Politicians are Unbelievable
925668
The book was well written and let me inside the political minds and games that politicians play. Obama was not and still is not the man who tried to work both sides of the aisle. He was the elected Democratic President whose party won but still couldn't or wouldn't get things done. He tried to do it without any partisan relationship and that is why America is in such a mess. The people are the ones who have suffered...and not just the ones who voted for Obama. The book opened my eyes and makes me pray that people will keep trying to find the facts and the truth but since the news media lies and protects this president, we will never get the facts straight. Thanks to Bob Woodward and his book The Price of Politics...I understand most of it.
4972682
Elizabeth Warren's book a fighting chance is a great example of what's wrong in government.  She makes it sound like she is out for the people. cough, cough, yeah right she most recently has shown her true colors.  Being on oversight boards as a Senator in Congress attacking big money banks and corporations she has accomplished nothing more than lining her pockets with tax payer money.  Just another self-serving dumbocrat! btw. the whole native american agenda has been proven to be a bag of lies going back multiple generations.  eeeshh wake up america!  People like Elizabeth Warren are what's wrong with America today.  Re-elected?  not a chance.
566720
Nothing I read throughout the whole book implied that Paul Oneill was trying to get back at Bush. If he wanted to "Bush bash" he could have given us much much more information than he did. He obviously knows what he's talking about when it comes to economic polices- people much more qualified then Bush and Cheney agree (Alan Greenspan for one).

 "Reagan proved that defecits don't matter"!!! What halfway intelligent person (republican OR democrat) can even hear that withought dropping your jaw. All these "1 star" reviewers complain that Oneill is ranting or bitter or disgruntled, but if you read the book you can tell that the recollection of these meetings and conversations are accurate (trust me, if you read it you will know that he is just recalling what really did happen). Contrary to some beliefs, there is no reason to make them up.

 The previous reviewer mentioned that "it's amazing how many people believe what they read or hear about President Bush" but the opposite is actually true: It is amazing how many people DON'T believe the FACTS that consistently show the bad choices and polices the Bush (Cheney) administration make.
2633196
so sick of the b.s. conspiracy crap that politicians arrange for terrorism to happen
1260792
Unbelievable...and truly disturbing, particularly as an NJ resident.  Stuck paying the kind of taxes we pay, when the "shenanigans" of politicians on BOTH sides of the political spectrum are to blame for the dismal state of affairs in this State.

Time to kick them ALL out and start all over again.
847391
Yes, the politicians think you are stupid. Unfortunately they have a lot of evidence that they are right. Mr. Cain ran for office. He was defeated in the primary but took great pride in that he finished second in a three way race. Sorry Mr. Cain, but second in the primary is a long way from writing the laws.

Mr. Cain says that our country has real problems. He is right. But the politicians have learned that the way to get into office is to talk about what an S.O.B. the other candidate is rather than promote plans fo their own.

Social Security is in trouble. We all know that as the baby boomers retire the present welfare, non-acturarial, based system can't continue as is. President Bush has suggested one step to fixing it. The Democrats have a lot of poll data saying that using this to bash Bush is helping them. They have no incentive to come up with a plan. They even got angry when a Florida (where Social Security is a real issue) suggested part of one.

The title of the book says, "They Think You're Stupid." And the sub-title should be, "And the voters are proving them right."

This is an excellent book in so far as it talks about the problems facing America. I wish I believed his view of the smarter electorate.
4757228
After reading the book, I just can't believe how the American people could have been so blind to all the corruption and lies of this couple.  I would like for everyone to read it before the next election.  I am just horrified after reading it.
2803383
I would have given it 0 stars but that's not possible.  Writing is rather plebeian. The author makes the mistake of writing as though he were speaking, which is very distracting, and grammatically incorrect.  But the worst of it is that the plot is totally unbelievable!  He's not shy about overstating that all government employees and elected officials are self-serving, holier-than-thou people who are only concerned with their own aggrandizement and not one bit with the welfare of ordinary citizens.  His "hero" is given a free pass in killing as many of them as he can, which is stunning!  If the world were really as he posits, then I am making a big mistake in not owning lots of guns and in not planning my escape route when the 'gummint' comes to take all I have.  I don't have a problem with being skeptical and keeping a watchful eye out; or with holding government employees feet to the fire, but this is too right wing, one train of thought for me.  If you're of his mindset, maybe you'll like it;  I didn't.
4726478
This is sort of like an Ayn Rand novel (only worse) - the barebones of an unbelievable plot serving as the excuse for a lot of long speeches about why our government is bad.

