The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship Has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America

A respected political commentator presents a large-scale analysis of the forces that have contributed to the bitter partisan divides in today's political arena, drawing on historical factors while citing such elements as congressional rule changes, a rise in special-interest pressure groups, and a vastly changed media environment. 50,000 first printing.

Ronald Brownstein is national political correspondent and columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of both the 1996 and 2004 presidential elections. The author or editor of five previous books, he appears regularly as an analyst for CNN and on other television programs such as Meet the Press and Charlie Rose.