizing that crucial elements that the story tells had not popped up already in what I'd read elsewhere. But then, the story of where we are is nothing if not HUGE. The amount of what needs to be covered (and uncovered) has already demanded volumes each with a focus on pivotal curves in the long-and-winding road.
Sirota's book is a clear-eyed marvel of economy. Though he begins with taking us back to 1971 to trace his through-line, this is not a work that gets weighed down by minutiae. It's all about salient points. Sirota excels in both cutting to the chase and being precise:
Lewis Powell: corporate lawyer; subsequently a Supreme Court Justice for 15 years; wrongly perceived as "a genial Southern gentleman". In 1971, Powell let it be known - by way of a potent, 8-page memo highlighting 4 bullet points - that he was 'concerned'.
He didn't cater to what was happening in American society. He noticed progressive causes gaining ground and became worried that it all pointed to the collapse of capitalism (!)... like that could ever happen. So he spoke up - and wrote up. He later played down the memo's importance (saying he just wrote it privately for a friend) - but he had begun to widely disseminate the memo to corporate executives: men who weren't 'cognizant' of capitalism being in danger.
The rest is history. Decades now of history. Powell's memo is the direct link for why we are where we are today. It's all Powell's fault. He would accrue powerful acolytes in business; his 'vision' would take on mammoth proportions separate from him. (The notorious Charles Koch would comment that the memo didn't go nearly far-enough in its mission!):
It has always been - and remains - a rich vs. poor thing. Anyone needing help from the government in any way (even if it's merely recognition) is 'poor' - and the rich and powerful don't care... and they want even the very little that the poor may have, so that they have nothing.
I could go on from there but I think it's best to just read Sirota's book. Reading it, I felt the way I did when I read 'Kochland': [I absolutely hated reading every single page of this book - yet, with every page, I felt it was my duty as a concerned citizen to continue reading.]
Perhaps the most potentially discouraging element of what Sirota reports are the countless (countless!) examples of how Americans have been brazenly lied to for... well, we're now in over 50 years of this; of a systematic ideology rooted in "whatever it is, lie about it". Years and years of lies lies lies lies lies lies lies lies lies... and lies.
'Master Plan' is Sirota's clarion call for retaliation. At the end, he writes:
But Sirota has written a work teeming with urgency He has a LOT to say, in a well-thought-out manner that does not mince words. It's thorough, deep but accessible (sort of the way Howard Zinn writes in 'A People's History of the United States') and overflowing with passion and immediacy.
Over years, I have - through books - sought out information that would educate me re: how our country got to the point that it's at today. I have had a desire to get to the crux of the matter: why is everything so fucked-up?
This led me to books like Jane Mayer's 'Dark Money', Nancy MacLean's 'Democracy in Chains', Christopher Leonard's 'Kochland', Kurt Andersen's 'Fantasyland' and 'Evil Geniuses', Levitsky & Ziblatt's 'How Democracies Die' and 'Tyranny of the Minority', Timothy Snyder's 'On Tyranny', Michael Fanone's 'Hold the Line'... a number of others.
There's been no end to the flow of information. Yet, I still didn't feel I was getting to the pinpoint, to what put us on the cul-de-sac we're on.
'Master Plan' has taken care of that. I was surprised in realizing that crucial elements that the story tells had not popped up already in what I'd read elsewhere. But then, the story of where we are is nothing if not HUGE. The amount of what needs to be covered (and uncovered) has already demanded volumes each with a focus on pivotal curves in the long-and-winding road.
Sirota's book is a clear-eyed marvel of economy. Though he begins with taking us back to 1971 to trace his through-line, this is not a work that gets weighed down by minutiae. It's all about salient points. Sirota excels in both cutting to the chase and being precise:
This story of the decades-long master plan to institutionalize corruption began to take shape in the cauldron of Watergate and reverberates through the political landscape of today. This moment in 1972 marks the opening salvo in a high-stakes game that continues to this day, pitting reformers seeking to shore up democratic protections against those dismantling those safeguards to serve power and wealth.Where Sirota begins is, of course, the time of Watergate - midway through Nixon's presidency. We all thought that Watergate was *the story* of its time. Largely it was. But concurrent was the silent reign of terror of Lewis Powell.
Lewis Powell: corporate lawyer; subsequently a Supreme Court Justice for 15 years; wrongly perceived as "a genial Southern gentleman". In 1971, Powell let it be known - by way of a potent, 8-page memo highlighting 4 bullet points - that he was 'concerned'.
He didn't cater to what was happening in American society. He noticed progressive causes gaining ground and became worried that it all pointed to the collapse of capitalism (!)... like that could ever happen. So he spoke up - and wrote up. He later played down the memo's importance (saying he just wrote it privately for a friend) - but he had begun to widely disseminate the memo to corporate executives: men who weren't 'cognizant' of capitalism being in danger.
