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It's Even Worse Than It Looks
- How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism
- Narrated by: William Hughes
- Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
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Publisher's summary
Acrimony and hyperpartisanship have seeped into every part of the political process. Congress is deadlocked, and its approval ratings are at record lows. America’s two main political parties have given up their traditions of compromise, endangering our very system of constitutional democracy. And one of these parties has taken on the role of insurgent outlier; the Republicans have become ideologically extreme, scornful of compromise, and ardently opposed to the established social and economic policy regime.
Here, congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein identify two overriding problems that have led Congress—and the United States—to the brink of institutional collapse. The first is the serious mismatch between our political parties, which have become as vehemently adversarial as parliamentary parties, with a governance system that, unlike a parliamentary democracy, makes it extremely difficult for majorities to act. Second, while both parties participate in tribal warfare, both sides are not equally culpable. The political system faces what the authors call "asymmetric polarization", with the Republican Party implacably refusing to allow anything that might help the Democrats politically, no matter the cost.
With dysfunction rooted in long-term political trends, a coarsened political culture, and a new partisan media, the authors conclude that there is no silver bullet that can solve everything. But they offer a panoply of useful ideas and reforms, endorsing some solutions, like greater public participation and institutional restructuring of the House and Senate, while debunking others, like independent or third-party candidates. Above all, they call on the media as well as the public at large to focus on the true causes of dysfunction rather than just throwing the bums out every election cycle. Until voters learn to act strategically to reward problem solving and punish obstruction, American democracy will remain in serious danger.
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Richard Painter and Peter Golenbock present a clear description of rule of law - arguably the single most important principle underlying our civilization. They also describe the abuses of power that have occurred throughout our nation's history. Beginning in Puritan New England with the infamous Salem Witch Trials, American Nero makes vivid stops at The Red Scare of the 1920s, Japanese-American internment, the McCarthy Era, and, much more recently, President Trump's attempt to violate the First Amendment by banning Muslims from entering the US.
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brilliantly written
- By Wendy on 07-05-20
By: Richard W. Painter, and others
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Alt-America
- The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump
- By: David Neiwert
- Narrated by: Matthew Josdal
- Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Just as Donald Trump's victorious campaign for the US presidency shocked the world, the seemingly sudden national prominence of white supremacists, xenophobes, militia leaders, and mysterious "alt-right" figures mystifies many. But the American extreme right has been growing steadily in number and influence since the 1990s with the rise of patriot militias. Following 9/11, conspiracy theorists found fresh life; and in virulent reaction to the first black US president, militant racists have come out of the woodwork.
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amazing. I want to recommend it to everyone.
- By Charlie Dubou on 05-13-18
By: David Neiwert
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The Making of Donald Trump
- By: David Cay Johnston
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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The culmination of nearly 30 years of reporting on Donald Trump, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter David Cay Johnston takes a revealingly close look at the mogul's rise to power and prominence. Covering the long arc of Trump's career, Johnston tells the full story of how a boy from a quiet section of Queens, New York, would become an entirely new and complex breed of public figure. Trump is a man of great media savvy, entrepreneurial spirit, and political clout. Yet, his career has been plagued by legal troubles and mounting controversy
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A horrifying must read for every voter
- By Tim on 08-15-16
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Authoritarian Nightmare
- Trump and His Followers
- By: John W. Dean, Bob Altemeyer
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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How did America end up with a leader who acts so crudely and despotically, and counter to our democratic principles? Why do his followers stick with him, even when he acts against their interests? John Dean, a man with a history of standing up to autocratic presidents, joins with Bob Altemeyer, a psychology professor with a unique area of expertise: authoritarianism. Together, using psychological diagnostic tools, as well as exclusive research and analysis from the Monmouth University Polling Institute, the authors provide us with an eye-opening understanding of the Trump phenomenon.
