Index
academics, 152–153
activists, 152
Adams, John, 14
Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), 93
affirmative action programs, 149–150
Alger, Horatio, 3, 9, 15, 16, 20–23
Allison, John, 20
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), 68, 82, 87, 108, 143–144
anti-discrimination laws, 149–150
anti-government narrative
essence/implications of, 4
“job creators” frame, 6–8, 21–22
“punishing success” rhetoric, 6, 8, 18, 23, 151–152
self-made myth fueling, 6–8, 22–24, 135–136
aristocracy, 14–15, 76, 140–141
Arora, Nikhil, 105–109, 131, 144
ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency), 93
ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), 68, 82, 87, 108, 143–144
Atlas Shrugged (Rand), 3, 19–21, 153
Back to the Roots, 105–109, 131
Baker, Dean, 146
banking industry, 103–105
Barnes, Peter, 94–98, 130, 147
Barnum, P. T., 16
BB&T Company, 20
Ben & Jerry’s, 110–114, 131, 148
Berkeley, University of California at, 89, 106
Berkshire Hathaway, 74
Bernstein, Jared, 35
bipartisan bickering, 1–2
Black inequality, 16, 45–46, 133, 149–150
Boehner, John, 22
Bogle, John, 141
BookFinder.com, 88–91, 93, 143
Boston, Thomas, 46
Bronfman, Edgar, 45
Buffett, Warren, 11, 64, 73–76, 104, 139–140, 141, 155
built-together reality
call to promote, 151–153
colleagues’/employees’ contribution, 13, 52–53
factors contributing to success, 42–46, 130–135
government’s role in, 135–138
individual’s role in, 41–42
reflected in profiles, 54–56
society’s role in, 25–26, 46–53, 131–132
taxes policies for, 138–142
Bush tax cuts, 6, 18, 139, 154
business loans, 62, 70–72, 85–86, 107–109, 149–150
business owners. See entrepreneurs
call to action, 151–155
campaign financing, 37, 38, 137
capital gains tax reform, 139–140
Carnegie, Andrew, 140
Carter, Jimmy, 70
CEOs (chief executive officers), 18–19, 23, 113, 148, 151–152
Chang, Ha-Joon, 49
charitable/civic institutions, 52, 133
Chatterjee, Anirvan, 88–93, 143, 144
Chavez, Hugo, 37
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 137
City Fresh Foods, 62–66
class. See social class
Clinton, Bill, 127
colleagues’ contributions, 52–53
Collins, Chuck, xii–xiii
Colorado State University (CSU), 85–86
community leaders, 152
community-owned businesses, 112–113
concentration of wealth. See wealth concentration
conservative worldview, 3, 6–7, 18, 37
copyright protections, 49–50, 79–80, 119, 121–122, 136
corporate tax loopholes, 141–142
creativity, 41
CSU (Colorado State University), 85–86
Dalton, Harlon, 23
Daphne Foundation, 121
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), 49, 93
Davis, Karen, 69–71
Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 69–73
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), 49, 93
Demeré, Charles, 154
Denhart, Gun, 53, 93, 114–118, 130, 131
Department of Energy (DOE), 85–86
Disney, Abigail, 3, 50, 68, 120–123, 141, 147
dividend income tax reform, 139–140
Dodd-Frank Act, 104
DOE (Department of Energy), 85–86
Domini, Amy, 50, 68, 98–103, 104, 147, 150
Domini Social Investments, 100
downtown development authorities, 84
Dunlap, Al, 18–19
Ebeling, Ashlea, 154–155
economic downturn. See Great Recession
economic policy
enabled by government regulations, 49–50, 60–61
honoring role of government in, 25–26
pure research and, 118–120
shift in built-together reality, 12–13
See also anti-government narrative; taxes
EDS (Electronic Data Systems), 32–33
education. See public education
Einstein, Albert, 52
Eisenhower, Dwight, 67
elected official, 152
Electronic Data Systems (EDS), 32–33
eminent domain laws, 30
employees
ensuring prosperity of, 147–149
