Matt Taibbi takes the "two America's" thing and runs with it. This isn't about statistical difference in income but about difference in the criminal justice system. How can someone at bottom of the drug culture (the kid walking around with a joint in his pocket) get more time than the bank that admitted to laundering? The book talks about the "frisk and stop" program in New York City that results in over half a million stops per year and a huge number of arrests and tickets that result mostly in the inconvenience to going to court and paying a fine. By contrast, Taibbi talks about the extent of fraud and illegal behavior in the banking and finance sectors that led to the collapse of the economy but not one person going to jail. Seems a little out of whack. Taibbi also includes chapters on deporting immigrants (seems like this is a local jurisdiction money grab), welfare fraud (is it harder to get $400 worth of welfare benefits or a bank bailout worth billions?), and banking whistle blowers that end up on welfare because they get fired and black listed. Want to get out of your comfort zone and get riled up? Read this book.
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