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A review by branch_c
The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis
3.0
The most significant piece of information in this book is probably the fact that Trump and his appointees were not just incompetent when they took over the US government in 2017, but that they were incompetent jerks. Most of us probably could have guessed this already without the data gathered here by Lewis, and even if we didn’t, this is depressing info that many of us would rather ignore, so this book is a less than enjoyable read.
On the other hand, the writing is polished and engaging, and the reader is introduced to numerous positive characters in addition to the jerks; people who committed their careers to government work because they truly wanted to make a difference, and make the country better for its citizens. It’s sad to realize that their good intentions can be so easily thwarted by a mob of selfish idiots - but not only that, to see how unnecessarily difficult it can be even under the best of conditions, when a presidential transition is handled professionally and correctly.
And this is the real lesson to be learned from this book: we should be surprised and impressed that our government works even as well as it does, given the complexities of government agencies, the intricacies of data collection and storage, and the antagonistic interactions between citizens, government, and business. These aspects combine to make it unlikely that normal government operations can be managed efficiently, and make it all but impossible that administrative transitions will go smoothly.
The good news is there’s lots of room for improvement, and given some time and effort, plus the right elected officials, things can be improved. Some of the issues raised here echo those brought up by presidential candidate Andrew Yang, in his book, The War on Normal People, especially in regards to the problems facing rural America in the modern society. Beyond Yang’s ideas for Universal Basic Income and putting humanity first (over the interests of corporations and politicians), the government would surely benefit from leaders like him who pay attention to the data, listen to the advice of experts, give logistical issues the attention they deserve, and have a genuine desire to make the world a better place.
Anyway, the three star rating here reflects my personal reading enjoyment factor, since the topic is not exactly pleasant. But it’s a quick read, and recommended for anyone who wants to be aware of these important matters.
On the other hand, the writing is polished and engaging, and the reader is introduced to numerous positive characters in addition to the jerks; people who committed their careers to government work because they truly wanted to make a difference, and make the country better for its citizens. It’s sad to realize that their good intentions can be so easily thwarted by a mob of selfish idiots - but not only that, to see how unnecessarily difficult it can be even under the best of conditions, when a presidential transition is handled professionally and correctly.
And this is the real lesson to be learned from this book: we should be surprised and impressed that our government works even as well as it does, given the complexities of government agencies, the intricacies of data collection and storage, and the antagonistic interactions between citizens, government, and business. These aspects combine to make it unlikely that normal government operations can be managed efficiently, and make it all but impossible that administrative transitions will go smoothly.
The good news is there’s lots of room for improvement, and given some time and effort, plus the right elected officials, things can be improved. Some of the issues raised here echo those brought up by presidential candidate Andrew Yang, in his book, The War on Normal People, especially in regards to the problems facing rural America in the modern society. Beyond Yang’s ideas for Universal Basic Income and putting humanity first (over the interests of corporations and politicians), the government would surely benefit from leaders like him who pay attention to the data, listen to the advice of experts, give logistical issues the attention they deserve, and have a genuine desire to make the world a better place.
Anyway, the three star rating here reflects my personal reading enjoyment factor, since the topic is not exactly pleasant. But it’s a quick read, and recommended for anyone who wants to be aware of these important matters.