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Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives [Kindle Edition]

Robert Draper
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)

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Book Description

When the Tea Party Came to Town demonstrates Robert Drapers uncanny ability to ferret out news-making tidbits and provides us with the first look at this game-changing Congresssure to be a classic work.

In When the Tea Party Came to Town, Robert Draper delivers the definitive account ofwhat may turn out to be the worst congressional term in United States history. As hedid in writing about President George W. Bush in Dead Certain, Draper burrows deepinside his subject, gaining cooperation from the major players, and provides an insidersbook like no one else cana colorful, unsparingly detailed, but evenhanded narrativeof how the House of Representatives became a house of ill repute. Because of the bitterlydivided political atmosphere in which we live, this literary window on thebackstage machinations of the House of Representatives is both captivating andtimelyrevealing the House in full, from the process of how laws are made (and in thiscase, not made) to the most eye-popping cast of lawmakers Washington has ever seen.



Editorial Reviews

Review

“Vivid . . . Compelling . . . [Draper’s] refreshingly balanced account captures the drama of one of Congress’s most combative and maddeningly frustrating years in memory.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“Colorful . . . An engaging and often funny chronicle of the year in the House of Representatives following the Tea Party–powered 2010 elections.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“Superb . . . A rich and deeply reported look at the House Republicans who took over the chamber after the 2010 elections.” (Ryan Lizza The New Yorker's "Ten Best Political Books of 2012")

“A gripping and fast-paced narrative.” (The Daily Beast)

About the Author

Robert Draper is a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine and National Geographic and a correspondent to GQ. He is the author of several books, most recently the New York Times bestseller Dead Certain: The Presidency of George W. Bush. He lives in Washington, DC.

Product Details


Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
244 of 268 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Confirms My Worst Fears About Our Congress April 26, 2012
Format:Hardcover
This new book genuinely confirms my worst fears about the decay of our government through the last five Congressional sessions. I listened to a detailed preview and interview about Do Not Ask What Good We Do through online and cable news recently. As a proud non-partisan Independent, born out of 6 generations of Republicans, I now fear greatly for our nation. Moreover, Robert Draper's book underscores how a relatively small radical segment of the Republican Party is now trying to secretly diminish and seemly dismantle our "We the people" government simply for their narrow short-term election year power gains. Behind what appears to be the necessary checks and balances by Congressional governance, it's now really all about winning elections, staying in office, making money, agitating class warfare, political distractions, coded rhetoric, and setting-up to win the next election to make more money. Has anyone ever asked themselves if we really want "less government," then does the trillions of our tax dollars dollars we pay remain in their pockets -- can you say what "taxation without representation" means now? Clearly, Mr. Draper's book title is perfect for our times. Ironically, the GOP started out as an anti-slavery, socioeconomic rights and political equality party in the 1850s when we were a young nation and a very divided republic -- including our national "birth defect" of slavery and various forms of racial terrorism, according to former (Republican) U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Having read Grand Old Party by Lewis L. Gould, Thaddeus Stevens: Nineteenth Century Egalitarian by Hans L. Trefousse, American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia by Bruce Frohnen, Jeremy Beer and Jeffrey O. Nelson, and Alfred Blumrosen's Slave Nation book (truly must-reads), greatly enhanced what Mr.... Read more ›
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37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for political junkies May 5, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Robert Draper is a first-rate writer. In this page-turner he treats Democrats and Republicans (and Tea Partiers) with equal care and criticism.

Draper is a "fly on the wall" through the 2011 sessions of the House of Representatives. Through his phenomenal penmanship we get to meet many Reps like Tea Party freshmen Jeff Duncan and Allen West, the soon-to-be-disgraced Anthony Weiner, and "Dean of the House" John Dingell, D-MI, to name only a few.

We get to see inside the machinations of the House of Representatives during the Continuing Resolutions (to continue funding the Federal government) and the debt ceiling debates -- ending with the so-called Super Committee, which (we learn) Senator Harry Reid expected to fail when he proposed it (see page 274).

With earmarks gone for this session of Congress, the majority party leaders (Boehner and Cantor and McCarthy) had no way to lure Tea Party freshmen into voting the way the party leadership wanted them to... leading to one of the most legislatively-unproductive Congresses in American history, with the House passing only some 90 bills.

Draper periodically opens chapters with entertaining stories from Congresses of previous centuries that were mired in partisan deadlocks. The historical perspective is reassuring: there is nothing new under the sun in politics.

If the book were three times longer I would have enjoyed it three times as much. I couldn't get enough of this inside look at the sausage-making process.
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95 of 106 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Bashing Congress is hardly new, as Robert Draper quickly points out. Complaints from within and without date back to the early days of our Republic and certainly everything here is hardly a newsflash from a Congress that not only has the lowest public opinion in history, but seems hell bent on driving it still further downwards. Dysfunctional Congresses and partisan politics are likewise nothing new, but what is stunning is the access that Draper is given by members of the 112th Congress and that Draper is willing to serve it up, warts and all. Most reporters and members of the media are so timid and afraid of saying what is REALLY going on out of fear that their access to politicians will be cut off. As a result they apparently willingly acquiesce and will only cite "unnamed sources" or will heavily water down what true news they do report so as not to offend. That is NOT the case with Draper as he names names and says what was really going on behind the scenes during the current (112th) Congress, some of which points out why opinion polls rank them so poorly. Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat you'll find much to agree with and much that will shock you as politicians in both parties come off very badly.

Some of the shots Draper takes are obvious ones, like the idiotic hubris of Rep. Anthony Weiner, who got what he deserved. Draper skewers Weiner ruthlessly here and takes no prisoners on either side of the aisle. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is revealed as despised by members of her own party for forcing unpopular votes on vulnerable members in the 111th Congress that cost many their seats in the 2010 elections. President Obama comes in for criticism from congressmen for his unwillingness to lead or to use his political capital to advance causes near and dear to his heart.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Wasn't sure I wanted to see the sausage made, but glad I did
A page-turner as much as a political book can be. Draper does an excellent job of revealing who/what the Tea Party is, how it has changed Washington dynamics and how difficult it... Read more
Published 10 hours ago by Lloyd Porter
5.0 out of 5 stars Do not ask what good we do
This was a good read but it sure makes one mad when it reveals how our government does not work.
Published 1 month ago by Kenny Goering
5.0 out of 5 stars A look behind the doors of politics.
It answers the question of why the GOP, particularly in the House, have taken such an obstructionist position with the Obama proposals. It'w what they DECIDED to do.
Published 2 months ago by Patricia Bowens McCarthy
4.0 out of 5 stars Do not ask
I found this book very interesting once I figured out that it was more anecdotal than a book with a larger theme.
Published 2 months ago by Cindy
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read. . . fast moving
Very interesting book. Anyone interested in todays political drama should read it, Democrat or Republican you will find it a very good read.
Published 2 months ago by Patricia Gypp
4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
As someone who lives and breaths politics, this in-depth look into the 112th congress was jaw dropping. Read more
Published 3 months ago by James M. Diloreto
2.0 out of 5 stars He has written better.
A collection of stories about the 112th congress. No central theme. Spends too much talking about movies, food, etc and let's face it--stories about congress are pretty boring to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jeff Paup
5.0 out of 5 stars Sad that these elected officials only care about their own agenda
This book is a fine example how corrupt our elected officials have become, it's no longer them working for we the people. This is a must read book. Great read. Read more
Published 4 months ago by shasha0518
2.0 out of 5 stars Not sure
Bought for a friend and he has not yet read it. When he has read this book, I will ask him
Published 4 months ago by Louise A. Plessala
2.0 out of 5 stars Boring
It is a lot like Congress -- it drones on and on. Endless detail and minimal vision. I should have just watched CSPAN
Published 5 months ago by Glenn A Nelson
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