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The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track (Institutions of American Democracy)x$7.10
  (16 reviews)
Best Price: $7.10
The Broken Branch offers both a brilliant diagnosis of the cause of Congressional decline and a much-needed blueprint for change, from two experts who understand politics and revere our institutions, but believe that Congress has become deeply dysfunctional. Mann and Ornstein, two of the nation's most renowned and judicious scholars of government and politics, bring to light the historical roots of Congress's current maladies, examining 40 years of uninterrupted Democratic control of the House and the stunning midterm election victory of 1994 that propelled Republicans into the majority in both House and Senate. The byproduct of that long and grueling but ultimately successful Republican campaign, the authors reveal, was a weakened institution bitterly divided between the parties. They highlight the dramatic shift in Congress from a highly decentralized, committee-based institution into a much more regimented one in which party increasingly trumps committee. The resultant changes in the policy process--the demise of regular order, the decline of deliberation, and the weakening of our system of checks and balances--have all compromised the role of Congress in the American Constitutional system. From tax cuts to the war against Saddam Hussein to a Medicare prescription drug benefit, the Legislative process has been bent to serve immediate presidential interests and have often resulted in poorly crafted and stealthily passed laws. Strong majority leadership in Congress, the authors conclude, led not to a vigorous exertion of congressional authority but to a general passivity in the face of executive power.
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Customer Reviews
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Power Corrupts; Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
By A9L6L5H9BPEBO on 2006-08-28
Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein bring to light what many Americans don't know, or don't care to know. The legislative branch of government, the House of Representatives and the Senate have long ago stopped serving the constituents they were elected to serve.
In this searing story that will scare the republic out of you, the authors tell how the Congress of yesteryear, the Congress that would negotiate, debate, compromise, represent the will of their constituents, and the best interest of the country, are a dying breed.
They have been replaced by congressmen and women who have allowed lobbyists to write the bills for the special interests they represent. They have cajoled party members to vote strictly along party lines at the expense of constituent representation and independent thought. They have introduced bills hundreds of pages long with little or no time for debate or compromise, let alone time to read its provisions. They have introduced bills late at night demanding an up or down vote. Having complained long and loud about democratic pork, the republican congress has increased "earmarks" from hundreds to the thousands. And this is the laziest congress in years, working less than 100 days a year.
Leading the charge of congressional dysfunction are Sennsenbrenner, Frist, Hastert and Delay. Sennsenbrenner allowed the credit card industry to write the new bankruptcy bill. Sennsenbrenner wouldn't allow any amendments that would have allowed veterans to keep their homes or seniors to keep theirs in the face of astronomical medical bills. Hastert removed a congressman from the Ethics committee because he was investigating Delay. Delay demanded that lobbying firms replace their democrat lobbyists with republican ones if they wanted to be "allowed in." Then there's Frist. For the first time, Frist, a senator, went to another state to campaign against the democrat incumbent.
As for that bridge to nowhere, in Alaska, that was going to connect to a community of 50 at a cost of $22 million. Well, congress rescinded it, but gave the same amount of money to the state which has made it clear they intend to build it anyway. Then, there is the $10 billion of pork that congress made great fanfare about removing from the highway bill. What the average American doesn't realize is that they added an additional $10 billion just before they removed it. This was legislative sleight-of-hand.
Mann and Ornstein's strongest assertion is that Congress has failed as an independent branch of government. They claim they are subservient to the Executive branch and Mr. Bush. They do his bidding. The loss of billions of dollars in Iraq, money the legislature authorized for Afghanistan that was used in Iraq (an impeachable offense,) and the sluggish reaction to Hurricane Katrina have not generated any calls from a republican Congress for full and independent investigations.
This is a book that should be read by every American so he or she might awaken from their somnambulistic, political indifference. It is the average American who is allowing his and her rights to be trampled upon by apathy and ignorance.
The number of recent congressional and lobbying scandals give the book its credibility and validity. It also gives something else validity--
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Accurate analysis of the current state of national politics
By A2F2MG56UAXTKW on 2006-08-01
I just watched a two hour panel on BookTV.org, CSPAN2. The panelists were the two authors, Newt Gingrich, and Tom Foley, the Democrat Speaker of the House before Newt. All were in agreement with the premise of this book: that the House has become a tool of the Executive branch, and has abrogated it's oversight duty. Bills are devised in the dead of night without bipartisan or even intra-party debate, simply to implement White House policy. Leader PACs and fund-raising are the key duties of our representatives. I was shocked to hear that the House has cut its in-session time from three days a week to one, as most members fly into DC on Tuesday night and out on Thursday morning. Most of the time they spend in DC is with lobbyists. This leaves no time for discussion or even reading the bills they are voting on. It leaves no time to get to talk with and to know the other Congressmen, or to hear dissenting views, and leads to the passage of flawed bills and acrimony with their colleagues.
