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The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics
NATIONAL BESTSELLER: USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and San Francisco Chronicle bestseller
The award-winning producer of The Rachel Maddow Show exposes the Republican Party as a gang of impostors who have abandoned their duty to govern, gravely endangering America
For decades, American voters innocently assumed the two major political parties were equally mature and responsible governing entities, ideological differences aside. That belief is due for an overhaul: in recent years, the Republican Party has undergone an astonishing metamorphosis, one so baffling and complete that few have fully reckoned with the reality and its consequences.
Republicans, simply put, have quit governing. As MSNBC's Steve Benen charts in his groundbreaking new book, the contemporary GOP has become a "post-policy party." Republicans are effectively impostors, presenting themselves as officials who are ready to take seriously the substance of problem solving, but whose sole focus is the pursuit and maintenance of power. Astonishingly, they are winning–at the cost of pushing the political system to the breaking point.
Despite having billed itself as the "party of ideas," the Republican Party has walked away from the hard but necessary work of policymaking. It is disdainful of expertise and hostile toward evidence and arithmetic. It is tethered to few, if any, meaningful policy preferences. It does not know, and does not care, about how competing proposals should be crafted, scrutinized, or implemented. This policy nihilism dominated the party's posture throughout Barack Obama's presidency, which in turn opened the door to Donald Trump -- who would cement the GOP's post-policy status in ways that were difficult to even imagine a few years earlier.
The implications of this approach to governance are all-encompassing. Voters routinely elect Republicans such as Mitch McConnell and Mike Pence to powerful offices, expecting GOP policymakers to have the technocratic wherewithal to identify problems, weigh alternative solutions, forge coalitions, accept compromises, and apply some level of governmental competence, if not expertise. The party has consistently proven those hopes misguided.
The result is an untenable political model that's undermining the American policymaking process and failing to serve the public's interests. The vital challenge facing the civil polity is coming to terms with the party's collapse as a governing entity and considering what the party can do to find its policymaking footing anew.
The Impostors serves as a devastating indictment of the GOP's breakdown, identifying the culprits, the crisis, and its effects, while challenging Republicans with an imperative question: Are they ready to change direction? As Benen writes, "A great deal is riding on their answer."
The award-winning producer of The Rachel Maddow Show exposes the Republican Party as a gang of impostors who have abandoned their duty to govern, gravely endangering America
For decades, American voters innocently assumed the two major political parties were equally mature and responsible governing entities, ideological differences aside. That belief is due for an overhaul: in recent years, the Republican Party has undergone an astonishing metamorphosis, one so baffling and complete that few have fully reckoned with the reality and its consequences.
Republicans, simply put, have quit governing. As MSNBC's Steve Benen charts in his groundbreaking new book, the contemporary GOP has become a "post-policy party." Republicans are effectively impostors, presenting themselves as officials who are ready to take seriously the substance of problem solving, but whose sole focus is the pursuit and maintenance of power. Astonishingly, they are winning–at the cost of pushing the political system to the breaking point.
Despite having billed itself as the "party of ideas," the Republican Party has walked away from the hard but necessary work of policymaking. It is disdainful of expertise and hostile toward evidence and arithmetic. It is tethered to few, if any, meaningful policy preferences. It does not know, and does not care, about how competing proposals should be crafted, scrutinized, or implemented. This policy nihilism dominated the party's posture throughout Barack Obama's presidency, which in turn opened the door to Donald Trump -- who would cement the GOP's post-policy status in ways that were difficult to even imagine a few years earlier.
The implications of this approach to governance are all-encompassing. Voters routinely elect Republicans such as Mitch McConnell and Mike Pence to powerful offices, expecting GOP policymakers to have the technocratic wherewithal to identify problems, weigh alternative solutions, forge coalitions, accept compromises, and apply some level of governmental competence, if not expertise. The party has consistently proven those hopes misguided.
The result is an untenable political model that's undermining the American policymaking process and failing to serve the public's interests. The vital challenge facing the civil polity is coming to terms with the party's collapse as a governing entity and considering what the party can do to find its policymaking footing anew.
The Impostors serves as a devastating indictment of the GOP's breakdown, identifying the culprits, the crisis, and its effects, while challenging Republicans with an imperative question: Are they ready to change direction? As Benen writes, "A great deal is riding on their answer."
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
June 22, 2020
The Impostors
How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics
By: Steve Benen
Narrated by: Ron Butler
This book goes back decades and describes the changes the Republican party went through up to today. It is obvious the Republican party has changed over the years but other being more callous, it is really hard to really but a finger on it until someone like Mr Benen comes along and points it out with facts and dates. Then it is like, snap, "That's it!"