The rest is history. Decades now of history. Powell's memo is the direct link for why we are where we are today. It's all Powell's fault. He would accrue powerful acolytes in business; his 'vision' would take on mammoth proportions separate from him. (The notorious Charles Koch would comment that the memo didn't go nearly far-enough in its mission!):
[Powell] saw an explosion of institutes, foundations, centers, and councils, all operating independently, and pleading with Powell to help unify them.More than before, Sirota's book made me rethink my understanding of slavery. I moved on to the thinking that, as historically horrendous as it was for blacks, slavery has never been a white-vs. blacks thing.
It has always been - and remains - a rich vs. poor thing. Anyone needing help from the government in any way (even if it's merely recognition) is 'poor' - and the rich and powerful don't care... and they want even the very little that the poor may have, so that they have nothing.
I could go on from there but I think it's best to just read Sirota's book. Reading it, I felt the way I did when I read 'Kochland': [I absolutely hated reading every single page of this book - yet, with every page, I felt it was my duty as a concerned citizen to continue reading.]
Perhaps the most potentially discouraging element of what Sirota reports are the countless (countless!) examples of how Americans have been brazenly lied to for... well, we're now in over 50 years of this; of a systematic ideology rooted in "whatever it is, lie about it". Years and years of lies lies lies lies lies lies lies lies lies... and lies.
'Master Plan' is Sirota's clarion call for retaliation. At the end, he writes:
In his memo more than fifty years ago, Lewis Powell catalyzed a movement by insisting that "business and the enterprise system are in deep trouble, and the hour is late."Simply put: read this book - please! Now I'll have to go back and review my post-it notes. I want what I've noted to be evergreen in my mind.
Now, it is the system of democracy that is in deep trouble. And the hour is late.
But our hour is not yet past.
November 15, 2025
If you want to know why you feel that America is mired in a pit of corruption, read this book.
November 10, 2025
Sobering, deeply researched and footnoted history of the last 50+ years covering the explicit planning and implementation of big business's corruption and ultimate control of US courts. The Federalist Society has so much to answer for - that chalk outline on the ground at their doorstep, it's the Constitution.
If the Master Plan podcast by The Lever was your jam then you will want to study this and add it to your reference shelf. If you're unaware of that podcast you can start with that or this book... depending on your preferred ingestion method. Includes excellent chapter covering practical yet somewhat aspirational steps that can be taken to correct course and restore justice and fairness to our courts and government. The hour is late but it's never too late to be educated and aware.
If the Master Plan podcast by The Lever was your jam then you will want to study this and add it to your reference shelf. If you're unaware of that podcast you can start with that or this book... depending on your preferred ingestion method. Includes excellent chapter covering practical yet somewhat aspirational steps that can be taken to correct course and restore justice and fairness to our courts and government. The hour is late but it's never too late to be educated and aware.
December 5, 2025
“Are you familiar with the Lewis Powell Memorandum?” he asked. “It said there’s too much democracy, and it’s a threat to capitalism.” While Van Dyke’s summary may sound exaggerated, it’s not far off the mark. The memo warned that democratic movements— unions, consumer advocates, and environmentalists— posed a direct threat to free enterprise. (…) In 1971, Lewis Powell was alarmed. The forces he believed were threatening corporate America— consumer advocates, labor unions, environmentalists, and left- wing radicals— appeared to be gaining momentum. (…) This wasn’t just a plan to defend business interests— it was a call to reimagine American democracy in the image of corporate America. Powell’s memo had become more than a manifesto; it was now the master plan for a movement.”
It seems to me I’m developing a slightly morbid fascination with books whose main effect is to extinguish whatever glimmers of hope still dare to exist. (They always end, quaintly, by assuring us that things can change—indeed, that they will. Against all evidence.) I really should work on my escapism. Jack Vance, where art thou?
Still, this is a rigorously argued and illuminating account of the unimaginable reach of state capture in the United States—another chronicle of the end of a country, of a dream, of a functioning society, and of the inferno replacing it. But fear not: there is hope. Some hope. A little hope. Maybe.
“This book cannot say whether we are at the darkest hour before dawn or simply sliding deeper into a new, overt era of corrupt authoritarianism. (…) Throughout history, moments that seemed hopeless were reversed by people who rose to rebalance the system. (…) Powell insisted in his memo that ‘the hour is late.’ Now it is democracy that is in deep trouble. And the hour is late. But our hour is not yet past.”
Well, one hopes… What continues to amaze me is how many Americans remain sincerely convinced that they live in a democracy. It’s sad and a little pathetic, but mostly sad.