profit sharing with, 113
recognizing contribution of, 13, 52–53, 80–81, 114
entrepreneurs
call to action, 151–152
statistics on, 146
See also profiles; self-made myth busting
estate tax, 76, 122–123, 140–141, 153–155, 194
ethanol subsidies, 36–37
Fairlie, Robert, 45–46
family
cultural capital of, 44–45, 133
inheritance and success link, 27–31, 36–39
support linked to success, 42, 57–58
FDA (Food and Drug Administration), 125
FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation), 104
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), 104
Federal Housing Administration (FHA), 28–29
federal stimulus bill, 68, 82, 87, 108, 143–144
FHA (Federal Housing Administration), 28–29
Fiddler, Jerry, 9–10, 56–61, 104, 131, 141, 144
finance industry regulations, 95–96, 100–105, 124–125
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 125
Ford, Henry, 147
Founders, 14–15
Franklin, Benjamin, 15
Frostyaire of Arkansas, 10–11
Gates, Bill, Sr., ix–xi, 64, 141, 153–154
gender issues, 46, 133, 149–150
General Motors, 33
genome project, 119
geographical advantages, 16, 60, 74, 90, 116
GI Bill benefits, 1, 51, 77, 82
Glass-Steagall Act, 104
Goldwater, Barry, 6
government bashing. See anti-government narrative
government benefits
anti-government narrative obscuring, 39, 135–136
in built-together reality, 9–13, 84
importance of social safety nets, 145–146
linked to social mobility, 35
opposing views of, 4–5
as promoting sloth/laziness, 8
unaware use of, 25–28
See also infrastructure; public education; self-made myth busting
government funding
business incubators, 78–79
as critical to long-term growth, 118–120
DOE grants, 85–86
downtown development authorities, 84
ending corporate subsidies, 142
government as consumer, 136–137
hiring incentives, 108
Internet creation, 49, 80, 93–94, 119–120
for research and development, 32–34
SBA loans, 70–72, 85, 107, 145, 150
tax credits, 85
transportation system, 67–68
government regulations
deregulation’s legacy, 127–128
economic policy enabled by, 49–50
ensuring safety, 66, 73, 110–111, 146–147
finance industry, 95–96, 100–105, 124–125
as imperative, 146–147
making business possible, 121–122, 125–126
protector role of government, 136
providing quality standards, 65–66
safeguarding intellectual capital, 79–80, 121–122
government’s role, 136–137
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, 104
Great Depression, 17–18, 103–104
Great Recession
ARRA mitigating, 143–144
bipartisan battle prolonging, 1–2
government stabilization efforts in, 127–128
ongoing need for regulations, 147
particular challenges of, 43, 82, 126–127
Greenfield, Jerry, 109–113, 131
Hanna Andersson, 93, 115–118, 131
health and safety regulations, 66, 111, 136, 146–147
health care, 38, 64–65, 80, 146
Hensarling, Jeb, 21
Herman Miller, 148
Hermanson, Barry, 154
higher education, 81–83, 87, 144–145
highway system, 61, 63–64, 67–68, 142, 143
Hill, Kent, 119
hiring incentives, 108
historical timing, 17, 42–43, 133–134
Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 73
Homestead Act, 16
human genome project, 119
Iacocca, Lee, 6
income mobility, 34
income tax reform, 138–139
inequality, 35, 42–46, 133, 149–150
infrastructure
anti-government narrative’s impact on, 23
call to rebuild, 142–144
entrepreneurs’ reliance on, 46–48, 60, 62–66, 89–91, 116–117
as foundation of shared prosperity, 136
making business possible, 47–48, 64, 124, 132
taxes as investment in, 5, 12–13
See also transportation system
inheritance
as road to plutocracy, 76
taxes on, 76, 122–123, 140–141, 153–155, 194
innovation. See research and innovation