Easy to understand and follow. Takes the trip down memory lane from before even my time and points out the deterioration of the party to DO any constructive work. Then it gets to tRump's time in office and it changes to just insanity! There is nothing like this in the past! Still no policies or constructive work but plenty of trying to break the norms and the laws. Chaos!
This should be read not just by democrats but by republicans too so they can see how their party has been hijacked by extreme laziness and manipulators.
Great book! Wonderful narration!
How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics
By: Steve Benen
Narrated by: Ron Butler
This book goes back decades and describes the changes the Republican party went through up to today. It is obvious the Republican party has changed over the years but other being more callous, it is really hard to really but a finger on it until someone like Mr Benen comes along and points it out with facts and dates. Then it is like, snap, "That's it!"
Easy to understand and follow. Takes the trip down memory lane from before even my time and points out the deterioration of the party to DO any constructive work. Then it gets to tRump's time in office and it changes to just insanity! There is nothing like this in the past! Still no policies or constructive work but plenty of trying to break the norms and the laws. Chaos!
This should be read not just by democrats but by republicans too so they can see how their party has been hijacked by extreme laziness and manipulators.
Great book! Wonderful narration!
June 18, 2020
There is nothing substantively new as far as facts go, but by putting them all in a row it explains why the last few years have felt like eons, with unnecessary crisis stacked upon unnecessary crisis. What I did not realize is that the gentle people on that side of the aisle have been working with a nihilistic agenda for a long time. That is, I knew it, but it did not fully register.
Pet peeve, it suffers from repetitive phrases which annoys me. The words "post policy" appear 117, times, and while it is an accurate description, I think I would have gotten that part, say, after 50 times.
Pet peeve, it suffers from repetitive phrases which annoys me. The words "post policy" appear 117, times, and while it is an accurate description, I think I would have gotten that part, say, after 50 times.
September 8, 2020
This book argues that the Republican Party is a post-policy party, where it does not govern through policy anymore. He uses healthcare, climate, budget, and immigration as examples. (Just think back on the very, very thin plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act.)
I tend to agree with this thesis, although I think there are a number of Republican members of Congress who still write legislation, so it is not a universal concept. If you look at the weeds, you will find holes in his general argument. And I wish he went further back to explore the change that started in the party. He just mentions Gingrich's effects on cutting House staff who used to write legislation. No staff, lobbyists began to write bills. And he talks a little about Bush 43's term. I think he could have fleshed this out a bit more, and it would be a better book.
Benen is a producer on the Rachel Maddow show, and I am glad I read it. If the Republican Party has a future, it must return to a policy party like the Democrats.
I tend to agree with this thesis, although I think there are a number of Republican members of Congress who still write legislation, so it is not a universal concept. If you look at the weeds, you will find holes in his general argument. And I wish he went further back to explore the change that started in the party. He just mentions Gingrich's effects on cutting House staff who used to write legislation. No staff, lobbyists began to write bills. And he talks a little about Bush 43's term. I think he could have fleshed this out a bit more, and it would be a better book.
Benen is a producer on the Rachel Maddow show, and I am glad I read it. If the Republican Party has a future, it must return to a policy party like the Democrats.
June 19, 2020
This book is brilliant, both in its simplicity and its deep research. The Republican Party is not a governing party. It hasn't been in decades. They have no public policy goals. They do not stand for anything. They do not care about the American people; not the public health, not the public welfare, not the public good. They only care about petty, partisan politics and their only motivation is raw power. Everything they say and do ignores research, data, reality, history, statistics, and evidence. The Republican Party has brought the United States of America to the precipice of losing our democracy and our basic human decency and core.
Everyone should read this book and vote Democratic up and down the ballot in November 2020.
Everyone should read this book and vote Democratic up and down the ballot in November 2020.
July 12, 2020
No surprises here. Just a very recent history of the GOP's refusal to govern or legislate. Frankly, a couple of interviews had made this sound like it held deep truths, and it may. But those truths are completely self-evident to anyone who has been watching. It wasn't worth the time/effort to read it. I wish there had been more in the way of how the GOP got to the current position. I don't believe it all started in 2008. I believe what we're seeing now - the complete abdication of anything beyond "owning the libs" - has much deeper historical roots.
June 18, 2020
Benen, Steve. The Imposters: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics. William Morrow, 2020.
