The Party is Over: How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted
Lunatic Republicans, Useless Democrats, and the Middle Class hung out to dry
That's how former Republican staffer Mike Lofgren calls it in his book, The Party Is Over: How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted.
A loyal staffer, and behind-the-scenes mover and shaker for the Republican Party on Capitol Hill for 28 years, Lofgren got fed up in 2011, and left the party, calling it a cult.
"How did the party of Lincoln become the party of lunatics?" he asks.
On this page, learn how this staunch Republican became so disaffected with his own party. Then, tell me if you don't agree--and if you do!
Plus, weigh in. Share what you think of Lofgren's assertions. Take a poll on whether you think we can and will recover, despite the political shenanigans in Washington.
Finally, share what you are doing to help get the United States of America back on track. The Party is Over is a must-read for all Americans, whatever side we may be on.
The Party is Over gives us a much deeper look behind the closed doors of Congress and how our elected officials sell their political services to the highest bidder, what that sale costs you and me, and most importantly, what we can do about it.
Political terrorism, as Lofgren sees it
In 2011, upon leaving his position as a Congressional staffer, Lofgren wrote a scathing expose of its inner workings: Goodbye to All That: Reflections of a GOP Operative Who Left the Cult.
Then, Lofgren said: "Both parties are rotten - how could they not be? ... Both parties are captives to corporate loot."
But the Republican party, is more so, he claimed.
The Republican Party [used] the debt limit vote ... to concoct an entirely artificial fiscal crisis. Then, they [used] that fiscal crisis to get what they wanted, by literally holding the US and global economies as hostages.
And that, this insider says, is political terrorism.
What Lofgren has to say about his book and his (former) party
This book is about America's broken political system: How it got that way, who benefits, and who loses. It is about the growing domination of the legislative process by corporate money and the corresponding decline of a broad public interest.
It is about how politicians use intensely polarizing ideological issues as bait to energize their political bases--and to divert those followers away from focusing on the one overriding political issue in our society: Who gets what.
Is the Republican Party holding America hostage?
And are the Democrats sitting on their, um, donkeys? Here's your chance to weigh in. What do you think?
Lofgren says he witnessed the Republican Party purposefully creating the fiscal crisis that destroyed the hopes and dreams of so many American families, an act he deems political terrorism. What do you think?
Political services routinely sold to the highest bidder, behind closed doors
As a staffer to Republican senators and congressmen on both defense and budget committees, Lofgren helped shape policy and decision for national security, defense and budgets. He learned first hand what really goes on behind Washington's closed doors, "when the C-Span cameras are turned off."
When politicians claim they will cut taxes, wage war around the planet, and balance the budget at the same time, they are spouting rank falsehoods. What I saw ... was an auction where political services are won by the highest bidder.
Lofgren paints a middle class nearly out of luck - One has to wonder: Where does that leave the ever-growing poor?
The fact is, we the Middle Class, are getting poorer and poorer by the day. As more and more of us sink into poverty, fewer and fewer feel emboldened to raise a voice.
This is no accident, the former Washington insider says:
This is not a result of blind economic forces, ... globalization, or some other nebulous cause. Specific committees of Congress, inevitably assisted by specific K Street lobbyists, wrote legislation that achieved this result.
Is there time to save the United States from economic and social collapse? - Are enough of us working to build a better economy and society?
Corruption. Life-threatening environmental degradation. Increasing poverty world-wide, including right here in the good ole' USA. While a relatively few uber wealthy people buy political clout so they can steal absolutely everything with impunity, millions of ordinary and not so ordinary people around the globe work feverishly to right wrongs.
They're building schools, helping the poor learn how to feed themselves, creating jobs, cleaning up environmental messes. And yes, some are running for political office. Is it enough? What about right here? Do we have time to save the US before China or India overtakes us as the number one super power?
How much time do we have left?
What do you think? If you don't see an answer that fits your thoughts exactly, pick the closest one. Then tell us more about what you think in the comment section.
Is there time to save our freedoms, our rights and our economy?
Light at the end of the tunnel?
Lofgren doesn't stop with exposing the truth about both political parties as he witnessed them in his 28 years in Congress.
He gives us an insider's perspective on how we can work effectively to reclaim our country--for all of us--and get it working again.
Maybe, just maybe, we can turn that light at the end of the tunnel on and keep it shining.
Mike Lofgren and Bill Moyers on the book, the parties and what we can do about it - Moyers and Company
Wherever you stand on the political spectrum, your voice matters
Our country exists today because men and women gave their lives in the Revolutionary War to ensure future generations had the right to participate in our governance. The only way to keep that right secure is to take part. How are you assuring that your children--and theirs--will have a say?
What do you do to assure our republic remains free for all its citizens?
The Party is Over is one book no thinking American should ignore. Read it. Talk about it. Decide what you are going to do about it. Saving our country is up to us. Let's get to work!
I'd love to know you stopped by. Don't be shy! This page is sure to be read by a variety of people, each with their own, strong opinions. What did you think of Lofgren's book? Would you like to read it? Or have you?
© 2012 Kathryn Grace