“A 2014 Princeton study captured this dynamic perfectly: “The preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically nonsignificant impact upon public policy.” The findings show that in the U.S., the majority of people don’t actually decide policy— when their views clash with economic elites or powerful interest groups, they usually lose, and even when big majorities want change, the system’s built- in bias toward the status quo keeps it from happening. For the master planners, this system is perfect.”
“Corruption in politics, at its core, is the process of using money to break the machinery of government. (…) Systemic corruption is far more insidious. It becomes so embedded, so normalized, that it stops being recognized as corruption at all.”
“In a functioning democracy, they wouldn’t stand a chance of enacting their self-serving, ideologically extreme policies. So they needed to break the system—create a world where elections could be bought, legislation shaped by the highest bidder, court rulings influenced, and public policy dictated by moneyed interests rather than the will of the people.”>
From the Afterword:
On a completely different note: this is an adaptation of an eponymous podcast, expanded with an Afterword responding to Trump’s return to office, a chronology, cast of characters, bibliography, and extensive notes. The podcast—extremely well produced—functions beautifully as the audiobook version of this written record.
It seems to me I’m developing a slightly morbid fascination with books whose main effect is to extinguish whatever glimmers of hope still dare to exist. (They always end, quaintly, by assuring us that things can change—indeed, that they will. Against all evidence.) I really should work on my escapism. Jack Vance, where art thou?
Still, this is a rigorously argued and illuminating account of the unimaginable reach of state capture in the United States—another chronicle of the end of a country, of a dream, of a functioning society, and of the inferno replacing it. But fear not: there is hope. Some hope. A little hope. Maybe.
“This book cannot say whether we are at the darkest hour before dawn or simply sliding deeper into a new, overt era of corrupt authoritarianism. (…) Throughout history, moments that seemed hopeless were reversed by people who rose to rebalance the system. (…) Powell insisted in his memo that ‘the hour is late.’ Now it is democracy that is in deep trouble. And the hour is late. But our hour is not yet past.”
Well, one hopes… What continues to amaze me is how many Americans remain sincerely convinced that they live in a democracy. It’s sad and a little pathetic, but mostly sad.
“A 2014 Princeton study captured this dynamic perfectly: “The preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically nonsignificant impact upon public policy.” The findings show that in the U.S., the majority of people don’t actually decide policy— when their views clash with economic elites or powerful interest groups, they usually lose, and even when big majorities want change, the system’s built- in bias toward the status quo keeps it from happening. For the master planners, this system is perfect.”
“Corruption in politics, at its core, is the process of using money to break the machinery of government. (…) Systemic corruption is far more insidious. It becomes so embedded, so normalized, that it stops being recognized as corruption at all.”
“In a functioning democracy, they wouldn’t stand a chance of enacting their self-serving, ideologically extreme policies. So they needed to break the system—create a world where elections could be bought, legislation shaped by the highest bidder, court rulings influenced, and public policy dictated by moneyed interests rather than the will of the people.”>
From the Afterword:
“If the 1970s were a turning point toward cleaning up political corruption with laws like FECA, the past months have felt like a grim bookend, as the last remaining guardrails against corruption are dismantled. The billionaire influence, institutional collapse, and unchecked grifting that have unfolded in Trump 2.0 are not just political chaos; they are the logical conclusion of a fifty- year campaign to legalize elite corruption in American public life.”In light of my recent readings on the Western zeitgeist—especially as embodied in the current American dispensation—what can I add? Good luck, America. Sincerely.
“Since returning to the White House, Trump has built a crypto- fueled pay- to- play machine that only a former casino owner could love. The crypto industry injected more than 17 million dollars into a pro- Trump PAC and an inauguration fund, and in return, the man who once called crypto “a scam” swiftly rolled back Biden- era regulations. His eponymous meme coin, $ TRUMP, has generated hundreds of millions in trading fees for Trump’s family and allies. Corporations have taken the hint: one trucking logistics firm, Freight Technologies, said it would invest in $ 20 million worth of Trump Coin, in the hopes of gaining an inside track at influencing his tariff policy. Top buyers in the cryptocurrency, who reportedly purchased an estimated $ 148 million, were rewarded with invites to an “intimate private dinner” with the president at Trump National Golf Course. Meanwhile, a crypto venture founded by Trump and his sons, World Liberty Financial, launched its own stablecoin, which helped finance a $ 2 billion investment in Binance. The deal effectively gave Trump a cut, just as regulators backed off enforcement actions against the exchange.”
“In Chapter 9, we traced how the U.S. Supreme Court, beginning with cases like Skilling and McDonnell, steadily narrowed the scope of federal anti- corruption laws. Today, that task has shifted from the Roberts Court to the executive branch, where the current administration is actively working to co- opt and weaken any institutions tasked with investigating and prosecuting corruption.”