The Imposters is not an insider exposé or a probing piece of investigative reporting, but it is a well-researched example of open-source reporting. If you have pretensions as a blogger, you could do worse than use it as a model. Benen’s thesis is clear: Republicans have abandoned their philosophical core of free-market economics, limited government, balanced budgets, social conservatism, and strong defense. They have given up law-making for unending electioneering. In doing so, they have become a “post-policy party” unable to turn ideas into effective legislation. Benen offers many examples, the best of which is Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell’s inability to craft a replacement for the hated Affordable Care Act after 2012. Donald Trump, who neither knows nor cares anything about policy, is the ultimate expression of this long-term trend in Republican politics. Benen suggests that we would all be better off if the Republican Party returned to its traditional positions and relearned the art of compromise. He says that there is no hope that this will occur until and unless Republican voters insist it be so. My own opinion: fat chance.
The Imposters is not an insider exposé or a probing piece of investigative reporting, but it is a well-researched example of open-source reporting. If you have pretensions as a blogger, you could do worse than use it as a model. Benen’s thesis is clear: Republicans have abandoned their philosophical core of free-market economics, limited government, balanced budgets, social conservatism, and strong defense. They have given up law-making for unending electioneering. In doing so, they have become a “post-policy party” unable to turn ideas into effective legislation. Benen offers many examples, the best of which is Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell’s inability to craft a replacement for the hated Affordable Care Act after 2012. Donald Trump, who neither knows nor cares anything about policy, is the ultimate expression of this long-term trend in Republican politics. Benen suggests that we would all be better off if the Republican Party returned to its traditional positions and relearned the art of compromise. He says that there is no hope that this will occur until and unless Republican voters insist it be so. My own opinion: fat chance.
June 25, 2020
I have to admit I have been more focused on politics over the past 5 years than ever before. I wish I would have paid more attention but hindsight is 20/20 and all that. Steve Benen looks back over the past decade and shows how the GOP went from a governing party to an "electoral and ideological party."
It is infuriating to read about the schemes, tricks and media stunts the Republican party has pulled to put off legislation they didn't bother to under before knowing they were opposed strictly because it was put forward by Obama or other Democrats. It makes (almost) too much sense how we ended up with a carnival barker/reality TV star as a poorly prepared, complete unqualified, dictator groupie as a president.
More than Trump this is about our broken government and the parties running it. Of course anyone on Maddow's team would have new and thought provoking insight!!
It is infuriating to read about the schemes, tricks and media stunts the Republican party has pulled to put off legislation they didn't bother to under before knowing they were opposed strictly because it was put forward by Obama or other Democrats. It makes (almost) too much sense how we ended up with a carnival barker/reality TV star as a poorly prepared, complete unqualified, dictator groupie as a president.
More than Trump this is about our broken government and the parties running it. Of course anyone on Maddow's team would have new and thought provoking insight!!
August 28, 2020
Excellent analysis of the Republican Party: no vision, no policy, no ideas, no platform, no principles and woefully ignorant of how government runs. The deceit and lying these self-professed patriots do on a daily basis is astounding. It is small wonder our Bozo President leads them. And, they live not in fear of Bozo’s tweets but in fear they will be exposed for the grifters and liars that they are, hence why they cling to him. Stuart Stevens excellent book, It Was All A Lie, is the shorter version of Benen’s book. Both paint the same portrait of a soulless group of zombies wandering aimlessly looking for meaning in a meaningless party. Benen’s book has more details about Bozo president’s incompetence though. Was disappointed by the numerous printing errors in the book considering the cost of a hard copy book but overall it was a worthwhile read, albeit depressing at the same time.
July 14, 2020
The entire thesis that the Republican Party is a post-policy party truly unlocks the understanding every time they spout nonsense, lie, they ignore statistics, or they change the subject—there is no there there. They have no standards, no goals, no policy, and no means or desire to carry them out, even if they could.
Thank you to Steve Benen, I no feel like the a Republican whisperer, when I hear the interviews that don’t make sense, I just say, yes, that is a prime example of post-policy non-governance.
Vote on November 3 to send them all home. We deserve people who are interested in doing the job they are paid to do.
Thank you to Steve Benen, I no feel like the a Republican whisperer, when I hear the interviews that don’t make sense, I just say, yes, that is a prime example of post-policy non-governance.
Vote on November 3 to send them all home. We deserve people who are interested in doing the job they are paid to do.
July 19, 2020
Nothing new here (if you've been paying attention, at least); but a fascinating chronology of a party that cares about power for power's sake alone, and is completely disinterested in governing. In fact, that apparently sees no reason for things to be otherwise. Benen makes his case with history and facts, while demonstrating how the fact-averse reject both. Recommend.