Scariest of all is the invocation of war powers in a war that probably will not end in our lifetimes, at a time when the House, Senate, White House, and Supreme Court are all dominatted by one party. We could be just one terrorist attack away from a dictatorship. This book is a must-read for politicians, political scientists, reporters, and voters. Congress is neglecting its duty, and the American people are neglecting theirs by not voting and by not thinking about the issues that this book raises.
Helpful to Anyone Planning to Vote in November 2008
By A1S8AJIUIO6M9K on 2006-08-10
I have long understood the original terrible sin of Congress, the obscene corruption. I did not understand party line corruption (forcing Members to vote the party line instead of for their constituents until I read Tom Coburns Breach of Trust: How Washington Turns Outsiders Into Insiders.
This book helped me understand that the third sin is that partisan politics have turned Members into (the author's term) "footsoldiers for the President" and thus a complete abdication of their role as the Article 1 (i.e. first) branch of government.
This book helped me understand that it is the long-serving Members who are often shaking down lobbyists and extorting funds from people, not the other way around, where bribes are offered by the lobbyists.
I read this book after reading David Broder's article in the 8 August 2006 issue of the Washington Post, an article entitled "Contempt for Congress" and summarizing the utter disdain that the Governors--both Republican and Democratic--have for most Members. The Congress is indeed broken and dysfunctional. There is a tide sweeping against all incumbents, regardless of party, in this year.
Hence, as Congress reconvenes on 5 September for one last session ending in early October, it could be quite fruitful for as many voters as possible to read this book and Tom Coburn's book, and demand of Congress two things in this next session: Electoral Reform, and a Public Intelligence Agency independent of both the President and Congress. We have a window for reform. This book is one of two pillars for those who wish to "raise the roof."
See also, with a review, Running on Empty: How the Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It.
It is vital that the 100 million voters who have "dropped out" of the broken partisan political scene come back in 2008.
Wake Up Call on a Dysfunctional Congress
By A1IL6W1NK05UW9 on 2006-08-29
Mann and Ornstein have written a nice treatise on the frighteningly dysfunctional modern Congress. It is clear that Congress has abdicated it's responsibly to the American people and that personal agendas (including the almighty dollar) take precedence to good governance.
Unfortunately many of the recommendations made in this book to right the ship are unlikely to be enacted given the selfish, self-aggrandizing make up the individuals in Congress. If Congress continues to operate in such an undemocratic and unrepresentative fashion, only bad things can occur. It is shameful that the branch of government designed to be the closest to the people and the most democratic has failed to live it up this ideal.
This book is a good for any student of American government and should be a wake-up call for citizens.
Advance Praise for The Broken Branch
By AH50N73Y5DLGM on 2006-06-22
"The Constitution makes the legislative branch Article 1. It precedes the presidency and the judiciary by design. Today the legislative branch is too weak, too dysfunctional, and too out of touch with modern times to fulfill its constitutional duties. Mann and Ornstein understand well the glaring gap between the framers' design and today's reality. The Broken Branch is a serious step toward strengthening the Congress and moving America back toward a more stable and safer system." -- Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House
"Poll after poll shows a dramatic decline in public esteem for the Congress. In the opinion of many Americans, Republicans and Democrats alike, the institution simply does not work. Tom Mann and Norm Ornstein, two of the nation's very finest Congressional scholars, have shown in sharp, clean prose what has gone wrong and why and refreshingly suggest ways to get the First Branch of government back on track. This book is essential reading for Americans concerned about our country and our government." -- Thomas S. Foley, Former Speaker of the House
"Tom Mann and Norm Ornstein have few peers as Congress watchers, but their affection for this very human institution drives their analyses in The Broken Branch as much as their experience. You don't have to agree with every point in their criticism to feel renewed respect for their lifetime of devotion to helping make the people's branch of government a better functioning and more constructive tribune of the public interest." -- U.S. Senator John McCain
"This book confirms what many of us have long known. Norm Ornstein and Tom Mann are two extremely admired and knowledgeable students of the United States Congress. It is a 'must-read' not only for Members of Congress, but for all Americans who care about the success of this vital institution of our Republic in these troubled times." -- Tom Daschle, Former Senate Majority Leader
"If you have ever worried about the declining influence of Congress in American political life, listen up! This timely book is for you. A first-rate, close up story of congressional problems and institutional decline...historically informed, institutionally sophisticated, told by two of Washington's best informed observers of American politics." -- Richard F. Fenno, Jr., University of Rochester
- Good Insight to a Major Problem
By A22RY8N8CNDF3A on 2006-08-18
The "broken branch" Mann refers to is Congress' House of Representatives. He has concluded that a majority of today's Republicans in Congress see themselves more as foot soldiers in the President's army than as members of an independent branch of government. Serious congressional oversight of the executive branch has largely disappeared. This is NOT an exclusively Republican phenomena - arrogance, greed, venality, and condescension towards the minority were significant evidence prior to the Republican takeover in '94; however, since President Bush took office these practices have been raised to new levels.
