What Makes You Think We Read the Bills?

While this book is not timely, the stories told are timeless and funny. Moreover, the situation has only gotten WORSE since Richardson was in the legislature. And don't think it's just the California legislature. I've seen this over and over on the local level (San Diego County and its cities). But it's on the federal level, where they pass bills literally a 1,000+ pages long, that you'll find that too often NO ONE has read the entire bill. It would be wonderful if this little gem was read in the nation's civics classes. Kids need to move from the THEORY of democracy to seeing how the sausage is actually made in the factory. Richard Rider, Chairman San Diego Tax Fighters

HL Richardson writes a very funny and very wise book about the California Legislature, and why it was dysfunctional in its day (and a total disaster now). He shows how a reasonably sound Central Valley businessman is sucked in to the process of government "helping people" by the system. HLR was a conservative, but don't be deterred if you aren't. This is one of the wisest political books since another HL--Mencken.