How Washington Actually Works For Dummies

by Greg Rushford (Editor)

Get the inside scoop on the most powerful city on Earth Washington, Capital of the Free World; the most powerful city on Earth. No other country, company, or international organization can compare with the reach and wealth of the federal government. Policymaking — the art of deciding what programs to support, what laws to pass, or what regulations to write — is at the core of what Washington does and is what everyone, from the President on down, wants to influence.

How Washington Actually Works For Dummies isn't a dry explanation of the American system of government but a playbook for how Washington really who has a seat at the table, how the policymaking process works, and how one survives. It takes you inside the political process in Washington, discusses changes in recent decades, and explains how the parts fit together. You find

Who really runs Washington Why the President’s power is limited How Congress (and its committee structure) works What the bureaucrats — the men and women behind the curtain — do to earn your tax dollars How lobbyists, activists, and other players influence policy In a presidential election year when economic issues are center stage and the candidates will go head to head in policy debates, there’s no better time to discover the ins and outs of how policy is actually made.

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 25, 2012

Reviews

[Bob Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, a pretty fast read. I wanted to read over a book describing how Washington DC works, this was ok. I might have wanted a bit more depth. But it did review how Washington works. Written during the Obama years, it missed the Trump years where a true outsider came to town and tried to change the fine balance of power, between the elites, power brokers and media. The battle with Trump was way outside the process mentioned in this book. Our government needs to get back to the government built by our forefathers. We have left it and now govern by regulation and presidential edict, along with court decisions to set policy. Our congress has failed in its mission over the past years, but especially the last 10 years.

[Ethan Hulbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent and very short overview. Good for what it was, nothing special, had some little bits of aside humor every now and then that I enjoyed and kept it moving.

[Jorvon Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a little dated, but still informative.

[Juan Pablo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly would give this a 2.5 on the goodreads scale as opposed to a 2 or a 3. It's information is useful but only o.k. because of it's brevity. It's short & to the point of how things get done in Washington, D.C. with no real in depth coverage or explanation, a quick instruction manual almost. One thing I couldn't help but wonder is that with the way things work, the more you learn about each part, you see how quickly & easily anyone or any entity that doesn't have deep pockets gets squeezed out. Where's the room for the everyday people? There is none. When looking at how things work with a critical eye, it seems that somethings to need to change but because of the very nature of how the system already works, it would be a difficult task to say the least. The Author rarely states any problems with the current system as it is & almost blindly accepts it's existence without any critical examination of how it works, but perhaps that would be best suited for a different book entirely. Overall, it's a short & easy read to get the basics of the ins & outs of the political process in Washington D.C. It was okay, I did like it, it succeeds in making the process clear but it is simply not in depth, which is why I would give it a 2.5 stars on the goodreads scale.

[Alain Burrese · Rating 3 out of 5]

“How Washington Actually Works for Dummies” edited by Greg Rushford doesn't get into all of the dirty backroom political dealings like the title might suggest. Nor is it an in depth look at the workings of the capital city of the United States of America. What it does do, and do very well, is provide a simple guide to the basic workings of our government and those in the capital city.

It's a short book. It's only 120 pages. So you can read it fairly quickly. Like most “For Dummies” books, it makes thing easier with its basics laid out in a an organized and easy to follow manner. I enjoyed the quick read, and I learned some things I wasn't aware of.

Chapters include: A Brief History of Washington, The People Behind the Curtain Federal Bureaucrats, Professional Persuaders Lobbyists, Other Voices in the Debate Outsiders Gatecrashers and Wallflowers, Congress, The Presidency, Policmaking, and Ten Ways to Participate in Washington Policymaking.

Again, this is a simple quick guide without a much depth. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a fast overview of the basic procedures of getting things done in Washington.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate that these books are for dummies, but oh well, it was a good one nonetheless.