Passage of the Medicare drug benefit in the House serves as the authors' prime example of abuse. The vote was held open for 2 hours, 51 minutes - far beyond the normal 15 minutes. This extension allowed enough pressure, threats and bribes to achieve passage. (In the 22 years Democrats ran the House after electronic voting, it only happened once - and that in a seemingly justifiable instance. The Republicans did it at least a dozen times both before and after the Medicare vote.) In addition, Democrats were left out of the bill's drafting (as were most Republicans - it was created in a special committee, without hearings), as well as most of the conference committee Democrats. Further, it (like many other key bills) was brought to a floor vote under closed rules (members cannot offer amendments - this has occurred 2-3X as often under Republican leadership), and without time to even read the legislation. There was also the issue of inaccurate cost estimates provided to help sell the bill. The authors then go on to argue that the House has become polarized by extreme gerrymandering that gives inordinate power to extremists in both parties.
Framers of the Constitution intended that Congress be first among equals of the three branches - it can override a veto, change the size and jurisdiction of the courts, and remove presidents and justices. Standing committees were created in the 1700s, partly to provide sources of independent information and expertise vs. eg. the Treasury Secretary at the time - Alexander Hamilton. By 1969 it had evolved into a collection of barons (committee chairs) who had near full control of committee resources and the flow of legislation to the floor, were selected in ironclad fashion by seniority, and were virtually immune from removal. They could also hire/fire the committee staff, set jurisdiction of subcommittees, select members of conference committees, and control debate on the floor when committee matters came up. Nearly all key committee meetings were closed and without recorded votes. In 1971 cracks began to appear in their power - a vote on any chair nominee was allowed if ten members demanded, and members were limited to sub-committee chairmanship apiece - preventing the chairman from just using a few select allies.
After Newt Gingrich arrived, Republicans began offering regular floor amendments designed to put the Democrats in embarrassing positions for use as campaign fodder; then there was also the C-SPAN tactic of pretending to challenge Democrats in the evening and not receive any response - therefore they must be guilty as charged. Party politics were further acerbated when the Republicans began refusing to work with Democrats after Clinton was elected, at least partly in response to a series of Democrat abuses that had seriously offended the Republicans.
Upon assuming the Speaker's position, Gingrich used the power associated with his Contract with America to centralize power (name committee chairs), limit chairmanship tenure, assign committee members, set committee agendas, and create leadership task forces to write key legislation - bypassing House committees. The result greatly reduced the amount and quality of deliberation.
After President Bush's 2000 election, rules and ideas about fairness were trumped by a desire to produce results for the president, Bush's push for executive secrecy and the withholding of executive branch information, the Senate's overturning precedent using a parliamentary procedure to allow ending filibusters of judicial appointments (Bush did not consult with the ranking Democratic member of the Judiciary, nor the "home-state senators" as Clinton had done), and DeLay's threats to withhold campaign funding help for non-cooperative members or even run alternative candidates in primaries and use of earmarks to threaten/bribe members.
The authors ultimately conclude that while the "good old days" weren't all that good, things have gotten a lot worse, and they then offer a number of suggestions for improvement.
- The Broken Branch
By A20D3M640OQCUM on 2006-08-07
The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How To Get It Back On Track is a newly published but long-awaited diagnosis of the pernicious conditions that challenge the short-term health of the first branch and the long-term well-being of American democracy.
Its authors, Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein, senior scholars at two of Washington's preeminent think tanks - Brookings Institution and American Enterprise Institute - came to town in 1969 from doctoral studies at the University of Michigan to serve as Congressional Fellows, and never used their return tickets.
What they have learned in their collective eight decades of careful, thoughtful, daily observations of and direct participation in the inner workings of Congress forms the structure of this very insightful look at Congress in the early years of the 21st century.
Mann and Ornstein are often described as "Congress watchers." Well, maybe, but that would be like calling Watson and Crick "molecule watchers" or Lewis and Clark "trail watchers."
These are two of America's leading political scientists, both fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, preeminent historians of the first branch, widely respected for having built trusting relationships with a diverse array of members in both chambers of the branch and both political parties, and known for their willingness to speak truth to power, which they do unstintingly in this book.
They ply their scholarship at two contrasting institutions, have substantive differences on certain political and public policy issues, and yet have formed the kind of collaborative and collegial relationship that once characterized the Congress itself.
So, let's begin our story right there.
"The broken branch distresses us as longtime students of American democracy who believe Congress is the linchpin of our constitutional system. But the consequences go far beyond our sensibilities, resonating in ways that damage the country as a whole."
Hence, 'the broken branch' endangers the entire tree: dysfunctional Congress means dysfunctional government means dysfunctional Union.
In just under 250 fast-paced pages, these two scholar-practitioners take their readers through the `theory and practice of the first branch; then to the period - 1969-1994 - in which they find "the seeds of the contemporary problem;"then a frank appraisal of the promise and then the detritus of "a decade of Republican control; which leads to an analysis of "institutional decline."
But if I were to recommend how a reader might most profitably spend an hour with this book - and I do so knowing that no author appreciates such counsel from a reviewer - it would be on the last two chapters - "The Case of Continuity" and "Conclusion." For it is in these pages that you get the best of the authors combined skills - literary and reportorial, investigative and analytical, winding up with a thoughtful and implementable set of recommendations for mending "the broken branch."
But, most importantly, while Congress is on its summer recess, and before you make your choice for voting in the November congressional elections, be sure to spend an hour or two with Mann and Ornstein so that you can be part of the vital democratic process of mending the broken branch.
- The Broken Branch
By A1XNEJQ5A2C2MF on 2006-11-05
While both authors of this book are frequent commentators on NPR (a source I regularly listen to), neither is a good writer. The depth of understanding they have of how Congress works and it's importance to the whole picture of government is impressive but their ability to communicate it clearly is compromised by the way they write. Their sentences are convoluted by the way they mix in dependent clauses and the way they separate the subject from the predicate by involved, dependent clauses. They should have had help from an editor to smooth out the flow of information they are trying to share.
Their basic theme, the fact that the House of Representatives was meant by the Constitution to be the leading element in governing, is very important for citizens of this country to remember. The House, under Republican control, has ceded authority and control to the executive branch and this is unconstitutional and dangerous. The authors deserve thanks for alerting us to this danger.
- A Broken Branch's Hasty Book
By ACBFF25XJC2T7 on 2007-01-09
This book, though purporting to expose abuses of the legislative process in the House, is lacking in a number of areas. Its substance suffers from an obvious rush to get to print prior to the 2006 midterm elections. It could easily have been written as a less profitable and more concise essay.
There is very little history of the Houses's storied past. The book is best when it differentiates between abuses of the Democrats in the majority in the past, and the Republicans in their 12 year reign. The Medicare prescription drug vote stands out.
That vote, however, does not stand out as much as the author's naivete in their own dealings with Congress. While working on a House study group, formed by the Democrats to help improve the operation of the House, the authors actually inserted in the report that the Democratic house leadership was "arrogant."
The authors then appear to be taken aback that they were called to a meeting of House chairmen who didn't appreciate that characterization of their leadership. Regardless of whether true or not, their characterization of the leadership not only could have been more diplomatically stated, it needn't have been stated at all. Such naivete raises the question as to how effective the authors can actually be in their declared mission to fix a broken branch.
This is the kind of political book all too often found in the public domain these days. It was rushed to print to address a contemparary issue that will fade into history. it won't even meet President Bush's criterion as a footnote. It will not serve as a good primary source for historians.
It also spends too much of its time in discussing the authors's self-laudatory attempts to "reform" Congress. These days self-promotion seems to be required material for books whose existence drifts between contemporary journalism, history, and "expert" commentary.
- The Dysfunctional Legislature
By A3H86VWLHHG96C on 2006-11-11
The notion of the smooth operating machinery of government was always a myth at best, but today it has become a dream of another era. There was always partisanship in Congress, but there was also respect for the institution and its responsiblities. This is no longer the case: party and ideology take precedence above everything else. The traditional rules and norms of conduct that made policy-making balanced and effective are no longer being followed. Getting results - ends justifying the means - is the only thing that matters today.
Respected policy wonks and congressional observers Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein have been watching the broken branch for decades, and in this book they give an excellent history of its demise as a respected institution. They assert that both parties are responsible for its downfall; however, they emphasize that things have gotten much worse since 1994, the year the Republicans took control. Even though the Democrats were high-handed and arrogant toward the end of their reign, the Republicans have since gone far beyond.
One of the most famous examples of violation of congressional conduct was the disregard of the "15 minute" rule by Jim Wright back in 1987. Congress was allowed 15 minutes to vote on bills, but Speaker Wright kept the vote open for an extra 10 minutes since they were short one vote on an important piece of legislation. The Democrats got their vote, but there were howls of disapproval from the Republican minority.
Fast forward to 2003. With the passage of the Medicare prescription drug bill hanging in the balance, congressional Republicans are holding the vote open for 3 hours applying all sorts of pressure and barely legal coercion to get the required votes - and this was taking place at 3 in the morning. The sad part is that this is no longer the exception, this is how bills are now passed.
Aside from the policy-making process turning into an excercise in arm-twisting and bribery, the role of Congress as a check to presidential powers has also suffered under Republican stewardship. The leaders of Congress have become nothing more than yes-men for the executive branch. The detrimental consequences are becoming more obvious by the day. Not only are we mired in a poorly planned and executed war in two countries, we have an administration that can get away with torture and warrantless wiretapping. Lack of congressional oversight is putting it nicely, dereliction of duty would be more accurate.
Mann and Ornstein elaborate on a number of reforms that need to take place in order for Congress to reclaim its honorable tradition. Now that the Democrats have retaken control there is the hope that they can do some of these reforms before they too take for granted their position of power. Unfortunately optimism was also present when the Republicans gained power in 1994. The adage about power corrupting still applies and the Democrats should take note. Mann and Ornstein call upon Congress to rise above petty partisanship and once again become a strong and respectable institution that can temper a powerful and aggressive executive branch. This book is a timely contribution to much needed congressional reform.
- Seventeen Percent Approval Rating
By A3N3GNVHFZZ6N1 on 2007-01-08
In 2003 Gallup conducted a survey that asked the public to rank professions according to honesty and ethics. Members of Congress ended up with a 17% approval rating in this regard. This was, of course, before Mann and Ornstein wrote this book. Having now read the book I would tend to give them a 7% rating which would tie them with used car salesmen.
This is not a highly partisan book. It was written by two Washington think tank men who have worked with congress for over 30 years. Democrats and Republicans share in the disgrace that is recounted here. The horror of it is that it is getting worse each year. The authors start the book with a history of congress and how it evolved. It is interesting to note that Party power struggles were part of the congressional system throughout the history of the republic.
Rules are frequently changed to strengthen the party that is in power. There was a rule that vote counts were to take 15 minutes, yet when the Medicare drug plan came up for a vote three hours passed while Republican leaders went around threatening, and even bribing members to change their vote. Members often spend only two days a week in Washington. Thousand page bills are brought up on the floor with no notice. Conference reports are changed in the middle of the night, and rules are used to suppress debate.
Committee chairmen, in a certain sense, buy their chairs insofar as they often go to the biggest money raisers, and not the most senior or the most competent. Congressional staffers come and go in revolving door manner so they can go work for lobbying firms, which firms are required to employ only those belonging to the party in power. Congressional members even shake down lobbying firms for money. There is no true, properly functioning ethics committee.
This was a very painful and depressing book to read. The fact that this book also ranks down around 11,000 on Amazon's best seller list is also sad. I think that high school civics teachers should make this book required reading in their classes so that our youth can see how our democracy really runs. What kind of government do we end up with when no one has the time or inclination to read the bills that end up for a vote which sometimes is taken at 3 AM. First there were the books on the Iraqi war that I finished reading, and now this sad book. If I read many more books on the world situation I'm going to have to start taking Prozac.