“Meanwhile, the right- wing Supreme Court supermajority has signaled a willingness to sacrifice the power of the judiciary itself in order to advance Trump’s agenda, as evidenced by a June ruling that limits federal judges’ power to issue nationwide injunctions. Together, these forces have reshaped the system and raised alarming questions about whether the courts can still function as a meaningful check on power.”
On a completely different note: this is an adaptation of an eponymous podcast, expanded with an Afterword responding to Trump’s return to office, a chronology, cast of characters, bibliography, and extensive notes. The podcast—extremely well produced—functions beautifully as the audiobook version of this written record.
January 20, 2026
Comprehensive and enlightening overview of the stranglehold that massive corporations have on our democracy, and the history of how it came about.
March 4, 2026
Ughhh, I was hoping more people had read this book, only 35 ratings so far. Please read this book and tell your friends!
This book was truly horrifying and difficult to read sometimes, not because of the writing but because reading about how the country I live in is being systematically plundered by people who fly in private jets because they never have enough power and money is hard to stomach. Wonder why all our environmental regulations are disappearing, social services are going down, and cancer rates are rising? Well, if you consider that the only thing that seems to matter anymore is corporate influence and profits it all makes sense. There are plenty of people who will take money from corporations to do anything. Yes, those people exist, and they are in control of our government.
One of the most interesting parts of the book was learning about John Roberts, the head of the Supreme Court. A man chosen because he appears to be a wise, boring, fatherly type. He is not. He worked as a corporate lawyer making a fortune, always supporting the interest of the business community at the expense of the common man. Do you really think he’s changed? This is the man who has led us recently to decisions that declare that our president has immunity from crime, that corporations are people, and there’s no limit on dark money contributions to political campaigns. The most shocking Supreme Court decision to me was when they actually said that bribes were legal as long as the bribe happens after the fact rather than before. Well, Clarence Thomas and Alito have been caught taking bribes and lavish trips etc., of course they want to legalize corruption. Billionaires and oligarchs are free to buy politicians for whatever they want and however they want and they can now do it legally without worries of being thrown in jail or being identified by the press because their money is mostly dark. Most of the time we won’t even know who donates because they do it through shell associations and companies. Do we have any hope as a country at this time? I’m becoming pessimistic. I guess we will find out.
This book was truly horrifying and difficult to read sometimes, not because of the writing but because reading about how the country I live in is being systematically plundered by people who fly in private jets because they never have enough power and money is hard to stomach. Wonder why all our environmental regulations are disappearing, social services are going down, and cancer rates are rising? Well, if you consider that the only thing that seems to matter anymore is corporate influence and profits it all makes sense. There are plenty of people who will take money from corporations to do anything. Yes, those people exist, and they are in control of our government.
One of the most interesting parts of the book was learning about John Roberts, the head of the Supreme Court. A man chosen because he appears to be a wise, boring, fatherly type. He is not. He worked as a corporate lawyer making a fortune, always supporting the interest of the business community at the expense of the common man. Do you really think he’s changed? This is the man who has led us recently to decisions that declare that our president has immunity from crime, that corporations are people, and there’s no limit on dark money contributions to political campaigns. The most shocking Supreme Court decision to me was when they actually said that bribes were legal as long as the bribe happens after the fact rather than before. Well, Clarence Thomas and Alito have been caught taking bribes and lavish trips etc., of course they want to legalize corruption. Billionaires and oligarchs are free to buy politicians for whatever they want and however they want and they can now do it legally without worries of being thrown in jail or being identified by the press because their money is mostly dark. Most of the time we won’t even know who donates because they do it through shell associations and companies. Do we have any hope as a country at this time? I’m becoming pessimistic. I guess we will find out.
April 21, 2026
This book is timely. It is the decades-long story of how corporations, politicians, and the Supreme Court have championed the vaunted cause of "free enterprise," encouraging corporations increasingly to fund bloated elections and set quid pro quo expectations for the winners. If you wonder who is behind the destruction of environmental regulation, the impunity of Big Pharma, our continuing dependence on oil, our military exploits, and our mounting healthcare bills, look no further than corporate oligarchy in all its shadowy forms. Will it get better? It's at a new pinnacle right now.
December 11, 2025
Eye Opening
Money as a threat to Democracy explained in this richly researched expose of where we are, how we got here, and why corruption is here to stay in our political future.
Money as a threat to Democracy explained in this richly researched expose of where we are, how we got here, and why corruption is here to stay in our political future.
Read
December 10, 2025Excellent dissection of how the wealthy have dominated our economic and political life to ever greater degree since the 1970's.
April 21, 2026
A good book that everyone should read.
August 10, 2026
Wow. I am only reading this now, I wish I knew about the podcast. No words.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews