It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics

by David Faris

An accessible, actionable blueprint for how Democrats can build lasting, durable change—without having to amend the Constitution.“American democracy could disappear altogether within our own lifetimes. Everyone who wants to avoid that catastrophe must read his book.​” —Guardian   The American electoral system is clearly falling apart—more than one recent presidential race has resulted in the clear winner of the popular vote losing the electoral college vote, and Trump’s refusal to concede in 2020 broke with all precedents…at least for now. Practical solutions need to be implemented as soon as possible. And so in It’s Time to Fight Dirty, political scientist David Faris outlines accessible, actionable strategies for American institutional reform which don’t require a constitutional amendment, and would have a lasting impact on our future.   With equal amounts of playful irreverence and persuasive reasoning, Faris describes how the Constitution’s deep democratic flaws constantly put progressives at a disadvantage, and lays out strategies for “fighting dirty” though obstructionism and procedural establishing statehood for DC and Puerto Rico; breaking California into several states; creating a larger House of Representatives; passing a new voting rights act; and expanding the Supreme Court.   The Constitution may be the world’s most difficult document to amend, but Faris argues that many of America’s democratic failures can be fixed within its rigid confines—and, at a time when the stakes have never been higher, he outlines a path for long-term, progressive change in the United States so that the electoral gains of 2020 aren’t lost again.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Political Science

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2018

Reviews

[Conor Ahern · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across David Faris because he writes for "The Week," which is a great place for opinion pieces and news for people who are unafraid to access such things even if they are adorned by unapologetic snark. He has contributed to the quixotic call for Democrats to pack the Supreme Court, a proposal that pretty much occupies the confluence of what's left of my propriety anxieties about orthodoxy and being a lawyer.

And I think that would probably be the thing that is used to discredit Faris and his ilk--this talk of norms, as if they still exist or are things we should cherish while the party with marginal power and decades of popular vote losses runs roughshod over the political process. No, I don't think we should give norms any undue power when they are collapsing left and right, but nor do I think we should baldly manipulate things like the size of the Supreme Court--something that is technically legal and constitutional--or split California into six states (which would almost certainly never happen) just to shore up our systemic advantage, even if the authoritarian Right has been overcoming its toxicity through exploitation of intrinsic advantages rooted in the concerns of chattel slaveholders, or pulling bullshit like McConnell's theft of Merrick Garland's SCOTUS seat.

But there's plenty in this book that we should absolutely adopt. And the absolute most important ones are statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. I'm sure that Republicans would throw a fit about these things, but the important thing to remember is that they are opportunistic liars who don't abide any prior norms or display any shame, so we should encourage their passage by whatever bare majority means we can to ensure that Democrats have power at the national level; this is, of course, what voters have indicated by their voting preferences every time since 1988 save for once (2004). There are interesting ideas about how to allocate popular votes, but they seem too complex and esoteric for the American people to sufficiently get behind. And there are valid, even nonpartisan ideas about Supreme Court placement and tenure that deserve to be talked about but that won't be, because of political entropy and the endless amount of bureaucracy that characterizes our federal system.

Aside from the foregoing and the other impracticable ideas, this book lays out the systemic disadvantages plaguing Democrats and the inconsistency between the Founders' intentions and how things are playing out presently. Republicans have deftly exploited the system to shore up power despite demographics shifting away from their core constituency, namely people who want or would tolerate a white, Christian, ethnocentrist state. We should be just as ruthless, though practical and mindful of institutional legitimacy, and make sure that Puerto Rican and DC statehood get passed at the very next opportunity.

[Mehrsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hilarious and refreshing. Republicans have not been acting fairly and Democrats need to play hardball. I don't agree with all these plans, but I do agree with the general theme--all these things that we think are sacred are not. The Constitution says nothing about a 9 person Supreme Court and originalism has been used to create absurd takes on the second amendment. Why does California have the same number of senators as Rhode Island? It's ok to update the constitutional structure created by the founders (which he calls being akin to an invading army burning the bridge after they crossed it). This book is going to make a lot of people nervous and that's ok. I believe wholeheartedly in rule of law and democracy, but I also believe that some of the norms we've been acclimated to are not law and they are eroding democracy. This book is a must-read for those interested in politics. Did I mention it's also really funny?

