Rating: 
Summary: Overdue
Review: Molly Ivins nails Bush's hide to the wall. Unfortunately, the amiable buffoon in the White House doesn't realize his skin is missing. Bush's Texas has twice the numnber of people in prison as all of Great Britain, which has a hell of a lot more people not to mention a lower crime rate and relatively few murders. In fact, Texas has finally realized it can't afford to lock every Texan up and is trying to cut the prison population. Molly Ivins represents a Texas and the values that made it a great state. The Education President did nothing to improve things in that area in Texas and now he's doing his best to insure that people on the bottom stay there. But he will have a faith-based initiative to fix it. YOu will be told to believe your children are being well-educated and you will believe it. Or Else.
Rating:
Summary: An Informative and Very Entertaining Read
Review: In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln described the U.S. government as an institution "of the people, by the people, for the people." While this is undoubtedly true in theory, in actual practice government is something that frequently happens to people. The mission of BUSHWHACKED: Life in George W. Bush's America is to report on the very real impact of the Bush administration on the very real lives of American people. The authors, Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose, succeed in this mission with grit, wit and a Texas-sized portion of Lone Star sass. The three years since George W. Bush ascended to the presidency bring to mind a certain curse: May you live in interesting times. Certainly this President Bush can't be blamed for everything that has transpired since he took office. But after what is possibly the most interesting election outcome in American history, things have gotten progressively more interesting. Interesting things have happened to the economy and millions of jobs. Corporate leaders have engaged in interesting business and accounting strategies. And it's a safe bet that we'd all like the lives of our military personnel around the world to be far less interesting than has been the case in the last several months. So whether you like it or not, whether you read beyond the front page of your newspaper or not, what goes on in Washington makes your life interesting, probably in ways you'd like to avoid. In this follow-up to their 2000 effort, SHRUB: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush, Ivins and Dubose delve into the lives of Americans on the receiving end of Bush administration policy. The stories of these individuals go beyond statistics to reveal the true human cost of decisions made by officials whose interpretation of the word "people" in the Lincoln quote must have Honest Abe spinning so fast in his grave as to trigger seismographic readings. Ivins and Dubose are relentless in their gleeful hammering of George W. Bush and his administration. True, they are preaching to the liberal choir and are not likely to find any converts among political conservatives. But whether you agree with them or not is unimportant. More important is that you respect the patriotism of their mission, which places this nation's ideals, as so succinctly and beautifully stated by Mr. Lincoln, above the people who occupy the offices of government. Those people work for us, after all, and not the other way around. As their employers we have every right --- indeed, a pressing responsibility --- to expect them to do the job they were hired to do, and to hold their feet to the fire when they fail in that mission. With BUSHWHACKED, Ivins and Dubose have provided us with an informative and entertaining reminder of that fact, an elbow in the ribs that tells us to wake up and pay attention. --- Reviewed by Bob Rhubart
Rating:
Summary: Molly Ivins is no phony
Review: ...or phoney - whichever way you choose to spell it. Nothing about her seems fake or insincere. She is a bona fide Texas gal - an honest and passionate journalist whose wit and humor can make you laugh out loud. I watched Molly Ivins speak about "Bushwhacked" on the now infamous C-Span/Book-Tv program that also included Al Franken and Bill O'Reilly. While the two guys came close to smacking each other, Molly, in her Texan drawl, was very nice and gracious to conservative O'Reilly - which is also how she usually comes across in her writings. She may report from a liberal perspective, but she never seems outrageously unfair and biased, or mean-spirited and offensive. If you've read Ivins' columns you know what she's been telling us about Texas politics and "bidness" and about the Bushes. In her book "Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush", Ivins and Dubois told us about the easy life of George Dubya, a.k.a. Shrub - someone who's made it through life and to the top with no particular talent or hard work, but with the help of daddy's powerful, wealthy friends. Although the title of that book didn't turn out to be exactly accurate, you can say that in that book Ivins warned us about George Jr - Shrub as guv. Now, in this book we see how not just Texas, but sadly, all of America has been "bushwhacked". The book has plenty of Ivins' wit and humor, but it is also more depressing because Mr. Shrub is now running America - the guy who called Africa a country is no longer dealing with Texas "bidness", but with the entire world. And we know that, so far, it is not going too well. This book can also make you angry at the hypocrisy of George W. who, as a Texas businessman, made a pile of money with shady Enron-like business practices and who now, as our president, speaks about his strong commitment to business ethics. In "Bushwhacked" we read about how Bush profited from his position as member of the board at Harken, taking low-interest loans to buy stocks and profiting from insider-trading, walking away with a million dollars while the less fortunate (and less informed) stock holders lost millions. We learn that, despite Bush's denials, Harken and Enron were very much the same thing - same corporate crime, same crooked behavior. The book points to the connection between George W. Bush and fellow Texan and corporate crook, Kenneth Lay. Enron was Bush' BIGGEST contributor once, but thanks to the "liberal press" we hear little about Bush's cozy relationship with corporate thieves or about his own business practices at Harken. Fortunately, we can read "Bushwhacked" and learn all about it, and more - and keep it in mind when it's time to vote again.
Rating: 
Summary: A Belligerent Nation Ripe for Conquest
Review: Contained within these 368 pages, Mademoiselle Ivans and Monsieur Dubose have unwittingly (or purposely!) revealed the steps necessary to vanquish the belligerent rogue nation of America once and for all. All loyal members of the European Union simply must read this tome and unite for the greater good of all humanity. Surely, once united we can put an end to their shocking tyranny. This having been said, "Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush's America" is quite an interesting read as it reveals some fascinating and startling truths about a hopeless leader and the zombies he calls his constituents. I found much humor in Chapter Ten. It goes on to comment that whilst running for the office, the then candidate often times referred to himself as the "Education President." Perhaps he is not aware that current statistical surveys indicate that his nation has fallen to seventh place (globally) in terms of literacy and mathematics. He leads a nation where many of their own offspring cannot even find their own state/commonwealth on a map. So much for being the much acclaimed Education President, eh, Monsieur Warmonger? Subsequent chapters (and reviews oddly enough) prattle on and on about their defective political system. It is this very derision and caterwauling between them that will inevitably be their undoing. They cannot unite together over anything, which is simply wonderful! Whilst they bask in the light of their reality based television programming, video game boxes, puerile talk shows and repugnant fast food chains, the European Union shall slowly and inexorably remove them from key power positions. Ruled by a feckless leader, empowered by an effete military, the time has long since past for this former prison colony to disappear into the annals of history. Relegated to obscurity, only to serve as a reminder of their ineptitude to those of us living in the ethically and morally superior regions of the world. Two stars for supplying the key elements needed to topple them once and for all. Vive la France!
Rating:
Summary: Bushwacked
Review: Molly Ivins is a great writer and knows her stuff. More Americans should read her book and find out what is really happening in our country under the Bush Administration. He is the first President to cut taxes and fight a war at the same time, despite what the previous reviewer said. JFK cut taxes well before the Vietnam War buildup, which occured under President Johnson and continued under Nixon. I was there and remember. I guess the previous reviewer wasn't.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow... does anyone believe this stuff?
Review: I was interested in buying this book and read the above editorial review. I was shocked to see that they make the claim that Bush is the only president in history who cut taxes and waged a war at the same time. JFK cut taxes and fought the Vietnam War... You figure that a Democratic writer would remember JFK. I borrowed this book from a friend instead of buying it, and I'm glad I did. It was a waste of time, but at least it wasn't a waste of money. While she has some truth in her book, there is also quite a few lies/misconceptions/half-truths. I found myself dedicating more time to researching her claims then I did reading her book. I don't particularly like Bush and I am eager to see what motivates him, but why would I waste my time trying to seperate fact from fiction reading this book?
Rating:
Summary: If it dosn't make you mad, you didn't read it!
Review: Wow, I wish we had all read "Shrub" then we might not be in this mess. Molly Ivins hit the nail on the head with this book, and man, have we been lied to. Just read it and you'll understand, then pass it along to a friend or donate it to your local library, this book must be read, especially before November 2004. Thanks Molly & Lou, this book needed to be written!
Rating:
Summary: Funny For A Few Seconds Til You Remember Its True!
Review: Molly Ivins is a very funny woman. She has clearly made many enemies with her outspokenness. And with Bushwhacked, Ivins outdoes herself with her comedic approach. There are some laugh out loud lines that are just entirely brilliant in Bushwhacked. At the very same time, Iver's humor is focused on a very real situation: the current administration of our country. To that extent, Bushwhacked is a serious examination of some very compelling political and constitutional issues. While Bushwhacked can easily be attacked as left wing pabulum by the conservative readers who believe they are benefiting by the approach of the current administration, the issues it deals with are all too real and all too well corroborated in the media and in observations made by average people throughout our nation. I know that humor is supposed to cushion the hard and often cruel truth. And for a while, the humor in Bushwhacked works very well. Yet, at the end of this book, I just came away sad and somewhat anxious about the state of our nation. Vitally important issues, cleverly presented. Yet, as a reader, my concluding emotions on the issues addressed in the book were ones of genuine discomfort and a sense of powerlessness that I all too often hear echoed in the voices of many American as they discuss their views of how the country stands politically at this juncture in history. A recommended read. Some serious issues for all Americans to consider with an open and nonpartisan mind! Daniel J. Maloney
Saint Paul, Minnesota USA
Rating:
Summary: Read with an open mind..
Review: I read this book with a completely open mind hoping that it would tell me things that I was NOT aware of involving the Bush administration. All it accomplished in doing was to take information that most Americans are well aware of (those that watch the news and have half a brain) and put a major spin on it. Anyone with good common sense will see right through this book. A total waste of my time and money..
Rating:
Summary: On point
Review: Ivins and Dubose do a fine job of pointing out and analyzing how this appointed administration is duping you and me and dragging down the Doug Jones Average. In the final chapter they offer an alternative and progressive direction for our executive branch. One thing is certain, President Bush's administration will pay no heed to the suggestions made in the final chapter. ON a side note, I noticed that you repeatedly see the same liberal bashers writing reviews on this book, on Al Franken's, Michael Moore's, and some of the other's books. Each of their reviews seem to have the following in common: No indication that they actually read the book they are reviewing, poor grammar and spelling, incoherent and scurrilous ranting. And what's sad, these same liberal bashers (if not among the 1% of the nation's wealthiest) are getting screwed with the rest of us.
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