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Well worth your time
- By kay on 09-06-20
By: John W. Dean, and others
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Republican Gomorrah
- Inside the Movement That Shattered the Party
- By: Max Blumenthal
- Narrated by: William Hughes
- Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Inspired by the work of Psychologist Erich Fromm, who asserted that the fear of freedom propels anxiety-ridden people into authoritarian settings, Blumenthal explains in a compelling narrative how a culture of personal crises has defined the radical right, transforming the Republican party for the next generation and setting the stage for the future of American politics.
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How close they came to having it all!
- By John S. on 10-24-09
By: Max Blumenthal
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Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right
- Opinionated Columns on American Life
- By: Michael Smerconish
- Narrated by: Michael Smerconish
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Opinionated talk show host and columnist Michael Smerconish has been chronicling local, state, and national events for the Philadelphia Daily News and the Philadelphia Inquirer for more than 15 years. He has sounded off on topics as diverse as the hunt for Osama bin Laden and what the color of your Christmas lights says about you. In this collection of 100 of his most memorable columns, Smerconish reflects on American political life with his characteristic feistiness.
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All about Smerc and who cares about the victims
- By Mark J. Rosen on 12-10-20
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Citizen Trump
- A One Man Show
- By: Robert Orlando
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 2 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Writer/director Robert Orlando, locked down during the Covid-19 pandemic, learned Citizen Kane was Trump's favorite film, and the parallels were astonishing. Both Kane and Trump are swaggering masters of media, and both claim to stand for the working man. Truth be told, Kane was crushed by scandal; Trump was not. He triumphed above front-page divorces, bankruptcies, unprecedented media attacks, and political chaos. Did his failed attempt at reelection end his star power? Citizen Trump gives us our looking glass.
By: Robert Orlando
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Corruption in America
- From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United
- By: Zephyr Teachout
- Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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For two centuries, the Framers' ideas about political corruption flourished in the courts, even in the absence of clear rules governing voters, civil officers, and elected officials. In the 1970s, the U.S. Supreme Court began to narrow the definition of corruption, and the meaning has since changed dramatically. No case makes that clearer than Citizens United.
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Law Review+
- By Ben P. on 01-02-17
By: Zephyr Teachout
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The Broken Branch
- How Congress is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track
- By: Thomas E. Mann, Norman J. Ornstein
- Narrated by: Paul Mantell
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Congress is the first branch of government in the American system, write Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein, but now it is a broken branch, damaged by partisan bickering and internal rancor. 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.
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We’re hopeless
- By Steven on 01-08-23
By: Thomas E. Mann, and others
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One Nation After Trump
- A Guide for the Perplexed, the Disillusioned, the Desperate, and the Not-Yet Deported
- By: Norman J. Ornstein, Thomas E. Mann, E. J. Dionne Jr.
- Narrated by: E. J. Dionne Jr., Norman J. Ornstein, Thomas E. Mann
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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American democracy was never supposed to give the nation a president like Donald Trump. We have never had a president who gave rise to such widespread alarm about his lack of commitment to the institutions of self-government, to the norms democracy requires, and to the need for basic knowledge about how government works. We have never had a president who raises profound questions about his basic competence and his psychological capacity to take on the most challenging political office in the world.
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Pleasurable Factual Density, much needed
- By David on 09-21-17
By: Norman J. Ornstein, and others
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Fake Politics
- How Corporate and Government Groups Create and Maintain a Monopoly on Truth
- By: Jason Bisnoff
- Narrated by: Brian Sutherland
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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In today’s chaotic world, where the multiplication of information sources creates competing narratives, credibility is the key to winning the war of ideas. This is the reason why governments and corporations resort to astroturfing - creation of ostensibly grassroots movements set up to advance political agendas and commercial campaigns. The democratization of information and polarization of politics offer a perfect storm.
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Now do the Left and the democrats.
- By Kristin Mainprize on 10-08-21
By: Jason Bisnoff
What listeners say about It's Even Worse Than It Looks
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- David
- 09-24-12
A book not bound by false "balance"
I like this which puts the current situation in a historical context. I appreciate the comparison to parlamentary democracy where we seem to have taken the worst of our two party system and imported the worst of parlamentary politics. I do hope we move to reform. Well read. Had trouble setting this aside.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Matt
- 11-19-12
Too Short
This book has some great information as to why our government is disfunctional and how we got to this point. I didnt look at how short the book was which feel the price is steep for such a short book.
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- Aaron
- 09-25-12
Great story, even better Narration
Where does It's Even Worse Than It Looks rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Among political nonfiction it is one of the best.
Has It's Even Worse Than It Looks turned you off from other books in this genre?
Not at all. It has actually made me want to learn more.
What about William Hughes’s performance did you like?
Just about everything. I have heard him read other books and he is one of the best!
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
There was a lot to process, so I found it helpful to break it up in order to think about what I'd been hearing.
Any additional comments?
Enjoyed this very much and plan on a second listen.
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4 people found this helpful
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- lisa
- 06-23-13
No wake up calls and a Democratic lean
The prologue makes a statement to the effect that the public's outrage and tendency to vote out long standing politicians when angered, thereby making the political situation worse (Americans, get out of the way and let the professionals handle this) is in direct conflict with the next statement that republicans voted down their own bill because the president liked it - McCain being one of them. McCain is far from being a junior member of Congress who was newly voted in and creating havoc due to inexperience.
The problem is simple: Politics has become a self-serving job for those involved, not a public service. They're in office to support their party, not the American people. While the authors of this book definitely understand how this dysfunctional system works (or doesn't), they're too close to that system to offer a real solution. The fingers are still pointing. It doesn't take much reading between the lines to see how the author feels about those troublesome people who keep quoting the Constitution. The American public is in the way - they just don't understand what the democrats are trying to accomplish.
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- Julie Schatz
- 07-30-15
Worth a listen
The narrator is good. Good analysis and contains plenty of useful advice, tips, and comparisons.
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- Rob
- 07-01-12
Even the well-informed will learn something here
Mann and Ornstein have done the country a great service with this book. I follow politics relatively closely and there were some eye-openers for me in this thoughtful and well-written book. While it is not a surprise that both Mann and Ornstein (a liberal and conservative) share a common view about just how seriously dysfunctional the federal government is, what is a surprise is that they place most of the blame squarely on the extremism in the Republican party. They note that Republican extremism is not directed toward advancing their policies so much as toward advancing personal interest of their leaders or the political (not ideological) interests of their party. Multiple examples of how Republicans in the Senate have used the filibuster and other parliamentary tools to delay votes on bills or on appointments - taking up huge amounts of valuable time that should be spent on the important business of the country - that ultimately passed with votes along the lines of 95-2. What could the point of this be? Only to make the government and the majority party look ineffective. Shame on the Republicans.
Mann and Ornstein offer a variety of ideas to address the problems.They look for ideas that have been tried around the world but they have been in this business for a long time and have a clear-eyed view of what is likely to fly in the U.S. and what probably won't. They propose a range of ideas that can at least begin to counter the Republican's "gum up the works" efforts.
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17 people found this helpful
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- Scott
- 09-03-12
A No-Nonsense Look at our Current Political Crisis
If you REALLY care about this country, regardless of party affiliation you should get this book. Filibusters and secret "holds" are being put on perfectly decent Senate legislation just to gum up the works by both parties. It is all for partisan or personal gain and has already caused a downgrade of the U.S. credit rating for the first time in history.
It's not all doom and gloom. The authors offer some powerful ideas to get us out of this mess including ways to get MORE of us to vote, not less. Required reading for anyone who puts country before party as they should.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Adrian Drummond
- 06-02-16
Good but not great
I learned a lot from listening to this book but it also left me with the feeling that most of my assumptions were wrong. The author did not provide compelling alternatives in the face of legislative paralysis. The book was good but not great.
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- MLSreality
- 04-01-17
Important for every American to understand
Find the beginnings of our political dysfunction and suggestions of what to do. Well researched and well written.
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- Steven
- 03-02-22
There’s is hope
“The people who are elected to public office, with rare exception, can no longer solve our problems; they are more a symbol of the problems than a solution!”
Steven Trueblood
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