October 25, 2020
Steve Benen's THE IMPOSTERS: HOW THE REPUBLICNS QUITE GOVERNING AND SEIZED AMERICAN POLITICS is a very interesting look at a disturbing reality: America's center-right party has long abandoned governing. Instead, they've become adept at winning election, thanks to billionaire donors and Fox News, who repackages and sells pro-billionaire solutions to hard-working Americans, often through disinformation or outright lies. But when it comes to actually governing, the jobs they;ve been elected to do, the GOP is clueless.
Benin talks through many instances of this trend, beginning with Gingrich. The starkest is how, despite bitching about Obamacare and voting dozens of times to "abolish" it for a decade when they knew Obama would veto the legislation, when they had the House, Senate, and Trump in the White House, it turned out that they had no plan.
Think about it. Ten years. A lot of screaming and ink spent on telling the American people how bad Obamacare was, and yet they had NO PLAN.
Wow.
This book's coverage stops well short of the current COVID crisis, but the pattern Benen uncovers applies to that as well. Consider that Trump has no real plan, and is ignoring the advice of doctors. He's spinning a tale that America's COVID epidemic is less deadly than it really is, and that compared to Europe, we've crushed it yout of the park. This is not so. ANd yet Fox helps Trump spin this, and you have vast swathes of the US populations in GOP-run states declining to wear masks, causing needless death and suffering.
All told, a thoughtful bit of meta-analysis regarding current events. Four-stars.
Benin talks through many instances of this trend, beginning with Gingrich. The starkest is how, despite bitching about Obamacare and voting dozens of times to "abolish" it for a decade when they knew Obama would veto the legislation, when they had the House, Senate, and Trump in the White House, it turned out that they had no plan.
Think about it. Ten years. A lot of screaming and ink spent on telling the American people how bad Obamacare was, and yet they had NO PLAN.
Wow.
This book's coverage stops well short of the current COVID crisis, but the pattern Benen uncovers applies to that as well. Consider that Trump has no real plan, and is ignoring the advice of doctors. He's spinning a tale that America's COVID epidemic is less deadly than it really is, and that compared to Europe, we've crushed it yout of the park. This is not so. ANd yet Fox helps Trump spin this, and you have vast swathes of the US populations in GOP-run states declining to wear masks, causing needless death and suffering.
All told, a thoughtful bit of meta-analysis regarding current events. Four-stars.
October 6, 2020
THE IMPOSTORS: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics is an excoriation of the Republican Party. Their agenda vis a vis governing is non-existent. There single objective is to get elected then ignore the very real job of legislating. Ideology is everything, consequences be damned.
It is disheartening, to say the least, to read book after book about the current state of our union. I have spent the last four years trying to not use Trump's name. When forced to do so for clarity, I refuse to capitalize it when posting on social media. Steve Benen often shares my little quirk by not referring to him by name or title, but by simply calling him the Republican. In my opinion, it is the perfect insult to the Republican Party. I saw it as sticking a finger in the eye of the do-nothings in Washington.
Somehow, I cannot write any of the buzzwords in use today regarding the Republican Party's non-governance. I actually found it comforting to read that Republican legislators have eschewed competent staff that can assist in researching and crafting legislation in favor of "communications staffers" with the principal responsibility of "writing talking points and raising their bosses’ media profiles." It meant that I was not seeing and hearing things when legislators spoke out of both sides of their mouths. I am in favor of the media not using hyperbole of any kind when Republicans make outrageous statements. Such utterances are not mind-boggling, they are the norm.
The Republican Party is a post-policy party. Benen contrasts the work of Obama's administration and the work of both Democrats and Republicans regarding the major issues of healthcare, immigration, budget and taxation, and mass shootings and gun control with the work (or lack thereof) done during "the Republican's" administration. Republicans enjoy control over the Executive and Legislative branches of government yet can get nothing accomplished.
I could use any (or all) of the many highlights I made while reading this on Kindle. I will include just one: "The most effective impetus to changing the GOP’s post-policy posture, however, will be external pressures that leave Republican leaders with the impression that the status quo is untenable. Some of this should come from independent news organizations that have too often been negligent, signaling to the party and voters that policy is trivia of limited importance to the American mainstream."
Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, this is a book well worth reading. Although I've lived through everything that is mentioned in the book, I did learn a thing or two and found that I was limited in my thinking when berating the Republican personally; we should be demanding accountability from the party that allowed a reality TV narcissist to occupy the highest office in the land.
It is disheartening, to say the least, to read book after book about the current state of our union. I have spent the last four years trying to not use Trump's name. When forced to do so for clarity, I refuse to capitalize it when posting on social media. Steve Benen often shares my little quirk by not referring to him by name or title, but by simply calling him the Republican. In my opinion, it is the perfect insult to the Republican Party. I saw it as sticking a finger in the eye of the do-nothings in Washington.
Somehow, I cannot write any of the buzzwords in use today regarding the Republican Party's non-governance. I actually found it comforting to read that Republican legislators have eschewed competent staff that can assist in researching and crafting legislation in favor of "communications staffers" with the principal responsibility of "writing talking points and raising their bosses’ media profiles." It meant that I was not seeing and hearing things when legislators spoke out of both sides of their mouths. I am in favor of the media not using hyperbole of any kind when Republicans make outrageous statements. Such utterances are not mind-boggling, they are the norm.
The Republican Party is a post-policy party. Benen contrasts the work of Obama's administration and the work of both Democrats and Republicans regarding the major issues of healthcare, immigration, budget and taxation, and mass shootings and gun control with the work (or lack thereof) done during "the Republican's" administration. Republicans enjoy control over the Executive and Legislative branches of government yet can get nothing accomplished.
I could use any (or all) of the many highlights I made while reading this on Kindle. I will include just one: "The most effective impetus to changing the GOP’s post-policy posture, however, will be external pressures that leave Republican leaders with the impression that the status quo is untenable. Some of this should come from independent news organizations that have too often been negligent, signaling to the party and voters that policy is trivia of limited importance to the American mainstream."
Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, this is a book well worth reading. Although I've lived through everything that is mentioned in the book, I did learn a thing or two and found that I was limited in my thinking when berating the Republican personally; we should be demanding accountability from the party that allowed a reality TV narcissist to occupy the highest office in the land.
September 12, 2020
The author’s theory is that the Republican party has given up on creating policies, ideas that will move the country forward, and in this post-policy world, they rely on fact-free politicizing to attract followers. You’d think that if your policies are not popular enough to win elections, you’d just improve your policies. This book is an interesting and helpful, concise historical collection (memory refresher) of who said what and who did what for the past 50-80 years in the areas of economic policy, health care, climate change/energy policy, foreign policy, immigration, the budget, gun control, LGBTQ rights, reproductive rights, government shutdowns, think tanks. It’s going to take some effort to get half the country thinking about facts and policies again.
January 8, 2021
Depressing but interesting book. Mr. Bremen goes into great detail about how the Republican Party is post-policy party topic by topic.(90% of the book) But I feel like a lot of the why was left out. I thought of several more possibilities (laziness, apathy, racism, age, length of time serving etc etc) that we’re not touched on at all that would of been interesting to do more speculation on. Also is this seen at any other history point? What about other countries? Isn’t the UK going through something similar now, so is this a cultural thing?
February 25, 2022
I fundamentally disagree with the author’s conclusion, as well as his optimism, assuming the issue with American legislative stagnation can be fixed with a Republican Party regaining an interest in actually legislating again, and I don’t think the author considers strongly enough the fascistic tendencies of the Republican Party. However, this is a fantastic overview of how the Republican Party has sharply devolved into spite based policy making and shitposting as their modus operandi, bereft of any tangible policy making.
November 8, 2020
The election was in full swing as I listened to this book. And if you are hopeful that the results will turn us once again into an imperfect but functioning democracy then you really need to read this book. It isn’t Trump. Year by painful year, step by step Benen lays out how the Republicans found actual governing tedious and decided to trade only in propaganda instead. It has been a thirty year process. It culminated in there being no platform at all for the 2020 election. And Trump still managed to garner about 48% of the electorate.
Politics more than ever is tribal. The electorate largely chooses their candidates based on social circles or how they were raised, and there is a lingering idea that both parties have specific agendas. But it just is not so.
Most of the events will not be surprising to anyone who follows political news. But the condensation of the events and linking together the events into the single theme will infuriate you. Or it should.
Politics more than ever is tribal. The electorate largely chooses their candidates based on social circles or how they were raised, and there is a lingering idea that both parties have specific agendas. But it just is not so.
Most of the events will not be surprising to anyone who follows political news. But the condensation of the events and linking together the events into the single theme will infuriate you. Or it should.
July 31, 2020
You know the broad outlines, but may not be aware of just how Republicans have become a “post-policy party” that has effectively quit any attempt at actually governing. They seem unable or unwilling to come up with policy-driven legislation. They stall legislation passed to them by the House, even if it is reflective of earlier policies they have advocated for. A well-written and engaging book presenting sufficient evidence to convince all but the most willfully ignorant,
February 10, 2023
Fantastic book! It is well researched. Each chapter is loaded with references. Benan uses anecdotes to show how a once capable governing party has given up. He calls what the Republican Party is doing post policy. He demonstrates how the Republican Party has taken a stance of non-governing over the past several decades. He has organized the book by topics. He has chapters on immigration, the economy, and other pertinent topics. He concludes each chapter by showing how the practice of non-governing went to even more extremes during the Trump presidency.
