Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the House of Representatives (Hoover Studies in Politics, Economics, and Society)

Polarization in the House of Representatives

"Fight Club Politics" is an exceptionally easy to read and easy to grasp account of the current partisanship and polarization that plagues the House of Representatives. Juliet Eilperin offers a unique perspective that is hard to find elsewhere on this topic. With numerous interviews from Congressional leaders, political scientists, etc. she is able to present a vivid picture of what the political climate is like in Washington on a personal level. While not littered with numerous graphs and tables of data to support her claims, this book is still thought-provoking and well substantiated. Countless other books are available with a plethora of data that can be used in addition to the arguments Eilperin makes This book is surprisingly objective and avoids demonizing either party, but rather places the blame and responsibility on both to bring back civility to the House and make Congress a more representative body that disenfranchises less of the public. From describing stints like Congressman Richard A. Gephardt's "Braveheart" demonstration and Jim Nussle's paper bag display, Eilperin allows the reader a very smooth ride through a short and concise book that really gets to the heart of the matter. While more elaboration could have been included, the main tenants of this book do speak volumes for how different factors have shaped politics in the House of Representatives. Eilperin describes the transition from a Democrat to a Republic House as one of a winner-takes-all fight that has driven each party further to the extremes. Particular incidents on the national level helped to illuminate the growing differences (Clinton's impeachment hearings for instance). Both internal and external factors play a significant role in the political climate today. Changes in house rules, the now enormous leverage given to party leaders (harkening back to the turn of the 20th century), lobbyists, interest groups, and an overall reconstruction of campaign ideology (among other things) ha...