I had never heard of Flynn, so after his death I bought this book.  Now I know why I'd never heard of him: his audience must be all the Tea Party 'patriots'.
4538655
For somebody who hasn't paid enough attention to politicians (other than to complain), this book was a HUGE eye-opener!  When you finally understand how they are "fooling" America, it is scary!
2982392
After reading this book Im amazed that Trump has lasted this long as President. The Republican Party leaders, Ryan and McConnell, turn a blind eye to this White House circus as long as they have a President who will sign anything they put in front of him. Trump is a child like bully who thrives on constant, in the moment, praise. He is neither intelligent or a deal maker. He appears to be constantly out of touch and delusional. To me, it seems like Trump is acting in another reality TV show where the only thing that matters is his ratings. He is truly unfit for this office and remains a constant threat to our free press and our Democracy.
1227624
A Great Read
Unbelievable the lies she encountered from this administration!  And what is just as bad is the help this Administration is getting from the media in covering up the fraud and incompetence.  One cannot help but feel sorry for Americans held captive by an incredibly biased media!  Can we survive two more years?
2186888
Fascinating! Amazing story of Political Cronyism incompetence, elites inability to see reality and the danger of a weak " leader".  Then add on the political attempt to conceal the massive judgement errors of the politically conected. Just mind boggling how the French society is so incompetent as to cause the death of so many in 13 days.
2093404
compeletely agree with the premise of the book--it is living history, and those whose 90s greed for electronic gadgetry and dot com riches and trophy wives and children made it all happen are still crying about the situation and claiming they are liberals and conservatives who actually WANT change for the better for America! Ha, Ha. Sick joke. However President Obama inherited a country that is a plutocracy. He has tried mightily to move it incrementally back towards participatory democracy, and wanted to do so with bi-partisan support, common sense and over two terms.

Our President Obama has been abandoned by people who believe that experts cannot be helpful unless they have always been deployed according to a particular ideology approved by the very same pundits who were stone silent for 8 years about the costs of the wars in global standing, human and money toll to our nation --until asked to also chip in for healthcare. All of a sudden there is a strident anti-war movement--soley based upon hypocrisy and the desire to save money for their own little pocket of gated community, doorman- esconsed privileged Paradise...where some people can actually afford 45,000$ a year kindergarten for all their kids. These media scions are so out of touch with main Street they think that those who HAVE to work to afford inferior child care but wish to be at home with their kids...ought to be grateful they can do menial labor instead of raise a stable loving family.
In any case this is just a bunch of crap to blame anything on Obama here.

Our President saved us from a depression in that he took the authentic experts and rechanneled their expertise, while critics howled because they want to control- freak micro-manage his every move through partisan politics and plutocratic privilege, just whom he picks...

A bunch of jerks --we get the nation we deserve and all the phony leftists have driven the moderates so far right since Obama's election we are facing fascisim and the death of democratic incremental reform. Rally for sanity? no rally for more manipulative media types to demonize the oppositon as extremicists, create political gridlock on the common good, just like Bush and Clinton, and destroy Obama's actual moiderate coalition for significent reform that would cost the republican and democrat filthy rich a small share of their ill gottten money
1226818
Character development and believability were not even considered while reading this exciting book! I put off many chores and other things I wanted to do just to finish this. I'll use a highlighter later. I can't help but  think that if the idiots on capitol hill read books like this then  why-oh-why is our country still so screwed up?
2730727
These stories get your blood boiling that we live in a many different tier justice system. The stories that are presented are crazy and NewYork has the most F-Uped legal system.empty that summons book(for what).Banks get to pay a day/few hrs earnings for laundering drug money imagine if You set up a business like a a Convient Store to laundry money who would be behind bars? Hopefully one day they can correct themselves.new mayor new crime czar, some who cars as much as Elizabeth Warren and Tom Cobborn where these companies can't write off these fine on their taxes at the end of the year. And, Rand Pauls of the sector telling us we should apologize to these companies for their criminal activities.hes made the speech to congress we should be ashamed and should apologize to Apple for them hiding $$$. Rand Paul only cares about companies not people but the Supreme Court said they were people in the $$ they give for political speech. F Rand Paul. He should go play Southern up rising w/his friends.poodle.

Reading this book flies by so quick. And Taibbi makes it so it's easy to understand. I highly recommend it. Keep a glass of wine of beer or 2 near by to calm your nerves because, man can this make you angry.
  One thing I learned guy gets bogus charge, the DA try to plead him all the way down to 25$ he still says no they finally drop the BS charge. Good for him. If it takes a year and your innocent don't take deals. That's what their in it it for but keep saying no till they diss miss.
But, Do Not Diss Miss this Book great read gift and many people will enjoy this book to see what comes out Right!
948408
I had believed for years that Mr Panetta was an honorable man and above the partisan bickering of today's Washington.
Not so. He takes great pains to demonize Republicans and to praise Democrats. He also shows that he is not above good old boy politics. In one instance he brags about needing a congress woman's vote and the only way he can get it is to arrange for her district to get an Indian casino license which he promptly delivers.
He is very upset with the sequestration budget cuts but fails to acknowledge that the idea originated with the White House staff, not the evil republicans that he enjoys taking to task.
I suppose I was naive enough to think that he was different. He is just another partisan politician writing a book that allows him to appear as an honorable public servant.