September 29, 2020
With election around the corner and the impending appointment of a new Supreme Court Justice, I felt this was a timely read. The book is an expose on the Republican party and their failure to governor and be the party of obstructionist. Ultimately, it is a very depressing book reading what is happening in our government.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2024
This is a well researched, documented, and detailed accounting of the transformation of the Republican Party from a political force able and willing to govern into one with a collective drive for power at all cost and the abandonment of even the pretense of doing the work of representing the people who’ve elected them to the offices they hold. It is shocking, disturbing and maddening that greed and ambition have resulted in a party more concerned with press coverage and sound bites than working to craft and negotiate actual legislation. Reading this goes a long way in explaining how we have arrived at a time in history when the Republicans party is little more than a cult of personality willing to continue backing someone who is clearly unfit for office and remains ignorant of basic understanding of how the government was intended to work.
July 26, 2020
A very good analysis of the Republican Party particularly during Obama and Trump Presidencies. The book describes how devoid of ideas and any policy substance the Republicans are. The author breaks down major issues such as climate change, immigration, economy, debt and deficits, gun control, and shows Republicans’ complete unwillingness to develop and negotiate policy. He shows how they just refused to work with Obama and then Trump, all bluster and bravado and no substance, takes post policy to another level. Very frustrating to read but also important to understand that we need to vote out those who refuse to govern properly.
October 25, 2020
For the past four years, I have been obsessively reading book after book about the Trump era and its genesis in an effort to understand the insanity of the current political climate. More than any book I've read, Steve Benen's "The Imposters" presents a reasoned (albeit ugly) explanation of how we arrived at the cliff edge of losing our democracy. Beginning with Obama's election in 2008 and McConnell's declaration that he would see to it that Obama became a one-term president, Benen demonstrates how the Republican Party gave up on evidence-based policymaking in favor of obstruction for obstruction sake, where the only thing that matters is holding on to power. For the most part, Benen stays away from the issue of motive, although it takes no great leap of logic to note that the Republicans' incalcitrance coincided with the election of the first Black president. Also, without saying so expressly, Benen's analysis acts as a powerful call for a new, re-formed conservative party, ready to participate in principle-based debate and governance.
June 28, 2020
I read this book in my ongoing quest to understand the current political situation in the United States.
Benen says politics has evolved since 2008 to where the Republicans are now post-policy. They no longer care about evaluating evidence and then developing policy. He describes the post-policy thinking, “...what works, even during a crisis, is far less important than what's ideologically satisfying.” (Loc 541/7830) That means they'll vote for whatever promotes reelection rather than what is best for the American people.
Several examples are given where Republicans voted for a proposal when originated by a Republican but opposed essentially the same proposal when proposed by Democrats. Such was the case with the budget. During the Bush era, Republicans added trillions to the debt. During the Obama administration, “reducing the deficits they'd created was the only goal that mattered.” (Loc 4745/7830) With a Republican administration currently in power, we see the deficit again becoming larger.
One of the most telling events Benen recounts is one where Gingrich was discussing crime with a CNN host. Presented with statistics showing crime declining during the Obama administration, Gingrich said he would rather go with what people felt. Benen comments that false perceptions were more relevant than facts and reason. Statistics, Benen says, “are no match for what unprincipled politicians can get people to believe.” (Loc 5354/7830)
The Republican Party can become a governing entity again, Benen argues. It would require hiring policy staff, respecting intellectual arguments and statistical data, and becoming more invested in actual governing.
The book is very readable, even to this political novice. With many such insights, Benen has helped me understand the current political situation. I recommend this book to those who would like to understand how we Americans have come to the political situation we are in. Yes, the author particularly aims his critique at the Republican Party. Nonetheless, this book certainly shows how those governing today are failing our public interest.
Food for thought: “An approach to governance that rejects the value of independent evidence will inevitably fall.” (Loc 5687/7830)
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Benen says politics has evolved since 2008 to where the Republicans are now post-policy. They no longer care about evaluating evidence and then developing policy. He describes the post-policy thinking, “...what works, even during a crisis, is far less important than what's ideologically satisfying.” (Loc 541/7830) That means they'll vote for whatever promotes reelection rather than what is best for the American people.
Several examples are given where Republicans voted for a proposal when originated by a Republican but opposed essentially the same proposal when proposed by Democrats. Such was the case with the budget. During the Bush era, Republicans added trillions to the debt. During the Obama administration, “reducing the deficits they'd created was the only goal that mattered.” (Loc 4745/7830) With a Republican administration currently in power, we see the deficit again becoming larger.
