Bibliograph

Parliament of whores, a lone humorist attempts to explain the entire U.S. government, P.J. O'Rourke

Type

Label

Parliament of whores, a lone humorist attempts to explain the entire U.S. government, P.J. O'Rourke

Language

eng

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Parliament of whores

Oclc number

23179636

Responsibility statement

P.J. O'Rourke

Sub title

a lone humorist attempts to explain the entire U.S. government

Summary

In 1988 the author moved to Washington to take a long look at our government and to find an answer to the question every American asks: What the hell do these guys do all day, and why does it cost so much money? In his Introduction, he proffers the theory that we are suffering under a dictatorship of boredom. Adopting the manner of a high school civics textbook, he covers the three branches of government -- legislative, executive, judicial -- in a section entitled "Money, Television and Bullshit."

Table Of Contents

Preface : why God is a republican and Santa Claus is a democrat -- The mystery of government -- The dictatorship of boredom. On the blandwagon : a political convention ; Attack of the midget vote-suckers : the presidential election ; The winners go to Washington, D.C. -- The three branches of government : money, television and bullshit. National busybodies : Congress ; Only human, in his own immortal way : the president ; Doing the most important kind of nothing : the Supreme Court ; Protectors of a blameless citizenry : the bureaucracy ; Would you kill your mother to pave I-95? : the federal budget -- Our government : what the fuck do they do all day, and why does it cost so goddamned much money? Drug policy : the whiffle life ; Poverty policy : how to endow privation ; Agricultural policy : how to tell your ass from this particular hole in the ground ; Very foreign policy ; Defense policy : cry "havoc!" and let slip the hogs of peace -- Special interest groups : the original barrel of monkeys that nothing is more fun than. Among the compassion fascists : the national march for housing now! ; Dirt of the earth : the ecologists ; Setting the chickens to watch the henhouse : the savings-and-loan crisis ; Graft for the millions : social security -- At home in the parliament of whores

Classification