Line #50 Literature/OnlyTheSuperRichCanSaveUs


1	[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Only_The_Super_Rich_Can_Save_Us_6136.gif]]
2
3	->''"This book is not a novel. Nor is it nonfiction. In the literary world, it might be described as 'a practical utopia.' I call it a fictional vision that could become a new reality. Some known and not-well-known people appear in fictional roles. I invite your imaginative engagement."''
4	-->--'''Author's note'''
5
6	''"Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!"'' is a 2009 {{utopia}}n novel by consumer advocate, author, and occasional presidential candidate Ralph Nader.
7
8	In 2005, billionaire Warren Buffett watches the damage of Hurricane Katrina and, seeing the slow government response, decides to help out himself. After helping out, a woman shouts, "Only the super-rich can save us!" Buffett gets an idea. He will help fix the country, with the help of some other super-rich folks, the Meliorists:
9	* Creator/BillCosby, comedian and philanthropist
10	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Diller Barry Diller]], media mogul
11	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Donahue Phil Donahue]], talk show host
12	* [[http://www.gatesfoundation.org/leadership/Pages/william-gates-sr.aspx William Gates, Sr.]], attorney and father of Bill Gates
13	* [[http://www.joejamail.com/ Joe Jamail]], attorney, known as the "King of Torts"
14	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lewis_%28businessman%29 Peter Lewis]], Progressive Insurance executive
15	* Creator/PaulNewman, actor and philanthropist
16	* Music/YokoOno, musician and activist
17	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Palevsky Max Palevsky]], businessman and philanthropist
18	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeno_Paulucci Jeno Paulucci]], founder of Chun King and Jeno's
19	* UsefulNotes/RossPerot, businessman and occasional presidential candidate
20	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Price Sol Price]], founder of PriceClub
21	* [[http://www.altig.com/OurCompany/bioBernard.php Bernard Rapoport]], businessman and philanthropist
22	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Riggio Leonard Riggio]], chairman of BarnesAndNoble
23	* [[http://www.soros.org/about/bios/a_soros George Soros]], investor and philanthropist
24	* [[http://www.tedturner.com/ Ted Turner]], media mogul
25
26	Other celebrities who appear are Creator/WarrenBeatty, Creator/WoodyHarrelson, and Governor Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger
27
28	Nader was inspired by Edward Bellamy's utopian novel ''Literature/LookingBackward''; the book could be considered a left-wing ''Literature/AtlasShrugged''.
29
30	!!This book provides examples of:
31	* AlternateHistory: The novel takes place in an alternate 2006.
32	* ArcWords: "Stay tuned."
33	* AuthorAvatar: The Meliorists are basically Ralph Nader disguised as celebrities.
34	%%* AuthorTract
35	* CharacterFilibuster: Frequent.
36	* DoorStopper: ''733'' pages.
37	* LoveAtFirstSight: Bad guy Lancelot Lobo is instantly smitten with Music/YokoOno upon seeing her speak at the Meliorsts' press conference.
38	* MeaningfulName: Lancelot Lobo; [[strike:Sean Hannity]] Pawn Vanity; Wal-Mart CEO Leighton Clott; Senator Thurston Thinkalot; charismatic businessman Luke Skyhi; election law expert Theresa Tieknots; Senators Prune, Sunup, Merchant, and Bitter; farmers Gil Groundwork and Hal Horsefeathers; Jasper Cumbersome III, CEO of The Leviathan Corporation.
39	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: {{Averted}} with most of the main characters, but some secondary characters are barely disguised-talk show hosts [[strike:Sean Hannity]] Pawn Vanity and [[strike:Radio/RushLimbaugh]] [[Radio/RushLimbaugh Bush Bimbaugh]], ''Washington Post'' columnist [[strike:David Broder]] David Roader, conservative activist [[strike:Grover Norquist]] Brover Dorquist...
40	%%* OperationBlank
41	%%* PropagandaMachine
42	* PunnyName: Head of recruitment Seymour Depth; evil businessmen Hugh Mongous, Sy Clopean and Cole Ossal.
43	* RealPersonFic: But the complete opposite of slash-it'll only turn you on if you're a policy wonk.
44	* RuleOfThree: As observed [[http://bitterlybooks.blogspot.com/search/label/Only%20the%20Super-Rich%20Can%20Save%20Us here]], Nader uses groups of three throughout the book.
45	* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Averted-one of the plans, to "buy back" members of Congress by funding their campaigns if they refuse donations from special interests, is scrapped because it would violate federal election law.
46	-->''"The Meliorists learned the hard way that not every honest and lean political idea was legally permissible."''
47	%%* StrawmanPolitical: Big Business.
48	* TitleDrop: After Warren Buffett has helped out during Hurricane Katrina, a woman cries out...
49	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Though in keeping with the letter of the trope, not the spirit-the Meliorists' Expansion of Dynamic Democracy Act states, "Corporations, partnerships, and legal associations of any kind shall not be deemed 'persons' for purposes of applying or interpreting the US Constitution. 'Person' is hereby defined by law as 'human being.'"

Context Literature / OnlyTheSuperRichCanSaveUs