One of the most telling events Benen recounts is one where Gingrich was discussing crime with a CNN host. Presented with statistics showing crime declining during the Obama administration, Gingrich said he would rather go with what people felt. Benen comments that false perceptions were more relevant than facts and reason. Statistics, Benen says, “are no match for what unprincipled politicians can get people to believe.” (Loc 5354/7830)
The Republican Party can become a governing entity again, Benen argues. It would require hiring policy staff, respecting intellectual arguments and statistical data, and becoming more invested in actual governing.
The book is very readable, even to this political novice. With many such insights, Benen has helped me understand the current political situation. I recommend this book to those who would like to understand how we Americans have come to the political situation we are in. Yes, the author particularly aims his critique at the Republican Party. Nonetheless, this book certainly shows how those governing today are failing our public interest.
Food for thought: “An approach to governance that rejects the value of independent evidence will inevitably fall.” (Loc 5687/7830)
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
July 12, 2020
The plight of Post-Policy politics is Trumpery
Why does Donald Trump achieve such Republican loyalty? According to Steve Benen it is because Trump's showboating is a perfect cover for a party that prefers being there to doing something. It is a persuasive argument which, according to Bennen, will fall on deaf ears in the GOP because the GOP has lost its conservative roots. Republicans want to be the government but have no investment in ambition or expertise of governing. The policy wonks have been replaced by public relations talking points.
Why does Donald Trump achieve such Republican loyalty? According to Steve Benen it is because Trump's showboating is a perfect cover for a party that prefers being there to doing something. It is a persuasive argument which, according to Bennen, will fall on deaf ears in the GOP because the GOP has lost its conservative roots. Republicans want to be the government but have no investment in ambition or expertise of governing. The policy wonks have been replaced by public relations talking points.
June 28, 2020
This book explains so much!
In easy-to-read language, the author takes us through each element of the the political landscape and the presidency through the last 20 or so years. He illustrates the changes in the way the Republican party governs, or, as in more recent years, fails to govern in what he calls a post-policy fashion. This is the only view I've seen that makes things make sense and gives me hope for the future.
In easy-to-read language, the author takes us through each element of the the political landscape and the presidency through the last 20 or so years. He illustrates the changes in the way the Republican party governs, or, as in more recent years, fails to govern in what he calls a post-policy fashion. This is the only view I've seen that makes things make sense and gives me hope for the future.
June 23, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️BOOK REVIEW: Steve Benen’s book “The Impostor’s” is excellent. Packed with twenty years of evidence to support his supposition that Republicans only interest is to gain and keep power through any means necessary. They have lost the ability to govern and legislate in any meaningful way. They exist to serve only as a coalition of opposition to impede progress that benefits “We the People.” Republicans primary goal is to provide tax cuts for rich and powerful corporations and to release these entities from all legal liability and responsibility. This is evidenced by the fact that they hire staffs of marketing and communications experts rather than legislative lawyers. These marketing and communication experts create fear and conflict by laser focusing messaging on cultural hot topics. In general the apex of this messaging focuses on God, guns, gays, immigrants, reproductive and minority rights and of late, Dr. Seuss. While the GOP stirs the emotional conflicts they also work to unravel social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and healthcare. You will agree with Bennen by the time you finish the book. Until the Republican Party reforms itself as a party interested in legislation and governing no one should support or vote for them. Benen writes with a sharp elbow sarcasm that’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
I highly recommend this substantial book as well worth the time and money because it will inform the way you vote.
If you are interested in this topic then the perfect follow up book to read next is: It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump While Bennen’s book outlines what the GOP is doing Steven’s book gives the dirty nitty-gritty of how and why. By: @KatoJustus4
If you are interested in this topic then the perfect follow up book to read next is: It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump While Bennen’s book outlines what the GOP is doing Steven’s book gives the dirty nitty-gritty of how and why. By: @KatoJustus4
June 18, 2020
Benen, Steve. The Imposters: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics. William Morrow, 2020.
The Imposters is not an insider exposé or a probing piece of investigative reporting, but it is a well-researched example of open-source reporting. If you have pretensions as a blogger, you could do worse than use it as a model. Benen’s thesis is clear: Republicans have abandoned their philosophical core of free-market economics, limited government, balanced budgets, social conservatism, and strong defense. They have given up law-making for unending electioneering. In doing so, they have become a “post-policy party” unable to turn ideas into effective legislation. Benen offers many examples, the best of which is Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell’s inability to craft a replacement for the hated Affordable Care Act after 2012. Donald Trump, who neither knows nor cares anything about policy, is the ultimate expression of this long-term trend in Republican politics. Benen suggests that we would all be better off if the Republican Party returned to its traditional positions and relearned the art of compromise. He says that there is no hope that this will occur until and unless Republican voters insist it be so. My own opinion: fat chance.
