ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts presents in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents a detailed account of changes in social and economic indicators for the United States since 1980, particularly indicators of declining living standards. It illustrates examples of the CWEs characteristics in prominent sectors or industries that will include manufacturing; transportation and energy especially oil and natural gas; agriculture; health care; college and university education; university and professional sports; national defense; real estate; and finance. The chapter describes how the existence of the powerful nexus, shaping and limiting of policy discourse, and trading of favors among the CWEs nexus members contributes to the unfavorable social and economic indicators plaguing the US economy. The chapter focuses on some policy proposals that can transform the CWE with an economy based upon traditional American values that includes no welfare subsidies for wealthy individuals or large, highly profitable corporations.
