• The Party Is Over

  • How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted
  • By: Mike Lofgren
  • Narrated by: Mel Foster
  • Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (174 ratings)

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The Party Is Over  By  cover art

The Party Is Over

By: Mike Lofgren
Narrated by: Mel Foster
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Publisher's summary

There was a time, not so very long ago, when perfectly rational people ran the Republican Party. So how did the party of Lincoln become the party of lunatics? That is what this book aims to answer. Fear not, the Dems come in for their share of tough talk - they are zombies, a party of the living dead.

Mike Lofgren came to Washington in the early eighties - those halcyon, post-Nixonian glory days - for what he imagined would be a short stint on Capitol Hill. He has witnessed quite a few low points in his 28 years on the Hill - but none quite so pitiful as the antics of the current crop of legislators whom we appear to have elected.

Based on the explosive article Lofgren wrote when he resigned in disgust after the debt ceiling crisis, The Party Is Over is a funny and impassioned exposé of everything that is wrong with Washington. Obama and his tired cohorts are no angels, but they have nothing on the Republicans, whose wily strategists are bankrupting the country one craven vote at a time. Be prepared for some fireworks.

©2012 Mike Lofgren (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Lofgren has crafted an angry but clear-sighted argument that may not sit well at family reunions or dinner parties, but deserves attention." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Party Is Over

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A Great Analysis

Would you listen to The Party Is Over again? Why?

It explains, in detail, why we only have one political party disguised as two in this country.

If you could give The Party Is Over a new subtitle, what would it be?

There is No Difference.

Any additional comments?

This is a great listen for anyone who still believes that there is still a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans. Both parties are betrothed to big corporate interests and their lobbyists (not to mention the world banking oligarchs who control the Federal Reserve), both favor big government in one form or another, and both have sold out to the American people. Politics in America has become a big football game, and the fans in the stands are paying the price. Problem is, no matter who has the ball, we all lose. It's far past time for a third party.

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7 people found this helpful

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An Insider's Expose

Would you listen to The Party Is Over again? Why?

I have already listened to this book twice because there is so much information that I wanted to hear it twice

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

That Mike Lofgren worked with powerful Republicans and was so appalled by the fake debt crisis that the Republican leadership staged in the Summer of 2011 that he retired after a thirty year career. He has thought long and hard about our future as a democracy and has concrete suggestions about what has to be done.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, this was an extremely compelling book; in some ways it is a who done it; who has gotten us to situation we are now in with a national legislature that spends it's time raising money from interest groups and corporations. The welfare of the country has taken second place to the need to raise massive amounts of money to get reelected.

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What About Christians Who Agree

I become so very frustrated when I read such informative and insightful books dealing with the weaknesses of our government and the people who elect them. My frustration comes when I get to the ubiquitous part that tells me I'm an idiot because I believe that there is a God. I I love everything in this book, and I agree, however, the authoritarian mindset swings both ways

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UGLY

I am a political junky. I read a lot of political books and watch CNN, Fox News & MSNBC. This tone of this book is UGLY. Mr Lofgren pines for the days of a more liberal-minded and soft-spoken Republican party. I also would like to see more progress among the two parties. However, there is a political reality that our country is at a point in its history where one of the parties has to start taking some fiscal responsibility or we will be in major peril. This desire by the public and some in the Republican party has caused quite a bit of friction... and unfortunately has also resulted in stark partisanship when compared with what Mr. Lofgren may call the "good ole days". The fact is that in the "good ole days" of President Reagan; Democrats and Republicans alike were making deals that the American public simply could not afford. These deals seemed to continue into the GH Bush Presidency and the start of the Clinton Presidency. Finally, Newt Gingrich created the Contract with America and started putting a halt to the out of control spending to bring about a few budget surplus years. Mr Lofgren has made it very clear that he despises Newt's form of statesmanship and would prefer a more compliant Republican party.

I am normally okay reading political opinions that disagree with my own. Even though I don't always agree after I have read opposing views; I normally feel like I have learned something. However, Mike Lofgren's tone is quite derogatory and childish in this book. The book is filled with personal opinions supported by exaggeration and fabrication. Lofgren uses playground epithets to simply make fun of people he does not agree with. Because of this tenor, I could not get past chapter 5 of this book before I had to stop.

If you are a Democrat and want to feed your mind with more "red meat" to fight Republicans, this is probably going to reinforce any views you have. If you are an establishment Republican, you may also find solice in these views. If you lean Libertarian, Intellectual or Independent in your views, you should not waste your time with this purchase. Almost any other political book would be a better investment of your time.

