Status
Available
Publication
New York : Simon & Schuster, cop. 2012
Description
"This book examines the struggle between President Obama and the United States Congress to manage federal spending and tax policy for the three and one half years between 2009 and the summer of 2012. More than half the book focuses on the intense 44-day crisis in June and July 2011 when the United States came to the brink of a potentially catastrophic default on its debt."--Note to readers.
User reviews
LibraryThing member JBD1
A typically Woodwardesque account of the 2011 fight over the debt limit and the budget which resulted in the "supercommittee." Reading this just after the fiscal cliff fight and just before the next debt limit fight, I was struck (and depressed) by the "Groundhog Day" scenario that seems to be
Nobody comes out looking particularly good from this account, although I think it's clear that the president and his team were much more invested in and willing to make a large-scale compromise on tax and budgetary policy than the congressional Republicans, who simply come across as reflexively anti-revenue ideologues, willing to take the country to the brink of economic collapse and balance the budget on the backs of the very poor in order to protect the interests of the extremely wealthy.
I wish Woodward had been able to add to the discussion the perspective of some of the hardliners in the House (other than Cantor), since it was that bunch who very nearly kept a deal from happening at all, and who are, as we've seen since, largely responsible for ensuring that pretty much nothing gets done (unless Boehner goes around them as with the fiscal cliff fight, which may be the best possible solution for future debates over the debt limit and other such things).
Like Woodward's other books, a basic tick-tock, offering different participants' own versions of events and filled with little insidery details.
Show More
continuing to play out over and over again in these political battles: we seem to be just getting the same kabuki dance every time, and that's a great disservice to the country.Nobody comes out looking particularly good from this account, although I think it's clear that the president and his team were much more invested in and willing to make a large-scale compromise on tax and budgetary policy than the congressional Republicans, who simply come across as reflexively anti-revenue ideologues, willing to take the country to the brink of economic collapse and balance the budget on the backs of the very poor in order to protect the interests of the extremely wealthy.
I wish Woodward had been able to add to the discussion the perspective of some of the hardliners in the House (other than Cantor), since it was that bunch who very nearly kept a deal from happening at all, and who are, as we've seen since, largely responsible for ensuring that pretty much nothing gets done (unless Boehner goes around them as with the fiscal cliff fight, which may be the best possible solution for future debates over the debt limit and other such things).
Like Woodward's other books, a basic tick-tock, offering different participants' own versions of events and filled with little insidery details.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lindap69
the behind the scenes of politics which does not make it any more palatable
LibraryThing member branjohb
The book is well written and researched which you would expect from this author. The author does a convincing job of demonstrating the politics and lack of functioning in Washington and nothing like a crisis, the debt ceiling debate, brings out the worst in politics and politicians. The lack of
I thought the author did a good job at being objective in the writing of the book. I did not feel he leaned one way or the other, politically speaking. He made both sides of the aisle look bad. I expected him to paint the story with a liberal brush.
One thumb up.
Show More
cohesiveness and teamwork in Washington will make many readers sick. I thought the author did a good job at being objective in the writing of the book. I did not feel he leaned one way or the other, politically speaking. He made both sides of the aisle look bad. I expected him to paint the story with a liberal brush.
One thumb up.
Show Less