Robert Draper

This was a very good book, a well written tale that struck me as a cross between Scott Turow and Greek tragedy. A book where complicated relationships between a wide variety of well-drawn characters drive the story of clashing demands of love, friendship, ambition, and lust for power in a texas prison town. This book deserves a wider audience. I suspect its title let it down and it might have attracted more attention, with a generic yet more indicative name.

Watching Colonel Alan West the Tea Party favorite from Florida fight like a wolverine (and lose) his race for re-election to the house recalls to mind the wonderful Do Not Ask What Good We Do a slightly biased but I think fair view of the last two years of the Congress in Washington.

If you watch the news you probably only get to see the big dogs (i.e. the speaker and the minority leader) wrestle with the mud. This book is quite wonderful showing the rogue caucus that came in with the Tea show more Party backing, knowing nothing (and proud of it ) about the workings of government, and loosing mice in the washroom at every opportunity.

Like this:

Costello: We're going to cut 100 billion from the federal budget
Abbot: Where?
Costello: I don't care! Across the board!
Abbott: You can't do that! The money is already earmarked!
Costello: I don't care! Naturally! Who? He's on first and I don't give a darn.

The public only saw John Boehner fight it out with Obama - this book shows Boehner fighting it out (and losing) a war with his own caucus. The Grand Bargain (that would avoided the Fiscal Cliff) might have passed if not for the blind refusal to compromise from the newly seated Tea Partiers

People who like lawmaking and sausage making should never watch either being done.

Heard the author speak on The Daily Show and had to buy it. I'm glad I did.

A book for political junkies. Highly recommended. Be prepared to do some homework

“Congress will rise (adjourn) June 1st, as most of us expect. Rejoice when that event is ascertained. If we should finish and leave the world right side up, it will be happy. Do not ask what good we do: that is not a fair question, in these days of faction.”

—Congressman Fisher Ames, May 30, 1796 show less

Very good political writing. Draper seems to have a thing for Laura Bush which I found funny.

This book looks at the new tea party members that joined the US Congress. Draper does a great job of telling their stories and letting them explain what they want to accomplish.