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Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship Is Poisoning the House of Representatives
The function of the U.S. House of Representatives is to serve as the body of government closest to ordinary citizens, reflecting their needs and desires. Yet, over the past decade, the House's drift from its roots has given rise to Republicans' ability to capture control of the chamber from a 40-year Democratic rule. Factors including House rules that have curtailed dissent and more powerful party leaders perpetuate this national divide This book shows how average Americans have little say over what happens in the House, and what can be done about it.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
63 people want to read
About the author
Juliet Eilperin
3 books8 followersJuliet Eilperin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the Deputy Climate and Environment Editor at The Washington Post. She has been with The Post since 1998, covering a range of topics, including national affairs, the White House, the environment, and Congress.
Eilperin holds a BA in Politics, magna cum laude, from Princeton University, with a Certificate in Latin American Studies. She has authored two books: Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks, an exploration of sharks and their relationship with humans, and Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the House of Representatives, which examines political polarization in Congress.
Her journalism has earned numerous accolades, including the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting and multiple awards from the Society of Environmental Journalists. In 2011, she received the Peter Benchley Ocean Award for Media. Eilperin also speaks some Spanish.
Eilperin holds a BA in Politics, magna cum laude, from Princeton University, with a Certificate in Latin American Studies. She has authored two books: Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks, an exploration of sharks and their relationship with humans, and Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the House of Representatives, which examines political polarization in Congress.
Her journalism has earned numerous accolades, including the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting and multiple awards from the Society of Environmental Journalists. In 2011, she received the Peter Benchley Ocean Award for Media. Eilperin also speaks some Spanish.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 6, 2021
Overview:
Politicians know that they are most effective when they spend considerable time understanding both party members which lead to legislative coalitions, but now they do not know the opposition. Both Democrats and Republicans polarized politics via various tactics. Both sides reinforce and exacerbate the partisan divide. Tactics that include punishing members who do not completely support the party, while rewarding loyalists. Whichever side initiated toxic political tactics, the tactics where then promoted by the opposition and utilized more aggressively. Bipartisan cooperation has become akin to betrayal. As moderates have become rare, they are having a harder time making their case. Politicians have become less accountable to the voters, creating a political system that disenfranchises everyone.
House of Representatives is supposed to be closest to the people because of their more frequent elections. The problem is that by using various tactics, the voters became less valuable. For many elections, it is the political operatives such as map makers who determine election outcomes, rather than the voters. That has made politicians less accountable to the public, while more encumbered in party ideology. By gaming the system, the politicians have created a system where they and other politicians who agree with their sentiments, are continuously elected. Stereotyping voters based on political affiliation can lead to misunderstanding as the voters tend to be more complicated than the stereotype. The irony is that their representatives can sometimes fit a stereotype.
A tactic used by both parties is creating unity by punishing those who disagree with their leaders. Neither side wants bipartisan majority, they seek to have enough votes from their own side. Negotiation is no longer needed. Another tactic is the increased use of ‘emergency’ procedures. Bills are supposed to have at least 48 hours for politicians to scrutinize, but with emergency procedures they are barely given any time at all even for very long bills.
Americans are increasingly politically segregated as they choose to live near like-minded neighbors. Without personal connections to the opposing political members, they tend to demonize their opponents at the expense of engaging in genuine policy negotiations. There is less opportunities for the different party members to get to know each other. Politicians spend less time debating each other, and more time in their region catering to constituents.
Problems?
A well-written book that makes the social, cultural, and political aspects of U.S. polarization easy to understand. The author supports centrists and moderates, given that the book is how the system went from having many of them to having little of them. But, at times, the author shows favor to one side over another party because of the power struggle during the time. Responsibility for the polarization is given to both. The topics presented are important, but are explained in an insufficient manner.
Politicians know that they are most effective when they spend considerable time understanding both party members which lead to legislative coalitions, but now they do not know the opposition. Both Democrats and Republicans polarized politics via various tactics. Both sides reinforce and exacerbate the partisan divide. Tactics that include punishing members who do not completely support the party, while rewarding loyalists. Whichever side initiated toxic political tactics, the tactics where then promoted by the opposition and utilized more aggressively. Bipartisan cooperation has become akin to betrayal. As moderates have become rare, they are having a harder time making their case. Politicians have become less accountable to the voters, creating a political system that disenfranchises everyone.
House of Representatives is supposed to be closest to the people because of their more frequent elections. The problem is that by using various tactics, the voters became less valuable. For many elections, it is the political operatives such as map makers who determine election outcomes, rather than the voters. That has made politicians less accountable to the public, while more encumbered in party ideology. By gaming the system, the politicians have created a system where they and other politicians who agree with their sentiments, are continuously elected. Stereotyping voters based on political affiliation can lead to misunderstanding as the voters tend to be more complicated than the stereotype. The irony is that their representatives can sometimes fit a stereotype.
A tactic used by both parties is creating unity by punishing those who disagree with their leaders. Neither side wants bipartisan majority, they seek to have enough votes from their own side. Negotiation is no longer needed. Another tactic is the increased use of ‘emergency’ procedures. Bills are supposed to have at least 48 hours for politicians to scrutinize, but with emergency procedures they are barely given any time at all even for very long bills.
Americans are increasingly politically segregated as they choose to live near like-minded neighbors. Without personal connections to the opposing political members, they tend to demonize their opponents at the expense of engaging in genuine policy negotiations. There is less opportunities for the different party members to get to know each other. Politicians spend less time debating each other, and more time in their region catering to constituents.
Problems?
A well-written book that makes the social, cultural, and political aspects of U.S. polarization easy to understand. The author supports centrists and moderates, given that the book is how the system went from having many of them to having little of them. But, at times, the author shows favor to one side over another party because of the power struggle during the time. Responsibility for the polarization is given to both. The topics presented are important, but are explained in an insufficient manner.
January 29, 2021
www.populist.com › 06.12.bybee.html
BOOK REVIEW/Roger Bybee. 'Fight Club Politics' Pulls Punches against GOP
BOOK REVIEW/Roger Bybee. 'Fight Club Politics' Pulls Punches against GOP
September 28, 2007
This book reminded me of everything I love about this country, and everything I'm proud of. We have lost a great deal of integrity, moral ground and global stature over the last 8 years. A great book for the revival of the liberal spirit.
January 6, 2008
i love her, but didn't love this book. she points the finger of blame at republicans without proving how things were better when the democrats were in control of the congress. a good read, in that it provides a nice glimpse into how washington really operates, but too partisan.
April 29, 2008
Depressing if you hold out any hope of our government ever being able to function as one body, but extremely informative. It really tells the story of how partisanship became so pervasive.
September 3, 2008
people should know about gerrymandering!
December 30, 2008
Interesting viewpoint, she raises a lot eye raising questions.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews