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Crisis Point: Why We Must – and How We Can – Overcome Our Broken Politics in Washington and Across America
With a new afterword on the 2016 election
Trent Lott and Tom Daschle, two of the most prominent senators of recent time, served as leaders of their respective parties from the 1990s to the current century. Their congressional tenure saw the Reagan tax cuts, the Clinton impeachment, 9/11, and the Iraq War. Despite stark ideological differences, the two have always maintained a positive working relationship--even a warm friendship--the kind that in today's hyper-partisan climate has become unthinkable.
In Crisis Point, Lott and Daschle come together to sound an alarm on the current polarization that has made governing all but impossible; never before has faith in government been so dismally low. The senators itemize damaging forces--the permanent campaign, unprecedented money, the 24/7 news cycle--and offer practical recommendations, pointing the way forward. Most crucially, they recall the American people, especially our leaders, to the principles enshrined in the Constitution, and to the necessity of debate but also the imperative of compromise--which will take vision and courage to bring back.
Illustrated with personal stories from their eminent careers and events cited from deeper in American history, Crisis Point is an invaluable work--one of conscience as well as duty, written with passion and eloquence by two men who have dedicated their lives to public service and share the conviction that all is far from lost.
Trent Lott and Tom Daschle, two of the most prominent senators of recent time, served as leaders of their respective parties from the 1990s to the current century. Their congressional tenure saw the Reagan tax cuts, the Clinton impeachment, 9/11, and the Iraq War. Despite stark ideological differences, the two have always maintained a positive working relationship--even a warm friendship--the kind that in today's hyper-partisan climate has become unthinkable.
In Crisis Point, Lott and Daschle come together to sound an alarm on the current polarization that has made governing all but impossible; never before has faith in government been so dismally low. The senators itemize damaging forces--the permanent campaign, unprecedented money, the 24/7 news cycle--and offer practical recommendations, pointing the way forward. Most crucially, they recall the American people, especially our leaders, to the principles enshrined in the Constitution, and to the necessity of debate but also the imperative of compromise--which will take vision and courage to bring back.
Illustrated with personal stories from their eminent careers and events cited from deeper in American history, Crisis Point is an invaluable work--one of conscience as well as duty, written with passion and eloquence by two men who have dedicated their lives to public service and share the conviction that all is far from lost.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 19, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 26, 2018
These books are all the same. A liberal and a supposed conservative write a book together, list the same problems, and the same solutions.
I am always reminded of a story Bob Dole used to tell. At some point in the Reagan administration, Dole worked with former KKK Grand Wizard then democrat Senator from West Virginia, Robert Byrd, to pass some bill. In the hall, afterward, Byrd remarked he didn't think he could work with accommodationist Dole because he thought Dole was just too partisan. Rather than taking the correct action, which would have been to immediately groinkick Byrd for not only being a Klucker, but also for being one of the most partisan people in Washington and saying something like that. Instead, Dole seemed to think Byrd had some kind of point. That's why he was such a failure as Senate Leader. Lott didn't learn anything, either.
The liberal says republicans need to be more liberal, and conservative agree with him. This is why republicans completely rejected the establishment candidates in 2016. I got this book in a trade bag, but I wonder who the market for this sort of thing is.
I am always reminded of a story Bob Dole used to tell. At some point in the Reagan administration, Dole worked with former KKK Grand Wizard then democrat Senator from West Virginia, Robert Byrd, to pass some bill. In the hall, afterward, Byrd remarked he didn't think he could work with accommodationist Dole because he thought Dole was just too partisan. Rather than taking the correct action, which would have been to immediately groinkick Byrd for not only being a Klucker, but also for being one of the most partisan people in Washington and saying something like that. Instead, Dole seemed to think Byrd had some kind of point. That's why he was such a failure as Senate Leader. Lott didn't learn anything, either.
The liberal says republicans need to be more liberal, and conservative agree with him. This is why republicans completely rejected the establishment candidates in 2016. I got this book in a trade bag, but I wonder who the market for this sort of thing is.
December 16, 2015
First, a disclaimer. . . I was sent an ARC with the intent I honestly review the book. That being said. . . I really like this book and think it should be required reading for any incoming lawmaker regardless of the level of government. This book is written not to solve the problem of Congressional gridlock and intransigence, but to start a conversation about how we got here and how to move forward. One of the great things about this book is that its an easy read and is largely written for the average citizen. Senators Lott and Daschle point out that our Congressional representatives reflect us as a nation. With Congressional approval at all time lows and constant gridlock, they suggest we need to look in the mirror and reflect on how we conduct ourselves.
The authors raise something that has been mentioned in several different studies and articles I've looked at; people are surrounding themselves more and more with like-minded people. This silo effect is causing us to view those with other opinions as opponents to be defeated instead of people to be respected and understood. The authors talk about their experiences since leaving Congress with current lawmakers and the fear of being seeing even talking with the other side.
Their prescription is consistent communication. Disagreement is normal and natural, but lawmakers especially need to have a relationship with their colleagues. This is what allows them to find common ground; maybe not on those 'lightning rod issues' but even just on things that should be non-partisan. Communication is what gives people that sense of buy-in. We've heard that being a main complaint of the Freedom Caucus in Congress; Congressional leadership isn't talking or consulting with them. For a long time, the minority party was simply informed of something instead of their being a conversation about it.
Being Former Senate Majority Leaders, they are going to naturally speak more of the Senate and its issues. One of the things they talk about a lot is that the Senate was meant to be a slow, deliberative body. It wasn't designed for efficiency and this was really intended to force debate; to create a tension where the best way forward is decided on and each side has had their say. One of the examples they give of this the amendment process. This process was designed with debate and deliberation in mind. This process has broken down though. The proof they provide is that one lawmaker told them their party had only been allowed 7 amendments in the last year.
The authors suggested this was the Majority Leaders attempt to protect his members from so called tough votes. They make the case though that this isn't leadership, its just power holding. They ask what's the point of being the majority party, or getting into leadership if you aren't going to do anything with it?
I mentioned earlier that this book is intended to start a conversation on how to move forward. Their final section of the book does list a few recommendations. Some of the these are simple rule changes for Congress, such as instituting a 5 day work week (something I think the vast majority of Americans would heartily approve). Others are more in-depth and complex and would require laws or even a change in culture. They close talking about civic engagement and how even in presidential elections less than half the eligible voters turn out. This is evidence that people need to be reminded of the duties and responsibilities that come with our rights. They recognize that something like a mandatory year of service would be near impossible to pass, but something like requiring schools to teach some form of civics class would be much simpler.
Overall, a great and really quick read. I would encourage people to read it if for no other reason than to be reminded by Former Majority Leaders from different parties that people on the other side are people too and worthy of our respect. We can come together to find common ground on issues, but this needs to come from a foundation of respect and communication.
The authors raise something that has been mentioned in several different studies and articles I've looked at; people are surrounding themselves more and more with like-minded people. This silo effect is causing us to view those with other opinions as opponents to be defeated instead of people to be respected and understood. The authors talk about their experiences since leaving Congress with current lawmakers and the fear of being seeing even talking with the other side.
Their prescription is consistent communication. Disagreement is normal and natural, but lawmakers especially need to have a relationship with their colleagues. This is what allows them to find common ground; maybe not on those 'lightning rod issues' but even just on things that should be non-partisan. Communication is what gives people that sense of buy-in. We've heard that being a main complaint of the Freedom Caucus in Congress; Congressional leadership isn't talking or consulting with them. For a long time, the minority party was simply informed of something instead of their being a conversation about it.
Being Former Senate Majority Leaders, they are going to naturally speak more of the Senate and its issues. One of the things they talk about a lot is that the Senate was meant to be a slow, deliberative body. It wasn't designed for efficiency and this was really intended to force debate; to create a tension where the best way forward is decided on and each side has had their say. One of the examples they give of this the amendment process. This process was designed with debate and deliberation in mind. This process has broken down though. The proof they provide is that one lawmaker told them their party had only been allowed 7 amendments in the last year.
The authors suggested this was the Majority Leaders attempt to protect his members from so called tough votes. They make the case though that this isn't leadership, its just power holding. They ask what's the point of being the majority party, or getting into leadership if you aren't going to do anything with it?
I mentioned earlier that this book is intended to start a conversation on how to move forward. Their final section of the book does list a few recommendations. Some of the these are simple rule changes for Congress, such as instituting a 5 day work week (something I think the vast majority of Americans would heartily approve). Others are more in-depth and complex and would require laws or even a change in culture. They close talking about civic engagement and how even in presidential elections less than half the eligible voters turn out. This is evidence that people need to be reminded of the duties and responsibilities that come with our rights. They recognize that something like a mandatory year of service would be near impossible to pass, but something like requiring schools to teach some form of civics class would be much simpler.
Overall, a great and really quick read. I would encourage people to read it if for no other reason than to be reminded by Former Majority Leaders from different parties that people on the other side are people too and worthy of our respect. We can come together to find common ground on issues, but this needs to come from a foundation of respect and communication.
October 29, 2017
Serving in a state legislature, I see that we increasingly seem to be trending towards a process that clearly isn’t working in Congress. While being part of the political process, I struggle with the question of how we should change it because it clearly isn’t working well. Lott and Daschle ask the right questions and put forward many good solutions. However, I wonder, until there is a crisis will anything be done.
June 24, 2016
Incredibly well written plan for bipartisanship. If the parties would stop being proactively obstinate to each other, important policy and issues could be addressed so the United States could once again be a place of inspiration.
July 19, 2017
Trent Lott (Rep) and Tom Daschle (Dem) team up to decry the broken politics and gridlock of Washington and offer suggestions for making our republican democracy work again. Many of the complaints are commonly known, but some of the suggested fixes are less apparent to those looking at Congress from the outside. For example, did you know Congress "works" only 3 days a week--Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday? This schedule exists to accommodate our elected representatives and senators so that they can get on a plane and leave Washington for a long weekend. They're not necessarily doing nothing during this time; they're probably fund raising and working on constituent relations. But why is this bad? Because, the authors posit, no one knows anyone anymore. And this leads to bad blood. The book is sprinkled with numerous anecdotes of bipartisanship over the years. Well worth the read.
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September 1, 2016While the authors have presented good causes of the gridlock in Congress and have come up with useful solutions I believe they have missed the root cause of the problem.
At this time in the countries history their appears to be a movement toward having a country that provides more equality for people ( more like the model of some European countries) rather than individual liberty on which the country was founded and which made America unique. It appears to me to be a trade-off of less liberty for more help on one side and don't take my liberty and assume personal responsibility on the other. Until someone can present a vision of how to do both and people are willing to compromise I see no end to the gridlock. For me it is a liberty versus less liberty issue.
At this time in the countries history their appears to be a movement toward having a country that provides more equality for people ( more like the model of some European countries) rather than individual liberty on which the country was founded and which made America unique. It appears to me to be a trade-off of less liberty for more help on one side and don't take my liberty and assume personal responsibility on the other. Until someone can present a vision of how to do both and people are willing to compromise I see no end to the gridlock. For me it is a liberty versus less liberty issue.
May 16, 2016
Enlightening book co-authored by a Republican, a Democrat, and writer/editor about how Congress works (or doesn't), the amount of time senators and congressmen actually work in DC (Tue - Thu) and the huge amount of time spent fundraising for re-election. Our elected officials are going to have to work together and compromise to move forward.
August 30, 2016
A bipartisan leadership perspective as to what ails our legislative and executive branches. Offers common sense solutions to retread and set us on a more productive course.
While I found the book instructive and insightful, it suffers from its voice jumping from the first, second and third person voice all within the same page or paragraph. It is distracting
While I found the book instructive and insightful, it suffers from its voice jumping from the first, second and third person voice all within the same page or paragraph. It is distracting
September 1, 2016
pg 260
"harness the natural tension of politics in a productive way, creating an environment that allows for chemistry and compromise....requires leadership and courage in the face of habitual inertia, entrenched differences, and petty squabbling."
"harness the natural tension of politics in a productive way, creating an environment that allows for chemistry and compromise....requires leadership and courage in the face of habitual inertia, entrenched differences, and petty squabbling."
February 20, 2016
These guys make so much sense. Can we try to implement their solutions to breaking the Congressional deadlock?
June 9, 2016
Should be required reading for every member of congress. Perhaps a few will actually have the guts to follow through. I liked it. Very timely I should say.
November 23, 2016
This book is proof you can reach across the aisle.
Interesting enough, but if you just want to know how they think the system should be fixed, skip and read the last chapter.
Interesting enough, but if you just want to know how they think the system should be fixed, skip and read the last chapter.
January 25, 2022
1⭐️Nice but took me forever to read... the senators look too good to be true ...?
May 26, 2018
First of all, the cross-the-aisle collaboration had me at the beginning all the way through. Next, here are two highly intelligent guys with diverging philosophies, but willing to parse down to shared beliefs and values that reveal more truth than has ever been spoken by either party since the 2016 election. The essential tribal polarization of politics has taken us off the rails, and these guys call it out unflinchingly.
While not a polished piece of high literature, it is all the more charming with its warts and humility. Highly illuminating. Disheartening but unavoidably true.
While not a polished piece of high literature, it is all the more charming with its warts and humility. Highly illuminating. Disheartening but unavoidably true.
June 8, 2025
So many things to think about after reading. Nothing is really new in politics but it takes only a group of people to make things bipartisan and to work together. There is a lot of low hanging fruit that would be easy to do and get the country feeling better about our leaders. And how social media and other outlets just fuel the fire. Well thought out and written by two senators on each side of the aisle.
February 15, 2021
They provide a thorough history of the problems leading to the state of crisis Congress currently faces. I was hoping for more in the 'how we fix it' part of the book. Sadly, one change they urged that would have a large impact was a 5-day work week and the house and senate being on the same schedule. So simple and yet unlikely to occur.
