
It's Even Worse Than It Looks
How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism
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Narrado por:
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William Hughes
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.
©2012 Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...




















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A book not bound by false "balance"
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Too Short
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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.Great story, even better Narration
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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.
No wake up calls and a Democratic lean
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Worth a listen
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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.
Even the well-informed will learn something here
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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.
A No-Nonsense Look at our Current Political Crisis
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Good but not great
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Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
As a moderately involved political individual, I could have written the book. For me, no real revelations about conservative strategy, motives, etc. For a conservatives to write this book along with others expressing similar ideas about the current group of conservatives like David Fromm is quite revealing. I have almost zero confidence in any of the suggestions at the end of the book being adopted, worthy and necessary as the are. The money now makes the rules and the rich have it. If I were younger I'd head for Canada! The middle class will be gone in twenty years and the vast majority of society will mirror India.Nice try by Mann and Ornstein. The observations are spot on.
What other book might you compare It's Even Worse Than It Looks to and why?
Passage of Power by Robert CaroThe legislative comparrisions are striking. Since the ' 60s, things are so vastly different. Politicians talked back then, now just talking past one another. Deal making was possible then.....not really so much now. Kennedy got nothing done legislatively, then Johnson steps in, takes feeling for Kennedy and passes most of Kennedy's programs. Could that happen today.......doubt it!What three words best describe William Hughes’s voice?
ExcellentCould you see It's Even Worse Than It Looks being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
It kind of is......It's on Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Sat Nite Live and Bill Maher all the time.Any additional comments?
It makes me sad that even conservatives are even saying this stuff. It validates my pessimistic feelings toward US and it's future.About What You Expected
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Required
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