A review by caitcoy
It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the Politics of Extremism by Norman J. Ornstein, Thomas E. Mann

4.0

I highly recommend this one to anyone frustrated by the lack of compromise and functionality in government these days. The authors level the blame specifically at the Republican party's unwillingness to compromise, particularly the goading provided by the Tea Party so it is not likely to appeal to those who like that direction. The Democrats have their share of blame but it's clear that the authors consider the Republican party of today much more ideologically extreme than it has been in the past, a statement that I personally agree with. The authors make excellent points about the cost of being unwilling to compromise (among other problems they outline) and offer interesting solutions for how to solve gridlock and the state of politics today. Not a quick read, but a fascinating one.