Take This Job and Ship It

"It was with some anxiety that I opened my copy of Take This Job and Ship It: How Corporate Greed and Brain-Dead Politics Are Selling Out America, Sen. Byron Dorgan's just published populist manifesto. I was worried that, like most books of this genre, it would be a fluffy pastiche of excerpts from Senate floor speeches and op-ed articles, anecdotal rather than analytical. My fears were groundless. Take This Job and Ship It is a serious and important book, written by someone who knows as much about the practical workings of the international economy, and the way American legislation and politics shape that economy, as anyone alive. There is nothing slapdash or egotistical about this book . . . You cannot read the book without feeling delight in this resurgence of North Dakota's populist heritage. Even those who disagree with Dorgan's point of view should be glad we have a senator who seeks to create a national dialogue about an issue so essential to American life."—Clay Jenkinson, The Bismarck Tribune

"If you're tired of seeing good American jobs shipped overseas in search of cheap labor, you're going to appreciate this book. Senator Dorgan and I have joined forces in the Senate to fight the trade policies of a weakening America. His book offers real solutions that can strengthen our country."—Senator Lindsay Graham

"Written with poignant stories, persuasive logic and superb factual support, this book is a wake up call for every American who cares about U.S. policy on trade and jobs. One doesn't have to agree with all that Senator Dorgan writes in this book to find it remarkably compelling."—Former Senator Tom Daschle

"If you think that no one in Washington gives a damn about about corporate greed and the decimation of America's middle class, you haven't met Senator Byron Dorgan. In Take This Job and Ship It, this modern day Prairie Populist pops the greedheads right in their snouts, using both facts and a stinging sense of humor. Byron's book is both a rallying cry and a blueprint for action. If you believe America is headed in the wrong direction and you want to do something about it, read this book, then help us elect more Byron Dorgans."—Jim Hightower, commentator and author of Let's Stop Beating Around the Bush

"Senator Byron Dorgan is one of the few elected officials of either party who has consistently and unwaveringly defended the interests of American working men and women and their families. His commitment to our country and the truth is inspiring. His book is a trenchant and timely examination of America's so-called free trade policies and the exorbitant cost to our middle class and our nation."—Lou Dobbs, CNN anchor

"I watched Senator Dorgan take on the powerful interests in the U.S. Senate, and this book shows that he is still at it. Our country's trade policies are a scandal, and Dorgan has the guts to expose it and name names. He also tells us how to put our country back on track. This is an important book that might finally call our country to action to protect good jobs and our way of life."—Former Senator Fritz Hollings

"Senator Dorgan reminds us that politics can still produce prophets who see the world for what it is and for what it can be. Conventional wisdom has failed—a flat world is not a healthy world. Read this book and sign up to fight for an America that works for all Americans."—Bill Moyers, author and television commentator

"In 1970 the largest United States corporation was General Motors, with employees who stayed with the company for most of their working lives. Today the largest U.S. corporation is Wal-Mart, which has a 70 percent turnover rate. Dorgan is concerned about the implications of that shift in employment status and stability for the standard of living in the U.S. He looks beyond the economic and philosophical arguments, using vignettes to describe the bottom-line competition of large corporations that has resulted in the loss of three million U.S. jobs in the last five years. He cites a long list of U.S. companies and brands that have moved operations overseas, including Fruit of the Loom, Fig Newton, and Radio Flyer. Dorgan cautions that American consumers are in denial about the cost of the cheap goods they buy in terms of job loss and the exploitation of overseas workers. After lauding a host of those who have spoken out on the issue, including Warren Buffett, Ross Perot, and Bill Moyers, Dorgan offers some suggestions, including repealing tax breaks for exporting jobs."—Vanessa Bush, Booklist