- A great history lesson
By A2KAZA5E7HCY6G on 2007-01-10
I read this after I saw one of the authors interviewed by Chris Matthews who spoke of the quality of the text. The author had obviously been 'around the block' a few times in Washington and it is clear he not only knows Congress's procedures but he knows the players as well. The author does a remarkable job of explaining how legislation is crafted and how deals are put together often in the 11th hour to 'insure' the outcome of the vote. Much discussion, often critical, of how Congress has failed on both sides of the aisle gives the book a very non-partisan feel. You sit back and hope that somehow this thing is on cruise control, because with more and more human intervention, things just seem to be getting worse.
- Excellent analysis of "The Broken Branch"
By AQQLWCMRNDFGI on 2006-11-25
A series of books has looked at the recent poor temper in American politics. This volume is a welcome entry into that literature. The two authors, Thomas Mann (of the Brookings Institution) and Norman Ornstein (of the American Enterprise Institute) are long time observers of the American political scenes, with special interest toward and knowledge of the American Congress. The Broken Branch, a co-authored product by the two, reflects their concern that something has gone haywire with Congress.
To be sure, there is no idyllic past where civility reigned and members of Congress only cared about a greater good. However, there have certainly been times where Congress has functioned better than the recent past. And that is the focus of the authors.
They believe that Congress (page ix) ". . .has always been the first branch" and that it serves "as the linchpin of the American constitutional system." And, they feel, over the past two decades the course of Congress has gone off on the wrong track. This began when the Democrats were still in control and began to behave more arrogantly, while the minority's attacks on the majority part grew more shrill and hard-nosed. Things have only gotten worse, they contend, in more recent years.
Among the problems that they address: the permanent campaign to retain individual seats and party control, the increased polarization of the parties in Congress (what they term "the collapse of the center"), the near "tribal politics" that they claim characterizes partisan conflict today, the lack of oversight by a Republican Congress over a Republican president, the lack of fairness in procedures, and so on.
The fear that the passage of major laws (such as the Bush tax cuts, enactment of the PATRIOT Act) without due deliberation has led to poorly thought out policy. They conclude that (page 242) "The broken branch distresses us as long-time students of American democracy who believe Congress is the linchpin of our constitutional system."
They do provide suggestions that might remedy the ailments that Congress faces, as they see it. However, these will likely not prove compelling to most readers. Their analysis of problems, however, is nicely done. Will there be change with the change in party control after the elections of 2006? Only time will tell, but the authors surely cannot be optimistic.
- What do they do?
By A1WMVV2AHMONSO on 2007-04-16
I want a job, where by I can inform the boss, when I will work, how long I will work, and what my benefits will be. When I will go on vacation, how many vacations I will take per year, and how long said vacation will be. Oh yes I want to enform my employer what my salary will be, when I get a raise, and what that amount of that raise will be.
I will refuse to meet with any of my employers, I will only meet with "Lobbists," and I will never discuss a pending law with my fellow law makers, and any and all significant laws will only be voted on in the dead of night to keep my employers in the dark.
I will spend most of my time in Washington chasing dollars so that I can keep this very wonderful job. You know I have to be able to tell my employers what a good job I am doing so that they will return me to my position, in two years, or maybe give me a promotion.
A dream job, and the title you would have would be "Congressman," or "Congresswoman." Oh did I mention I would be jetted around the world at the expense of Exxon, DuPont, or General Motors? How good is that? The really good part is it will not cost me one thin dime.
Besides, my employers are stupid. They do not keep any checks and balances on my activities, and care not what lie falls out of my mouth. I can dilute the powers and responsibilities of my office, "The War Powers," as an example. Once we are in a war, I can relenquish oversight of a few idiots who happened to have joined the military and may loose their lives, is not my concern, because that may get in the way of my "Dollar Chasing." Besides I can just rubber stamp what ever the president wants, look busy, and that keeps him happy. No one will rat on me because we are all doing it together. And I do not have to worry about the news media, because they are too busy smelling after Brittney Spears.
The good life, you think? All I can say is we get what we deserve. We as Americans do not keep ourselves informed, we will not pick up a newspaper, and definately not a book so that we know what is happening to our freedoms, or our nation. Well here it is all laid out for you the author has done the hard part, now all you have to do is read it.
Solutions are offered up here as well, but they too are as about as useless as udders on a bull, if we the people pay no attention.
- Important Book
By A3SQAOF844DMTN on 2007-07-11
This book is important. When you realize how much power Congress has and how little they have been doing, and how little institutional responsibility everyone on Capitol Hill seems to have, you will begin to fear that America may be on the start of a downward slide.
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