September 15, 2019
This book was very well written, clear, and insightful.
It is a call for change that answers the questions of, "How did the American government come to this? and "How can we bring about change?" This book is full of hope and practicality. I would recommend this book to everyone.
It is a call for change that answers the questions of, "How did the American government come to this? and "How can we bring about change?" This book is full of hope and practicality. I would recommend this book to everyone.
May 14, 2017
Great. Wonderful perspective by 2 experienced leaders from opposite parties who are more interested in bipartisan functioning than the success of their individual parties.
July 1, 2017
Observation:
A very important reminder -- and critical at this time in our country -- of what must exist in the U.S. Congress if our democracy is to continue.
A very important reminder -- and critical at this time in our country -- of what must exist in the U.S. Congress if our democracy is to continue.
May 7, 2020
The two former Senate Majority Leaders provided some useful ideas on how to increase good governance, but it did get a little banal at the end.
September 2, 2020
A little patriarchal and a bit like being lectured by your dad but overall, I found it interesting. Lots of anecdotal stories about behind the scenes Washington DC, which was fun.
May 4, 2021
I just finished reading this book and I posted my book review on my blog:
https://mybooksorganizer.blogspot.com...
https://mybooksorganizer.blogspot.com...
November 12, 2025
This seems like a timely read with with the way politics are currently and as broken as Washington is. This book is written by two former Senators and was published in 2016. It is even more relevant in today's political environment. Lott and Daschle spend the first part of the book talking about history and how our Congress came to be so dysfunctional. They talk about how it used to work and bipartisan bills would pass. Government is not meant to agree, but they are meant to compromise. Something I think our current Congress members have forgotten. Lott and Daschle have some bipartisan solutions to the issues too.
A national primary day, all states vote in primaries on the same day, or regional primaries if not a single.
Change voting day from Tuesday to the weekend.
Develop an electronic voting system.
Limit campaign length, fixed starting point a few months out from the election.
Limit leadership PACs to the top 3 leaders on each side.
Transparency in super PAC donations
5 day work week in Congress
Have senate and house in same schedule, 3 weeks on, 1 week off
Senators limited to serving on 1 major and 1 minor committee
Bills posted a minimum of 3 days in advance of vote
Return to the requirement that a Senator hold the floor in person to filibuster
Abolish dual tracking
Require a member to come to the floor to announce a hold
Require a year of national service (military, civilian, or volunteer through nonprofits or religious institutions) when between ages 18-28.
Student debt forgiveness for national service as an incentive.
Reimplement mandatory civics classes in high schools.
Private sector provide for service-sabbatical opportunities.
All of those ideas seem reasonable and good starting points to make our government function again. They end the book with the following, “It is not only within our power to change things, it is our duty: we must work and fight for it.†It is not out government official alone who have to change the way they function, it is our duty as citizens to advocate and ask, and yes even sacrifice our personal wants, to evoke change that is best for out country instead of just for ourselves.
*Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of the US Government. None of the ideas expressed in this blog post are shared, supported, or endorsed in any manner by my employer.
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot...
A national primary day, all states vote in primaries on the same day, or regional primaries if not a single.
Change voting day from Tuesday to the weekend.
Develop an electronic voting system.
Limit campaign length, fixed starting point a few months out from the election.
Limit leadership PACs to the top 3 leaders on each side.
Transparency in super PAC donations
5 day work week in Congress
Have senate and house in same schedule, 3 weeks on, 1 week off
Senators limited to serving on 1 major and 1 minor committee
Bills posted a minimum of 3 days in advance of vote
Return to the requirement that a Senator hold the floor in person to filibuster
Abolish dual tracking
Require a member to come to the floor to announce a hold
Require a year of national service (military, civilian, or volunteer through nonprofits or religious institutions) when between ages 18-28.
Student debt forgiveness for national service as an incentive.
Reimplement mandatory civics classes in high schools.
Private sector provide for service-sabbatical opportunities.
All of those ideas seem reasonable and good starting points to make our government function again. They end the book with the following, “It is not only within our power to change things, it is our duty: we must work and fight for it.†It is not out government official alone who have to change the way they function, it is our duty as citizens to advocate and ask, and yes even sacrifice our personal wants, to evoke change that is best for out country instead of just for ourselves.
*Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of the US Government. None of the ideas expressed in this blog post are shared, supported, or endorsed in any manner by my employer.
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot...
April 10, 2016
This book made good points, but it seemed like I have read a book like this previously.
July 5, 2016
Crisis Point
Crisis Point Why we Must and How We Can by Trent Lott and Tom Daschle is an interesting book about today's politics. I highly recommend this book.
Crisis Point Why we Must and How We Can by Trent Lott and Tom Daschle is an interesting book about today's politics. I highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews