Rome Wasn't Burnt in a Day: The Real Deal on How Politicians, Bureaucrats, and Other Washington Barbarians are Bankrupting America

With big-spending Democrats at their side, President George Bush and his "conservative" Republican Congress have controlled the government's checkbook while the national debt has skyrocketed past seven trillion dollars. That's right, $7,000,000,000,000. How has the party of Reagan become the party of big- government spending?

Now former Republican congressman Joe Scarborough delivers a scathing indictment of Republicans and Democrats alike in the same informed, hard-hitting, and entertaining style fans of Scarborough Country have come to admire. Having had a ringside seat during his four terms in the House of Representatives, Scarborough gives the inside scoop on how Washington really works and on the spending orgy the Republicans have fueled the last ten years.

The story begins with Newt Gingrich's Contract with America and the Republicans promising to balance the budget and reform Washington. It culminates with a Republican president continually rubber-stamping pork-filled appropriations bills that squander taxpayer dollars. That is, unless you think it's necessary to spend millions of dollars on research into "alternative salmon products" in Alaska, or the study of crickets in Utah, or of sea turtles in Hawaii.#160;Sadly, these instances merely hint at the gross spending by Congress.

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Joe Scarborough book, 2008-08-15
Joe Scarborough's book "Rome Wasn't Burnt in a Day was written in 2004.
The year 2004 maybe viewed as past history but wow, wow, wow! What a great history lesson Joe has given me! This is a very, very, must read to get the juicy, juicy on the going-on in Congress and in Washington.
Like I always thought...there is enough blame for everyone!
A great book for some back history... which is still happening and a good "inside" look.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Burn babym burn..., 2008-05-27
Reading this political book was a pleasure! The humor was always close to the surface, but steeped in what makes humor even more giddy - the mirror up to the uncomfortable truth. Most of the time anything coming from a political analyst such as Joe Scarborough would be subject of intense scrutiny from me since most politicos today are so polarized, but Joe shows that both sides of the issue are wrong. Now, don't get me wrong, one side (Democrats) is a little worse, but they just don't make excuses like the Republicans.

Thanks, Joe, for showing us the truth with much fun and laughter mixed with tears.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Joe Scarbourough Book, 2008-03-27
Every thinking American should read this book. Written three years ago it remains as applicable today as then.

Americans need to get aroused about our Washinton politicians and take back our country. Joe lambasts both political parties for their self serving interests and unwillingness to confront the real problems of our Nation.

Read it...PLEASE


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Great Primer for Aspiring Congressmen, 2008-02-03
I'd always wanted to pick up this book when Joe started first promoting it on his show, and whole stacks of them found their way at the $1 store, so of course, who could pass up a book like this for just a buck?

Anyway, didn't know what to expect, but man, a real eye-opener. It's one thing when you suspect something to be the case (all the cliches about gov't), and something else altogether when someone who was there told it like it was.

I think the most interesting point that resonated with me was one I had long suspected - one party should never have complete control of washington, or the spending sprees will be out of control, no matter who it is.

While the writing style was fun to read (I couldn't put the book down), at times it was disorganized, moving here, there, and everywhere throughout Joe's journey in congress, and at times there was a bit too much repetition. Otherwise, a great read.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Interesting book on government waste, 2008-02-01
Given the fact that Joe Scarborough is a Republican, you would expect him to bash Democrats and go easy on Republicans. Such is not the case. Joe says that "when it comes to wasting your tax dollars, there's not a dime's worth of difference between Republicans and Democrats these days." He said that individual members of both parties are more concerned about consolidating their power than they are about spending our tax dollars wisely.

Despite the fact that the book is a bit dated, I doubt that much has changed since he wrote it in 2004. His basic point is that Republicans used to stand for smaller government, but that's no longer the case today. He provides plenty of stories of both Republicans and Democrats pushing through "pork-filled bills".

For those following the elections in 2008, you may find what he has to say about McCain interesting. He does speak highly of him and gives him a lot of credit for speaking up for what he believes in, even when it could harm his political career.

It's an interesting book and well worth the read, even if you don't agree with all his opinions.

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