Broken Government: How Republican Rule Destroyed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches

by John W. Dean

Book Overview

The concluding volume of "The New York Times" bestselling trilogy One of today's most outspoken and respected political commentators asks: How can our democracy function when the key institutions of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670018201
• ISBN13: 9780670018208
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Viking Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Should Be Required Reading for American Legislators and Judges

This is the third book in John W. Dean's series and it finalizes his strong statements about how the American people must sit up and pay attention to what is happening to our country based on the ultra conservative, mean spirited and ultra secretive workings of the Republican party. He explains what has happened and what will happen if the American people simple put our heads in the sand and not pay attention. He explains how important it is for the Democrats to fight back instead of turning the other cheek. He expresses so clearly what a growing number of involved American citizens are thinking, saying and writing. If you know a legislator or judge personally, I would recommend this as a gift for them. If more of our Democratic leaders read this and were encouraged to turn and take a stand, we would be able to stop a lot of the discouraging trauma that our nation is facing in war, economic and judicial decisions. Please read it and pass it on!

Man, what a book!!!

This audio book was amazing and a little scary. John Dean is dead on about this administration and the MASSIVE mess they've created. His amazing research and facts are proof positive that, at this moment in time, our government is definitely broken. John Dean knows how to state the facts like no other author I've ever read. He's tremendous and so are his books.

Useful Framework and Conclusions

As others have already noted, Dean is not offering new information or an insider's view on what the Bush Administration is up to. However, his framework (that all of the federal government is broken) is a useful framework to consider the state of affairs in our national government into. This isn't just a case of some bad things that have happened. It's a case of pervasive corruption of government. And his conclusion that it's not something that's easily correctable is important. There is also the matter of Dean's perspective. He's not just an academic or editorial writer. He's been on the inside of another bad government and knows whereof he speaks. He's also a good writer so this is an easy book to read.

"Right" off the deep end

John Dean's "Broken Government", the final book in a terrific trilogy, is typically hard-hitting and right on the money. In this latest offering, Dean looks at the three branches of the federal government....three, that for most of our history, have been more or less co-equal. Boy, how things have changed over the last dozen years! Beginning with Congress, Dean points out that the Republican "revolution" that swept Gingrich and co. into power in 1994 was the most destructive to that institution in its history. The Republicans, he reminds us, are an "authoritarian" bunch who will do anything to suit their own needs. He's hopeful that the newly-elected Congress, now under Democratic control, will be able to put Congress back on a level playing field with a bipartisan approach to process. Taking on the executive branch is a Dean specialty and he does so with aplomb. Bush believes in the "unitary executive", where rules and laws can be bypassed and all bets are off. This chilling chapter is enough to drive everyone with any common sense to the polls a year early, if we could. Picking up the pieces of the administration of "the worst president ever" will take years, no matter from which party the next president hails. Dean's assessment of the White House is so good I read that chapter twice. The most discouraging aspect of "Broken Government" is the author's comments on the judicial branch, for here, we have a Supreme Court inching toward extremism. With about half of the current Court in a fundamentalist mode, Dean cautions in loud tones about what we can expect with an eye-opening portent he calls "Direct Impact of Judicial Fundamentalism on Individuals". These pages contain the most dramatic and important part of the book because most (if not all) members of the Court will outlast the current president and today's Congress. Dean's narrative is always direct and serious. Although he often lapses into hyperbole and sometimes borrows from his two earlier books, "Broken Government" is nonetheless a powerful indictment of the governmental state of affairs in Washington at present. Fixing what has been broken will take creativity and decency on the parts of our elected officials and while this book is not necessarily a march toward Doomsday it is a reflectively good look at how we got to this situation and why. I highly recommend "Broken Government" and congratulate John Dean on another fine book.

ESSENTIAL READING!

John Dean has produced an exceptionally powerful book that discusses how the radical conservatives have attempted to reinvent all three branches of government in order to achieve their ultimate goal of reinventing the Untied States itself. Dean evidence is from a very wide, balanced array of sources, which are very clearly documented. Dean's thesis is sound and clearly those who do not agree with his contentions will condemn this book, probably without actually reading it. The timeliness of this publication is important. With the presidential primary campaigns under way, and as they are becoming heated, this book answers a lot of questions that people might have about how we got to this point, and who we might want to elect. Over the past decade John Dean has emerged as one of the preeminent intellectuals in the field of politics, and perhaps one of only a few that can communicate very complex ideas to the masses without having to dumb down what he says or writes. This book is great example of this uncanny ability that Dean possesses. Clearly some folks will recall his Watergate connection, but he is certainly more than that, and this book is evidence of that. If you are concerned with life and the future, then you should read this book.