[Jerry Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I share Faris' contempt and loathing for what the GOP has become. I am tired of seeing the fascist crackpot conspiracy theories that come across the social media feeds upon which I still keep a scant eye. It is hilarious and pathetic to me that McConnell is currently whining that the Dems are holding up this administration's (and I love how DF calls it a Vichy Administration!) appointments as though this is unprecedented obstructionism and the GOP would never do such a thing. I detest him and all he stands for.

So you probably get the idea where I stand on the political spectrum so this book is truly pushing at an open door as far as I am concerned. However I don't think that any of the suggestions herein outlined will be implemented. It's not that they are not good ideas because they are, but I think, and fear, the premise is fanciful for the following reasons:

1. I have every expectation and dread that The Dark Lord will be reelected for a second term, and then set about preparing to be made president for life. I am not sure how he will do so but that is likely his plan. I think that the chances of the Dems controlling all of the House, Senate and Presidency levers of power is very remote - sadly
2. Democrats don't have the balls. Already I see reviews here stating that the proposals here would be democracy wrecking etc. Dems are too nice. Way too nice. The goal should not to be seek partisan alliances for minimal progress on some quasi-progressive agenda, they should oppose and fight and seek to crush the fascist GOP that is emerging. This is what this book argues but it won't happen. This makes it fanciful and relegates it to the realms of wishful thinking I'm afraid.

There are no brainers here: Statehood for DC and PR (but I can't see California agreeing to split into 6 states since this would damage the left's chance of a 55 electoral college block for presidential voting. This is not discussed in the book) and I would love to see the Supreme Court packed with liberal justices but what is to stop the GOP expanding it yet further the next time they are in?

As much as I would love to see these things enacted, and I really like thinking about it, I am afraid, like meaningful and effective gun legislation, I just don't see it happening.

This is an easy read full of sneering asides at the GOP and Trump which are entertaining for me, but are bound to alienate readers on the other side and maybe some in the middle. As a political screed, an enjoyable read.

[Richard Derus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real Rating: 3.5* of five, rounded down

The Publisher Says: It's time for Democrats to strike while the iron is hot...

The American electoral system is clearly falling apart--more than one recent presidential race has resulted in the clear winner of the popular vote losing the electoral college vote, and Trump's refusal to concede in 2020 broke with all precedents...at least for now. Practical solutions need to be implemented as soon as possible. And so in It's Time to Fight Dirty, political scientist David Faris outlines accessible, actionable strategies for American institutional reform which don't require a constitutional amendment, and would have a lasting impact on our future.

With equal amounts of playful irreverence and persuasive reasoning, Faris describes how the Constitution's deep democratic flaws constantly put progressives at a disadvantage, and lays out strategies for "fighting dirty" though obstructionism and procedural warfare: establishing statehood for DC and Puerto Rico; breaking California into several states; creating a larger House of Representatives; passing a new voting rights act; and expanding the Supreme Court.

The Constitution may be the world's most difficult document to amend, but Faris argues that many of America's democratic failures can be fixed within its rigid confines--and, at a time when the stakes have never been higher, he outlines a path for long-term, progressive change in the United States so that the electoral gains of 2020 aren't lost again.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Too late. Even with the clear and ringing message of 2022's midterms in their ears, the Democrats...comme d'habitude...aren't taking action to protect, and extend, voting-rights legislation or moving to curb the lunatic right-wing majority on the Supreme Court's power.

So Faris's arguments are hot air blowing in the wind. He's correct. His prescriptions would work. But laddies and gentlewomen, there's no political will to do the sensible, morally correct thing among the oinking grafthogs battening on the dark-money dollars of contemptible scum.

[Matt Morrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Meat for Liberals Like Me

For those of us who consider themselves part of the Left, this is the salve you need to balance out the daily antics of the dystopian slow motion clown car crash that is the Trump presidency. Faris lays out a 100 days campaign for the Democrats the next time they're in power to rectify some of the main structural disadvantages they face. I love his ideas, but I love his writing style even more. His creativity shows in all the different ways he refers to our current crop of incompetent visigoths infecting our government.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about the structural changes that democrats should operate when they get back in power.

Statehood for DC and Puerto Rico seems very feasible if liberals control the White House and Congress as the author suggests.

[Samantha]

Really, really interesting ideas on how we can enact longterm and long-reaching progressive reform in our government. I really enjoyed the ideas in this book.

[Antoinette Perez]

Only in this country is fighting by the same rules as the other team considered fighting dirty! And yet. There's a good collection of ideas here, from the actionable and attainable to the "not in my lifetime but interesting anyway". Good read for anyone ready to think outside this iron, soundproofed, padlocked box we're in.

[Kaye McSpadden · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is what I've been needing. Feeling disheartened about the lack of a clear and unified response by Democrats to the growing disaster in American government, I've been desperate for a strong voice and a smart plan. While Faris may not have the stuff to actually BE a political leader (check him out on youtube), he has written a book that all Democratic and progressive leaders should read. (And so should YOU.)

For the first time, I now understand why it is that Democratic candidates keep losing elections even when they get more votes, why legislation can't get passed even when the vast majority of Americans support it, and why --pardon me while I gag-- Agent Orange was elected. It's because the system is rigged against progressives. For decades, Republicans have manipulated and taken advantage of weaknesses and inequalities that are inherent in our political systems to ensure long-lasting power for themselves. It's time the Democrats start focusing on those systems. This is what Faris means when he says to "fight dirty." It's actually not fighting dirty (everything he proposes is legal and aboveboard) but it's an approach that would shift the focus from honing policy and trying to convince people to "vote for us" to fixing the nuts-and-bolts problems of our political and electoral systems. Because if we don't fix them, things will only get worse. As Faris points out, we've won the "policy debate" many times, but still keep losing elections.

Faris lays out a clear plan for Dems. Right now (summer 2018) and in the coming months, Dems in Washington must do everything they can to obstruct and throw monkey wrenches into the Republican agenda (no more Mr. Nice Guy, forget bipartisanship, etc), and Dems everywhere must work their butts off to flip the House in the fall elections. We must continue this work until we get back into the seats of power in 2020. Once there, we should use that power to immediately begin to enact a series of progressive initiatives that will level the playing field permanently, including (1) granting statehood for DC and Puerto Rico, and dividing California into several states, (2) enlarge the Supreme Court and change the way justices are appointed and serve, (3) changing the antiquated "winner-take-all" way we do elections in the U.S. to a more progressive "Fair Vote Plan," and (4) enact a Modern Voting Rights Act, which would ensure the right to vote for everyone, and obliterate Republicans' measures of recent decades to disenfranchise minorities and Democrats.

The cool thing is, these measures would not just be good for Democrats -- they would be good for the whole country, leading to a more engaged electorate, fairer representation, a more nimble, relevant, and responsive court system, a healthier political climate, and the real possibility that more than two viable political parties would emerge.

As a political science professor, Faris has a commanding knowledge of politics, government, and history. I enjoyed his in-depth discussion of all these ideas and learned a lot, especially about the U.S. Constitution, the Supreme Court, and electoral systems. He doesn't write like an academic, however. His language is plain and understandable, and as an admitted partisan himself, his tone is frequently snarky (which, personally, I enjoyed).

I highly recommend this book. It has given me a helpful frame for understanding what is going on in this country, and what needs to be done to fix it. Like I said, I wish all Democrats and progressives would read it. As far as I'm concerned, no more "When they go low, we go high." It should now be: "When they go low, we go smart." (Or maybe, "when they go low, we wise up.")

[David Wineberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s Time To Fight Dirty is built on the false premise that the only way Democrats can take over from Republicans is to be worse than Republicans. They should be at least as obstructive, uncooperative, unreasonable and irrational as the Republicans were during the Obama Administration. This is not a recipe for a better democracy. Or a better country. It is a recipe for disaster – a race to the bottom. But in David Faris’ world, winning is everything.

Faris maintains acting civilly only lets Republicans trample poor, honest, gullible Democrats. So far they have reduced the number of polling booths, limited voting time and absentee ballots, required hard-to-get IDs, removed the vote from cons and ex-cons, and twisted districts into bizarre shapes to ensure continuous re-election for themselves. If that weren’t sufficient, there aren’t enough Congressmen (we really need about 900!), Supreme Court justices live too long, there is no statutory holiday for voting and of course Republicans have zero respect for voters or democracy once they’re in. Therefore, Democrats should do precisely the same thing next time they’re in charge. You follow?

Republicans are Satan for Faris, and he takes every shot he can. Here’s his take on the Senate Majority Leader:
“With his signature, dead-eyed, off-center stare, and his trash-eating half-grin that barely conceals his self-satisfaction with all of the democracy-wrecking shenanigans he’s gotten away with, McConnell is the chief philosopher-king of the Republic of Hypocrisy, whose unrivalled ability to summon an unbroken string of lies and distortions of self-serving nonsense through his teeth helped deliver unfettered power to the GOP in 2016 despite their almost unique unfitness to run a modern country.”

And that is just one sentence.

He also has a thing for “entire” as in everything Republicans do worse than anything in the entire world or in the entire history of mankind or the entire country, etc, etc.

The proposals to fix government are really out there, considering the state of bipartisanship. Faris wants to create eight news states that will vote Democrat (Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and splitting California into seven states along county lines). We must switch to proportional elections, amend the constitution several ways, and no president who loses the popular vote should be able to nominate a Supreme Court justice.

I wasn’t sure Faris isn’t actually a Republican out make Democrats look ridiculous.

Yes, rather than entice citizens, Republicans work to cut off votes from anyone who might oppose them. But Faris has no viable path for Democrats except to copy them and outdo them in self-serving. What he totally ignores is the simple fact the Democrats have not seen fit to provide a viable presidential alternative. If the Democrats could find an honest, trustworthy and principled flagbearer, this entire rant would be irrelevant. Instead, he proposes no choice whatsoever.

David Wineberg

[John O'Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for progressive audiences that are engaged with politics, but don't feel like there's any overarching vision in the DNC. Faris picks four concrete reforms, explaining how they would happen and how they would help Democrats. The bullet-point summary of this book would serve as a great campaign platform. Give statehood to places that deserve it, expand voting rights for all, move Supreme Court appointments to a 2-year cycle, and get rid of First Past the Post. Those are all ideas I can get behind, which I would love to see politicians make coherent cases about.

Notably, these are mostly procedural changes -- it's tough to get fired up about this topic, and the writing does a good job of keeping you engaged. Faris' writing style feels like talking insider baseball at a bar, and it works.

My big complaint is that this book is mostly making a case to politicians, not voters. It is for the well-informed, partisan reader. The phrasing gets hyperbolic, the right is openly insulted a few times every couple of pages. A lot of these ideas would improve the mechanics of our democracy, not just help Democrats, and could get some Republican backing. This book is unable to make that case, though.

Personal point that irked me: every white political journalist maintains that more minority voters means more Democrats. Clearly they've never met Cubans in Miami. There are plenty of conservative minorities out there, and the assumption that minorities will always vote liberal makes the author seem like he sees them as statistics before people.

Those two quibbles aside, though? Unless they are literally working in politics, this is a great gift for your liberal friends. The DNC feels listless to me because it is missing a central message and a small set of coherent, agreed-upon changes. The procedural changes in this book can unify the liberal coalition of special interests, as all of those interests are stymied by a broken system. The author's conversational tone also makes the reforms feel very straightforward. If the Democrats can get their act together, this book is a decent blueprint for a powerful platform.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An aggressive and convincing game plan for the next ten years, if we have that long.

“...Democrats and their progressive allies must fight. They must fight dirty. They must seize all the tools granted to them by the Constitution and they must not hold back on using any of them because it will strike some people as unsportsmanlike. They must not apologize. If they can muster the will to do the things outlined in this book, we might eventually find ourselves, for the first time in our history, with a true representative democracy in which the voices of all citizens are heard equally and in which all Americans, no matter their racial, gender, economic, or social background, can be assured a minimally decent life.”

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's right. But he is a bit glib on some of his more difficult ideas...such as dividing California into separate States. But some of the directives are very attainable. Except you need all of the Democrats to get on board so I hope they or their staff are reading this book (or other's like it). Folks could write their elected official and suggest aggressive pursuit of the attainable ideas (like National Voter reform).

[Kaitlin Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some radical ideas and I am here for it!

[Hank · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a big fan of this book.

I decided to listen to it after it popped up in my library app as I was looking for a book by Karl Jaspers who had been referenced in Camus’ The Rebel and thought it might be a good compliment to Ben Shapiro’s The Authoritarian Moment to which I was then listening.

The first thing I dislike about this book is the title. First off, it is evil at least by my definition as “doing something one knows is bad” and secondarily because it’s not particularly accurate—very few of the proposals in this book are “dirty” nor is there much if any explanation as to why it was then “time.”

The book is also now rather outdated. The author’s general paranoia that Republicans had somehow made a permanently dominant electoral establishment now seems laughable.

Next, in contrast to Mr. Shapiro who starts with his generic principles and then judged various actions and actors in light of those principles, Mr. Farris appears to have only one principle, elect Democrats, and simply assumes any rational and well-meaning person must agree. He should recognize that parties change their platforms continuously, that power can be and often is abused and the Democratic Party he would lock into a lasting majority is not infallible will not be the Democratic Party currently in place.

So, while I don’t disagree with every issue he raised in the book—for example I’ve never really understood the rationale in support of the filibuster, I’m not opposed to restoration of voting rights to felons after they’ve served their sentence and I totally agree that we should make Election Day a holiday.

However, his dubious ideals are poor justification for ideas like adding justices to the Supreme Court, manufacturing new states or trying to force people who don’t care to “do their civic duty” and vote. Voting is a selfish act, not an act of charity.

Rather than messing with the rules to favor his party, Mr. Farris should get some principles and advocate for them patiently Americans have done successfully for two and a half centuries now.

And he should read the Federalist Papers. Those guys put a lot more quality thought into these problems than he has.

[Ed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since it is unlikely that the 2020 election will give us a socialist majority in both the House and Senate, it is very important what strategies and tactics the liberal Democrats of today are cooking up for their inevitable next turn at the wheel. David Faris’s It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics shows that liberals (or at least a certain faction of liberals) are actually beginning to think about the exercise of power in governance and also beginning to engage with the idea that the constitution intentionally subverts democracy in order to prevent the people from having too much power.

Given that the constitution is written so that it is hard to change, the left (or liberals) would have to build a massive and sustained mass movement in order to replace the constitution with something more democratic. In the meantime, in order to avoid another era of governmental stagnation like the Obama years, both the left and our roommates in the progressive wing of the Democratic party need to consider what can be done to improve our ability to actually exercise power when given it.

Faris says, “Only by changing the rules that are currently rigged against them will Democrats ever hold power long enough to truly transform American politics in a lasting progressive direction,” and his book describes potential reforms that can be done within the confines of the existing constitutional order. These reforms are a mixed bag. Some are clear winners that both leftists and progressive liberals can support. Others are overly complicated in a way only Vox-reading liberals would love. A handful are just terrible ideas.

[Full Review at Midwest Socialist]

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2/5 (It's okay). When I read an excerpt of It's Time to Fight Dirty in the Guardian, it easily went to the top of my "To-Read" List. I was ready to print off Remember Merrick Garland! T-shirts and signs as we rallied to restore democracy from the throes of political capture and constitutional crisis. When I read David Faris' book however, I was disappointed to discover that the title wasn't just bombast designed to attract readers. He really does write the book as a(n) (unrealistic) game plan to seize power for Democrats rather than a promotion of ideas that allow the voices of voters to be heard. I can generally agree with Faris when his ideas align with the latter approach, but I get a little nauseous when his ideas take the former tack and veer so hard into the foolhardy that the backfire would be extreme (ex: packing the Supreme Court, splitting California up into seven states). In addition, the tone is heavily biased in a way that will repulse independents: (ex: He refers to his plan as the Third Reconstruction and says it will deliver a "crushing blow to the hopes of today's ascendant 'alt-right' neo-Nazis who have, shockingly, captured control of the Republican Party." (p. 149)) I do believe that Faris presents some good ideas in this volume (ex: expanding the number of seats in the House, granting Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico statehood), but they lie amongst many bad ideas in an unflattering presentation. I couldn't recommend It's Time to Fight Dirty to a friend without explaining at length where I agree and where my objections lie.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dig Faris's insult comic schtick. And I agree, more or less, with his essential premise. I'm not sure about all of his specific proposals, of course, but the basic idea that the Democrats should start throwing punches, and in general take power more seriously, is indisputable. So I suppose this is a book for me. About those specific proposals, though. I'm reasonably confident that breaking California up into six states is a non-starter--both for the obvious retail-politics reasons and because Californians are so completely enamored of (one might say insufferable about) the idea of California it is impossible to imagine them agreeing to a divorce. The same goes for conservative fever dreams about a Texas of Texases, although I very much doubt they would be as reliably authoritarian as our friends on the right like to think. And I think modern-day Court-packing--one of Faris's big proposals--would open Pandora's box. That said, about everything he says about Congress (the rare case where he’s too modest: *triple* the size of the House!) and electoral reform is either spot on or merits serious consideration. In any event, you know, we need to start talking about these things. Recommended.

[Aileen Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I was surprised with how radical this book was, I should have known by the name, but I think I was taken back because Democrats are playing it way too safe in fear of losing the messaging, news flash we always lose the messaging. Mitch wasn't worried about that with the supreme court hold up on Gardland, his supporters even support that snake move. These ideas laid out also seem extreme because of how locked in our rules seem to be, even norms that are strict rules in the Constitution, seem set in stone. When Faris would compare our practices to other Democracies that argument seemed easier to persuade the public and even persuaded me to be more comfortable with these suggestions. I think he laid out some achievable things, federal holiday for voting, maybe even automatic registration, eventually maybe DC as a state and PR, but increasing the House seems unachievable as well as retirement for Justices. Though we all would love for all of these things to occur, I think it's great that he lays out such a thought out argument for the extreme and I hope this has increased the conversation around his plan.

[Devin · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I agree with almost every structural reform proposal to the American system in the book, and taken together the arguments are strong and deserve to be closer to the center of the political conversation. I'd need more persuasion to go beyond dividing California in half, just the once, but that's a minor quibble.

A couple of issues: 1) feels slightly mean to say but the references and writing style just felt a bit much at times to the point of distracting from the main points of the book. 2) For whatever reason, relevant dynamics at play, like the Democrats' institutional interest in preserving the two-party system (and therefore being motivated to oppose anything like multi-member districts/proportional representation) aren't emphasized. I think it's fine to withhold criticism if the ultimate goal is to encourage party leaders to adopt this suite of reforms. But when a lot of these ideas *aren't* pursued the next time Democrats are in power, readers will have to look elsewhere for analysis as to why.

[Krloz Ruben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 4 stars is for trying. If you want to read a biased book, obviously this one is it. Unlike “Listen, Liberal!” This book is more of a fallacy than realistic. Also, a one-sided government is surely to work wonders. No way for a bipartisan approach to policies here. Then again, it’s a book about Democrats regaining the power they lost. Not how to win back the trust of the American people, no. Not how to pay for all the amazing things he suggests, no. Well, unless you count taxing the rich. I’m rambling... I know. But so was the book. It’s amazing essay... for a Bernie Sanders supporter who considers himself, or herself, a communist nonetheless. Who wouldn’t want to live in an Democrat ruled only America!? Not me. Also, if you are going to talk about Puerto Ricans being Democrat voters only, do a bit more research. I’m Puerto Rican. Been a Republican all my life. The book would have been better if it said how to fight back Trump. I’d been in for that.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern Voting Rights Act: ensure universal voting rights for all citizens including people serving in prison, create automatic voter registration, abolish racist voter id restrictions/requirements, and guarantee enough polling places and early voting so that voting takes less than 5 minutes. Make election day a holiday and require all states to have at least 4 weeks of early voting. If they refuse, their politicians should be removed from office.

Expand the supreme court, create term limits, make appointments happen every 2 years. Establish former justices as a pool of reserve justices. Expand the lower courts to deal with case overloads and set just precedents over originalist foolishness.

Double the house of representatives, create 8 new states, and implement proportional representation and ranked choice voting.

[Melynda Nuss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely one of my favorite post-2016 political books. It's not about fighting "dirty" in the conventional sense. There's no ballot box stuffing or smear campaigns. Instead, Faris explains how Democrats can overcome structural factors, like the fact that the Senate currently favors small rural states that tend to vote Republican, or the fact that Republicans have figured out how to stuff the Supreme Court with young, healthy ideologues that will be thwarting the will of the majority for decades to come. It's wonky. All that knowledge you learned in your American Government class will finally come in handy. But Faris's writing is clear and entertaining, and he'll give you a view of our political system that you'll never get from watching CNN or reading the New York Times. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard Faris interviewed on Chapo and was impressed enough with his vision to give the book a read. The ideas proposed by the book are 100% correct, though I think that they would be better framed as “ways to make our representative democracy more representative” than “ways to give progressives more advantages”, though those are parallel objectives. I also found some of the jokes and insults to be pretty sophomoric. I don’t mind immaturity if it’s funny, but this is a serious subject that is not well served by 50 nicknames for Trump that will soon be utilized by your liberal uncle on Facebook. Good ideas, delivery could be much better.

[Dan Sussman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of us who oscillate between despair and murderous anger at the Trump-soaked wrecking ball that is the GOP, this book is an interesting tonic. The message: fight back using the same sort of low tactics adopted by the Republicans.

The best ideas are interesting, effective and, if the political winds are blowing in the right direction, do-able. ( e.g. Statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico, Supreme Court term limits). Some are pipe dreams (split California into seven states, each with its own representative and senators).

That being said, most of Faris’ ideas are intriguing and his writing style is wonderfully snarky. If nothing else, you’ll get a few laughs out of this short volume.

[Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book. The ideas range from eminently practical (DC statehood and a federal election holiday) to nuts and likely impossible (six Californias). The real reason to read it isn't necessarily policy though, it's to replace the feeling of dread and despair in our current situation with a surge of hopeful rage. The book's also damn entertaining, Faris has a Shakespearean knack for insults that had me giggling out loud on public transportation.

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

All of the ideas in this book are sensible and not even "dirty" in the sense that most people would presume. Were the Democrats a Party interested in capturing political power and representing the interests of their base they would adopt all of the ideas in this book; unfortunately, this is not the case. Anyway, Faris is a witty and entertaining writer and this is a good read, although I think the day that these policies are adopted by the Democrats is unlikely to ever come.

[Derek Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Faris makes an excellent argument on how the Democratic Party can expand their electoral power. Expanding statehood for DC, Puerto Rico, and breaking up California into several states; packing the Supreme Court; expanding the House of Representatives; and passing a Modern Day Voting Rights Act are all brilliant proposals and Faris does a great job of not only defending these arguments but adding levity to the book through subtle humor.

[Darius Pruss · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing is light and witty, making this a fast read. The ideas themselves aren’t anything too elaborate, so you could get the gist of them just by reading a summary. Still, Faris provides a good deal of arguments to support his proposals, making reading the whole book worthwhile. The only thing that bothered me was his frequent reference to the 2018 elections, which at the time of his writing had not occurred yet, making many of his points moot to a 2019 reader.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a refreshing antidote to the anger and frustration on the left. Here are some concrete plans and well-researched strategies to make the world a better place. I’d be surprised if any of this happens, but I hope people work hard to try. Sprinkled with editing errors and a couple of factual mistakes, but otherwise a solid read.