The Imposters is not an insider exposé or a probing piece of investigative reporting, but it is a well-researched example of open-source reporting. If you have pretensions as a blogger, you could do worse than use it as a model. Benen’s thesis is clear: Republicans have abandoned their philosophical core of free-market economics, limited government, balanced budgets, social conservatism, and strong defense. They have given up law-making for unending electioneering. In doing so, they have become a “post-policy party” unable to turn ideas into effective legislation. Benen offers many examples, the best of which is Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell’s inability to craft a replacement for the hated Affordable Care Act after 2012. Donald Trump, who neither knows nor cares anything about policy, is the ultimate expression of this long-term trend in Republican politics. Benen suggests that we would all be better off if the Republican Party returned to its traditional positions and relearned the art of compromise. He says that there is no hope that this will occur until and unless Republican voters insist it be so. My own opinion: fat chance.
August 9, 2020
Preaching to the choir only
Yes, everyone knows the Republican Party have zero interest in having intelligent discourse. Everyone knows that the Republican Party is 100% void of ideas, has no interest in moving America forward, making America a better place, and caters to the dumbest who live among us. While this book did a good job articulating now the Republican Party came to be the circus that it is, focused on nothing substantive anymore than honing their ability to lie to their ignorant voters (and look good doing so), it offered nothing substantive to fix the problem.
And it IS a problem. Conservative ideas can be beneficial to us as a nation and as a society. Just like Liberal ideas have value to ensure that we continue to provide opportunities to achieve the American dream and prosper in glorious well-regulated capitalism, as the underlying fabric of our circumstances change - as they do every day. Any legislation (ACA included) that is solely crafted by a single party, is less good than if it also contained influence by the minority party.
Republican laziness and intellectual bankruptcy hurts America, as we’ve seen by the wholesale treasonous lethargy of the trump administration - arguably the worst in our history (even including Herbert Hoover & Jimmy Carter). This book does nothing to move the debate (and America) forward. Save your money.
Yes, everyone knows the Republican Party have zero interest in having intelligent discourse. Everyone knows that the Republican Party is 100% void of ideas, has no interest in moving America forward, making America a better place, and caters to the dumbest who live among us. While this book did a good job articulating now the Republican Party came to be the circus that it is, focused on nothing substantive anymore than honing their ability to lie to their ignorant voters (and look good doing so), it offered nothing substantive to fix the problem.
And it IS a problem. Conservative ideas can be beneficial to us as a nation and as a society. Just like Liberal ideas have value to ensure that we continue to provide opportunities to achieve the American dream and prosper in glorious well-regulated capitalism, as the underlying fabric of our circumstances change - as they do every day. Any legislation (ACA included) that is solely crafted by a single party, is less good than if it also contained influence by the minority party.
Republican laziness and intellectual bankruptcy hurts America, as we’ve seen by the wholesale treasonous lethargy of the trump administration - arguably the worst in our history (even including Herbert Hoover & Jimmy Carter). This book does nothing to move the debate (and America) forward. Save your money.
November 14, 2021
An excellent book on the trouble with no policy or meaning goals by the Republican Party. It also has many incidents I am likely to use in my own work. I am happy to say that I see the Republican Party the same way. More and more its point of view is simply rhetorical. Less and less do they wish to actually govern. In the 2020 election there was no Republican platform for the Presidential race, was there?
The Trump strategy on anything will always be only something he can see, won't it? He is the sixth ray of consciousness which can easily make stuff up. The reality of the USA is mostly the second ray of consciousness reality and culture that the second ray of consciousness has created. It does not want to always make stuff up. Unencumbered by incumbency, Trump was free to make stuff up in 2016. That worked for the first campaign.
The Coronavirus is real and does not bend with the "make stuff up" strategy of Trump. He will fail since he now has a four year record while fighting the virus that can not follow his will like the Republican Party does.
Thanks Steve!
The Trump strategy on anything will always be only something he can see, won't it? He is the sixth ray of consciousness which can easily make stuff up. The reality of the USA is mostly the second ray of consciousness reality and culture that the second ray of consciousness has created. It does not want to always make stuff up. Unencumbered by incumbency, Trump was free to make stuff up in 2016. That worked for the first campaign.
The Coronavirus is real and does not bend with the "make stuff up" strategy of Trump. He will fail since he now has a four year record while fighting the virus that can not follow his will like the Republican Party does.
Thanks Steve!
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