intellectual property protection, 49–50, 79–80, 121–122
intelligence, 42–44
interconnectedness. See built-together reality
Internet
government creation of, 49, 80, 93–94, 119–120
Interstate Highway System, 67, 142, 143
investing, socially responsible, 99–102
investment income tax, 139–140
IQ, 42–44
Jefferson, Thomas, 14
“job creators” frame, 4, 6, 7, 8, 21–22
Jobs, Steve, 6
Johnson, Lyndon, 32
Jordan, Kim, 53, 82, 83–87, 144
King Arthur Flour, 148
Knight, Phil, 6
Koch brothers, 36–39
Kozlowski, Dennis, 19
Kuttner, Robert, 119
land-grant universities, 85–86
legal system protections, 30, 49, 136
Leiber, Francis, 17
libraries, 89
Limbaugh, Rush, 20
Lloyd, Glynn, 62–66, 143, 147, 150
loans
government-sponsored business loans, 62, 70–72, 85–86, 107
for minorities, 149–150
public-private partnerships, 107–109
research/educational funding, 77–78
local development authorities, 84
lower class, 15–18, 34, 39, 114, 145–146
luck
acknowledging role of, 5, 9, 12
of birth, 27, 86, 120, 133–134
as factor in success, 44, 59, 90
good and bad, 91–92
of timing, 17, 72, 115, 126, 134
Medicare, 32–33
Mettler, Suzanne, 25
middle class, 11, 51–52, 136, 147–148
minimum-wage laws, 148–149
Moore, Michael, 24
Moore, Steven, 19
moralizing about wealth, 8, 15–18, 27, 44
Morrill Acts, 81
National Science Foundation (NSF), 93–94
New Belgium Brewing, 83–87, 148
nonprofit organizations, 52, 132
Norquist, Grover, 135
NSF (National Science Foundation), 93–94
Oakland Business Development Center (OBDC), 107–108
Obama, Barack, 6, 22, 37, 38, 140, 142, 155
OBDC (Oakland Business Development Center), 107–108
OnTheCommons.org, 95
opportunity
of geography and history, 16–17, 60, 61
unequal, 42–46, 76, 133, 149–150
overseas tax havens, 142
Parker, Gwendolyn, 27
Pell Grant program, 82–83, 86–87, 145
Perot, H. Ross, Sr., 31–34
Perry, Rick, 6
personal characteristics, 2–3, 8, 41
Pickett, Kate, 35
Pigott, Judy, 68
politicians, 152
Posner, Gerald, 32
post–World War II, 1, 43, 51, 82
product development, 119–120
profiles, 56–129
benefiting from government funding, 76–81, 88–92
community involvement/valuing employees, 109–118
crediting infrastructure/regulations, 62–66, 98–103, 120–129
highlighting education, 56–61
overview of, 54–56
promoting taxation, 69–76
public-private partnerships, 84–87, 106–109
self-made myth busting, 83–85
value of the commons, 94–98
progressive income tax, 138–139
public education
business reliance on, 117–118
call to invest in, 143–145
as foundation of shared prosperity, 136
GI Bill benefits, 1, 51, 77, 82
as innovation investment, 5, 12–13, 77–78, 88–89
land-grant universities, 85–86
linked to success, 35, 47–48, 56–57, 60, 81–83
public investment imperative, 5, 12–13, 56, 142–146
public libraries, 89
public policy
anti-government narrative damage, 7–8
campaign contributions shaping, 37, 38
influence of self-made myth on, 2–7
public investment imperative shifting, 12–13
through built-together reality lens, 8–12
See also economic policy
public-private partnerships, 106–109
“punishing success” frame, 4, 6, 8, 18, 23, 151–152
race, 16–17, 45–46, 90, 133, 149–150
Radio Corporation of America (RCA), 48
rags-to-riches story, 15–17, 24, 34–35, 42, 46. See also self-made myth
Rand, Ayn, 3, 7, 9, 19–22, 39, 153
RCA (Radio Corporation of America), 48
regulations. See government regulations
Reich, Robert, 11
research and innovation
building on work of others, 52, 91
government investment in, 48–49, 77–78, 118–120
individual effort in, 41
Responsible Wealth, xiv, 141, 148, 152–155, 193–194
roads, 61, 63–64, 67–68, 142, 143
Robertson, Julian, 141
Robinson, Sara, 25–26
role of government, 136–137
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 52, 67
Rosenwald, Julius, 44
Rothenberg, Martin, 76–81, 82, 144
Rubin, Robert, 141
Russell, John, 68
Ryan, Paul, 19
safety standards, 66, 73, 110–111, 136, 146–147
Sanders, Bernie, 141
SBA (Small Business Administration), 70–72, 85, 107, 110, 145, 150
Schakowsky, Jan, 139
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 29, 30, 100–102, 104–105, 110
self-help credo, 15–18
self-made myth
fueling anti-government narrative, 6–8, 22–24
and individual’s role in success, 130–131
self-made myth busting
Donald Trump, 28–30
H. Ross Perot Sr., 31–34
inevitability of interdependence, 83–84
Koch brothers, 36–39
recognizing use of government programs, 25–28, 39
trends in social mobility, 34–35
See also built-together reality
Seventh Generation, 148
Sherblom, Jim, 43, 50, 105, 124–129, 147
Sinclair, Upton, 66
sky trust, 97
Small Business Administration (SBA), 70–72, 85, 107, 110, 145, 150
Smith, Adam, 138
social class
bolstering the middle class, 11, 51–52, 136, 147–148
inheritance and success, 27–31, 36–39
limits on social mobility, 15–17, 34, 145–146
lower-class need for aid, 39, 114, 145–146
in success formulas, 17–18, 23
See also wealthy
social inequality
Founders concerns over, 14–15
linked to social mobility, 35
and rags-to-riches beliefs, 16–17
self-made myth justifying, 7–8, 21–23
unequal opportunity and, 44–46, 133
social safety nets, 145–146
socially responsible investing, 99–102
society’s role, 25–26, 46–53, 131–132
Stalin, Joseph, 37
state income tax reform, 139
state-owned corporations, 112–113
students, 152–153
success
external factors of, 15–18, 22, 42–46, 131–135
and giving back, 129
higher education and, 81–83
individual’s role, 41–42, 130–131
society’s role, 25–26, 46–53, 131–132
traditional biographies of, 54–55
supply and demand, 118–120
Syracuse Language Systems, 78–81
TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program), 104
tax credits, 85
Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative (TFOC), 153
estate tax, 76, 122–123, 140–141, 153–155, 194
as investing in America, 13, 137
in opposing worldviews, 4–5
policies for built-together reality, 138–142
quality of life linked to, 73, 99
to redress social inequality, 75–76, 129
self-made myth thwarting, 4, 6, 18, 23
wealthy calling for reform, 154–155
technology. See research and innovation
Texas Blue Cross, 32–33
TFOC (Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative), 153
transportation system
public investment in, 5, 12–13
role in business success, 47, 48, 61, 63–64, 111, 143
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), 104
Trump, Donald, 28–30
Trump, Fred, 28–29
Twain, Mark, 15–16
UFE (United for a Fair Economy), xiv, 141, 153–155, 195–196
unemployment benefits, 145–146
United for a Fair Economy (UFE), xiv, 141, 153–155, 195–196
Velez, Alejandro, 105, 106, 131
voting one’s aspirations, 24
Walton, Sam, 6
wealth concentration
factors and beliefs influencing, 15–22
Founders’ aversion to, 14–15
influencing politics, 137
tax reform to redistribute, 138–142
wealthy
benefiting from government subsidies, 25–27
calling for tax reform, 154–155, 194
government beholden to, 137
inheritance and success, 27–31, 36–39
natural resources exploitation, 16
need to give back, 138–139
raising taxes on the, 139–140
Welch, Jack, 6
Whole Foods, 105, 106, 107, 109, 148
Wicks, Judy, 154
Wilkinson, Richard, 35
Wilson, Woodrow, 48
Wind River Systems, 9–10, 56–58, 131
women’s opportunities, 46, 70–72, 99, 149–150
workers. See employees
Working Assets, 94–96
Zandi, Mark, 143
Zuckerberg, Mark, 6