Take on the Street: What Wall Street and Corporate America Don't Want You to Know (Unabridged)

Arthur Levitt was the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. For years, he attempted to regulate accounting firms, corporate reporting, and brokerages, but the political cost was so high that he had to resign. Now, as a free agent, he goes to bat for the common investor and tells it like it is. He tells us how investors today are being fed lies and distortions. Wall Street's obsession with short-term performance has resulted in a culture of gamesmanship among corporate managers, financial analysts, brokers, and fund managers. Levitt details the conflicts of interest, the tradition of mutual manipulation between companies and analysts, and the shading of information to fudge statistics and control investor behavior. And then he offers sound advice on how to avoid these perils.