<DIV><I>The Great American Stick-Up</I> exposes the bipartisan group who have played a formative role in shaping the financial collapse, yet still remain below the media radar for the part they played. They are the ultra-power couple of Phil and Wendy Gramm, whose roles in the private sector and government have pushed for the wholesale deregulation of the banking sector for two decades; two former leaders of Goldman Sachs, Robert Rubin and Henry Paulson; and former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers. These figures paved the way for the great banking meltdown of 2008.<P>The story of this group provides a vivid framework to understand the web of moneyed influence that threatens America's future. It shows that the events of the previous year could have been anticipated, and that there are culprits responsible who continue to wield enormous power over our lives.</DIV>