Self Made Myth-- Mike Lapham-- co-author

• Exposes the damage to our political discourse and policy choices caused by the myth of the "self-made man"
• Offers testimony from a variety of business leaders about the full range of contributions to their success
• Spells out actions we must take to lay the foundation for a renewed prosperity in America
• Click here for the press release

We're often told that wealthy and successful people are heroic visionaries who achieved their positions entirely on their own. The Self-Made Myth challenges the by-your-own-bootstraps narrative enshrined in American tradition, and beloved by antigovernment activists, to offer a more realistic, but no less inspiring, view of the sources of success. While honoring the importance of hard work, creativity, and leadership, it highlights several crucial, often unrecognized factors, with a particular emphasis on the ways government and society help individuals: public education, research and development grants, social services, roads and highways, laws and regulations that establish a stable business environment, and many more. 

Miller and Lapham explore the historic roots of the self-made myth and reveal the societal damage it continues to cause.

Rob:Who sells it and benefits from  it?

It's a myth of the 1%-- to make it seem that the ones at the top are responsible for success and jobs. 

Rob: What  is the truth?

Rob:There are a lot of organizations and individuals selling this myth, this lie, Who are they, how do they benefit?

James allison has offered $2 million grants to any college that will teach Ayn Rand's Atlas shrugged-- 60 colleges have accepted 

It's an agenda aimed at helping and enriching the 1% at the cost of the 100%. Everyone loses when we don't have a strong middle. 

Rob: How dis this myth get started? Horatio Alger?

Frontier, pioneers who did it on their own. We have a strong history of doing it together, raising barns together-- 

There's been this myth of these few heroic individuals

Rob: What would happen if the libertarians and Ayn Rand fans vision of the US and government became reality?

Rob: it seems that every politician or wealthy person has benefited from what this book describes, how government has helped them. Is there a systematic approach to showing the hypocrisy of opponents to government?

Trump start dwith between $40 and $200 million of his father's money- Father made it dealing with FHA. 

Perot made his money dealing with government. 

Rob: Warren Buffett?

Buffett rule-- wealthy should pay same taxes or more than secretary. 

93% of all the new income in year 2010 went to folks in the 1%

Rob: isn't it a lie that taxing small business people affects jobs? 

Rob: who are the people who are duped by this myth, this lie? What's the psychology of it?

People can't move from the bottom as much as other countries. There's this myth that you have the opportunity. 

Rob: Can you talk about the "built together reality?"

Rob: What can listeners do?

challenge the self made myth or job creator myth. Nobody got rich in this country alone 

Tell your own story if you're a business person. 

selfmademyth.org

fair economy,org/open letter

Rob:What's the elevator pitch talking points?

nobody gets rich alone. They did with the help of a lot of other people around them and the help of a lot of government investments, so they have a responsibility to invest and pay".

List of benefits:

public education for selves and employees, investments in opportunity-- SBA loans, and PEll grants, govt research, internet, infrastructure, bridges, roads, regulations that create the rules of the road for business courts and  laws and patents that protect wealth once you've