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Chilling

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. To anyone who believes that any candidate is the path to a new America, read this and understand why you're wrong.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Party Is Over?

I hate to ruin the surprise for the true believers...

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

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He Nails My Stereotypes About Politics

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I recommend the audio version for those who like to read a book wile they are busy doing other things, and I recommend the written book for those who like to study what a good author has to write.

What other book might you compare The Party Is Over to and why?

This book reminds me of Who Stole the American Dream by Hedrick Smith, which is another good listen. It's a gloomy diatribe of some of the things wrong with our federal government but it's not written in a typical Republican anti-government vein. To the contrary, this book is written from valid perspectives and with political balance.

Which scene was your favorite?

The final chapter was a good summary of the book. Since I had read (listened to) numerous books since first starting to Play this one, the last chapter was a kind of refresher. The author is specific enough to make his points and informed from having been there so that my impression is that he assesses issues fairly and evenly. To this listener, Mr. Lofgren is a believable author.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This was not a one-sitting kind of listen. I like to turn to other books either as a diversion or simply because I fancy different information flows at different times. This does not keep it from being a great listen.

Any additional comments?

This is the kind of audio book that reminds me why I went audio in the first place. I can stay physically busy as I like without sitting down for hours to listen. During the gym, long walks, long drives, and even while shopping the isles of the bog box stores, are examples of how I put this technology to work for me efficiently.

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A scary view at the dysfunctional political system

So this is just scary. And sad that our political system has gotten to the point where we are now. We don't have elected officials. We have people bought and paid for by American corporations. Or big wigs. Who are usually associated with those corporations. OR super religious people whose beliefs don't seem to have evolved with the rest of the nation, who have huge audiences of their own, who want to keep the status quo. And the people lifted up by these influential organizations are willing to say or do whatever they need to in order to keep their power.

That's definitely a blanket statement and I think it applies mostly to a minority in the parties, but they are the most influential and outspoken members of the parties. In order to try to keep some optimism, I have to believe there are people -- maybe not the elected members themselves, but on the payroll -- who are there to really make a GOOD difference. They're not looking for accolades or power, they just see a problem and want to try to help fix it.

But even the whole process seems so freaking screwed up. When a defense bill can have a line item about abortion included, there's an issue. Two polar opposite issues, but in order to pass it, someone made a concession that somehow tied defense to abortion. That kind of thing should be outlawed. As should filibustering. And redistricting.

Another thing I'd *really* love to see is a viable third party. I find it highly hypocritical that there are international Democratic and Republican organizations that cry foul when other countries' democratic elections appear to squeeze out a party's representation, but look what happened to Paul Rand at one of the debates. They would not let him in. The man was running for president, but because he wasn't Republican or Democrat, he was not welcome to debate them. It just seems like anymore I'm choosing the one I dislike least or will at least not degrade my comfort level rather than one I feel passionate will make my life better. Nobody represents ME anymore.

So anyway, the author had a lot of interesting topics and anecdotes. While the Republican party got slammed (that's what he knew best), it's not like he left the Democrats spotless. They have their hands dirty as well. And, believe it or not, he believes real change will happen with the Millennials, when the baby boomers pass. The baby boomers still have such socially conservative values, and, because of their size, they are draining the "entitlement programs" they hold so dear.

It was definitely food for thought. Lots of great information. And lots to make me scared of the immediate future, especially if the parties can't figure out how to get along and compromise.

I think I'm going to have to buy this book in DTB form. There was a lot of interesting information, and I'd like to just flip through a book and read as opposed to trying to find the right passage in audio.

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He sounds like a disgruntled employee.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

This book would be for someone who blindly follows political parties other than the Republican party.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

He has great insight as to the inner workings of the Republican party, and he delivers them in a manner consistent with someone sick and tired of it. In some parts, he sounds more like he's tattling on them actually.

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A must read

A must read for all American citizens. Another in a series of enlightening look at our broken oligarchy of what is really a system for non but those that can afford it.

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I wish everyone would read this!

Eleven years ago middle class Americans received this warning and since then things have only degraded farther. The author does an excellent job of explaining how we got to the point of our political system being broken and made viable suggestions for solutions. Now, how to wrestle power away from the corporate purchase of political parties. The narration is a little "sing song " but the content is excellent.

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