Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the House of Representatives

The publisher???s summary says ???Do Not Ask What Good We Do is the definitive book about the Bush Presidency??? yet the book has nothing to do with the Bush presidency. The book jumpily skips between somewhat boring details of the Obama vs Tea Party budget fights, vignettes of congress-persons like Gabby Giffords and Anthony Weiner, and a few historical anecdotes about the House. There was little, if any, analysis or historical perspective to be found. If the reader has paid any attention to the congress the last couple of years they will find virtually nothing new or interesting here. If the reader was completely cut off for that period, I suspect the book would be too boring to bear. The author claims that only 13 republicans supported Medicare when it was first enacted, there were actually many more (70 House, 13 Senate). I was hoping for a book about how the House got to this dysfunctional state and a historical perspective on processes like earmarks and obstructionism.

The story was a really interesting look at the past year or so in the house of republics in America, and in particular what effect the tea party has had on the ability of the chamber to get work done.

It reminded me a lot of the a party which sprung up in Australia (Pauline Hanson's one nation) which burned brightly for about 3 years and died a horrible death as people worked out that being uncompromising and sitting on one extreme of the political swing does not work.

The only thing that is slightly off putting are the character voices done by Holter Graham - he did not Nancy P.elosi down at all 8though it was fun to listen to him trying).

All in all It is well worth the listen.

This audiobook was both informative and engaging and provided an intimate look at congressional activities. I particularly liked the comparisons to historical congresses. The narration was very good as well.