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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hard-Hitting Political Punditry!,
This review is from: Sinking the Ship of State: The Presidency of George W. Bush (Paperback)
Sinking the Ship of State: The Presidency of George W. Bush by journalist, editor, author and journalism professor Walter M. Brasch is a collection of his social issues column 'Wanderings' in addition to a few new columns written specifically for this book.
His is a critical, compelling, in-depth analysis of the Bush Presidency from the Republican primaries in February 2000 through April 2007 and the new Democratic majority in Congress. Under Brasch's unflinching eye, insightful wisdom and scalpel sharp wit the Bush Administration is dissected and laid bare upon the autopsy table of Free Speech. But he doesn't stop there, also slicing and dicing Congress and the mainstream media as enablers of the President and his Cabinet. His columns are real-time snapshots, honest and brutal in their reporting, and do not suffer through the prism of hindsight, where the view is often colored and skewed to fit a preconceived agenda or ideal. Brasch was ahead of the curve of popular opinion about George W. Bush and many of his policies. In October 2001 he was warning about the perils to civil liberties of the newly passed Patriot Act when the majority of people were cheering its passage and the media largely stood silent. He was criticizing the Administration on it's global warming stance long before it became the Al Gore fueled hot-button issue it is today. Brasch's commentary is ardent and passionate while always remaining clear-eyed and focused, seeking accountability and responsibility from an Administration notorious for being insular and never admitting to any mistakes. My only quibble is when the author uses personal attacks or insults to make or illustrate a point, whether the target be President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Senator Clinton or Senator Kerry. This serves only to cheapen the discourse while adding nothing of substance, and Walter M. Brasch is better than this. So, for a lively, forthright, witty, comprehensive and intellectual commentary of the Bush Presidency from day one to the present, this is the book. Michael Alternative-Read.com October 2007
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Presidential Disaster Put Into Perspective,
By Mark T. Rafter "Author, http://www.TheWealthM... (Auburn, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sinking the Ship of State: The Presidency of George W. Bush (Paperback)
I need to note one caveat before my review: I believe (I am not alone) that the presidency of George Bush - our not so beloved 'W' - will go down as one of the most tragic in history.
Therefore, I find the writing of Walter Brasch to be an enjoyable read. It is not so much a book in it's own write (HA! couldn't resist) but a collection of newspaper columns from the beginning of the Bush presidency. Whereas this can be viewed (and is factually correct) as yesterday's news, what I found to be interesting was the history of abuse, the cavalier attitude towards the constitution and individual rights, the cronyism, the outright illegal, immoral and offensive behavior that has been going on for 8 years with W at the helm. All of which brings us to the sad state of affairs we now see with Bush occasionally popping out of the White House like a ground hog afraid to see his shadow, wanting to let everyone know he cares about our pain. A world weary and totally irrelevant president fumbling to figure out what to do about an economic crisis of biblical proportion, much of the seeds of which were sown by himself and those in his administration. We can read back through the history and origins of much of the current mess and see that, in general, Walter Brasch was right. There is a reason Laura Bush got the book deal for her memoirs before her husband (people who want to actually sell Books By Bush have suggested he may want to wait...for awhile). Some articles certainly work better (are more interesting) than others and most have updates where subsequent developments to the topic in question were available. His penchant for reminding us of Bush's many malaprops come as welcome comic relief. They must be of some solace to Dan Quayle who can now step down as the most inarticulate person to hang his hat within a heart beat of the oval office. This is not light summer beach reading but is well written and researched. The article format works well for a short read after which we can take a break to contemplate how we could have possibly voted this guy into office for a second term. Shame on us.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Walter Brasch is a master at weeding through the political lies,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sinking the Ship of State: The Presidency of George W. Bush (Paperback)
Quoting from the back cover:
"Sinking the Ship of State traces the arc of the Bush presidency from its humble beginnings in the slime of the South Carolina primary to its zenith on a carrier deck beneath a "Mission Accomplished" banner and down to its sorry demise in proposed impeachment proceedings. Brasch lays the whip to the indolent press, "cash register patriots," and a corrupt Congress. It is an exhilarating ride." - Don Kaul, syndicated columnist; retired Washington columnist, Des Moines Register "When most Americans and the mainstream media were accepting whatever they were told by the Bush Administration, Walter Brasch was meticulously peeling away the incompetence, deceit, corruption and, most of all, their cavalier attitude to the Constitution." - Jim Hightower, syndicated columnist "Walter Brasch shines a merciless light on the moral hypocrites and constitutional villains who act as the self-appointed protectors of the nation. His writing is propelled by a lively sense of humor and an acute sensitivity to the darker ironies of our times." - Jeffrey St. Clair, co-editor, CounterPunch "Brasch is one of the first and most consistent columnists to warn about George W. Bush and his neo-conservative administration's plans for a pre-emptive attack on Iraq and the drummed up evidence of WMD. Brasch is an articulate and entertaining writer exposing constitutional and human right violations." - Regina Huelman, Editor, Liberal Opinion Week." Walter Brasch has used past writings from his social issues column, Wanderings, as the basis for this book. The columns have been presented in a chronological order, starting in 2000, making the book historical, informative, and easily digestible. If you're interested in politics, this book should be on the table beside your bed. Walter Brasch is a master at weeding through the political lies, deceit, corruption, rhetoric, and hyperbole to help us find the truth. He is a man we need very much in today's complex society. If you want to know the truth, buy this book and help support his efforts. Kaye Trout Reviewer
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