I enjoyed reading this book. I learned a lot. I took "Easy Politics" on a plane trip along with a current well-reviewed mystery novel. I found "Easy Politics" the far better read!
The author argues that too many apathetic voters open the door to more money in politics, contributed by people who too often expect an obscene return on their investment in the form of softened administrative regulations or lucrative government contracts. The result is cozy politics, which involves big bucks and undercuts what government tries to do. Unlike many books concerned with such corruption, the author proposes a solution in the form of revitalized political parties. These citizen-based organizations differ dramatically from the current parties, which are obsessed with campaign technology and fundraising. The author's modern political parties combine TV, radio, and direct mail with more grassroots activity where local and state party activists listen to citizens, explain party positions, and mobilize voters at election time. This book provides stimulating ideas and solutions without requiring a lot of prior knowledge of politics.. I enjoyed Cozy Politics because it was informative, well reasoned, dealt with an important topic and was easy for me to read and understand.

Too Little Citizen Participation and Too Much Cozy Politics
Increasing numbers of apathetic American citizens have opened the way to "cozy politics" where decisions are driven primarily by who benefits along the way rather than by the purpose of a federal government program or regulation. Cozy politics is different today because far more money changes hands in politics and wealthy individuals, interest groups, and professional associations achieve access and often receive beneficial treatment in the form of softened regulations or lucrative government contracts in exchange for political contributions.
Cozy politics thereby contributes to the increasing erosion of civic confidence, the warping of political parties, the denigration of politicians, and the compromise of federal administrative agencies. Drawing on a rich body of scholarly work, public interest group data on the Internet, and the morgues of national newspapers, I have amassed evidence of a wide range of cozy political arrangements that crosses party lines. Politicians delivering for their "second constituency" are having a serious impact on Congressional decisions and on agency missions.
The answer to such political excesses and voter apathy is to reinvent political parties by strengthening their citizen base and thereby reestablish the classic democratic balance between numbers and money. These parties would combine the use of media and mailing technologies with greater organization of voters at the local and state levels. In seeking to revive politics, local and state party leaders should draw on the decentralized, participatory model found in a number of global corporations. Ironically such corporations, dedicated to developing long-term relationships are treating their customers more like citizens while politicians, too often focused solely on the next election, treat the citizens more like customers. The book concludes with three recommendations on how to jump-start the formation of such citizen-based parties.