The fifth risk
(Book)

What are the consequences if those in control of government have no idea how it works? "The election happened," remembers then deputy secretary of the Department of Energy, "and then there was radio silence." Across all departments, similar stories were playing out: Trump appointees were few and far between; those that did show up were shockingly uninformed about their new workplaces. Lewis takes us into the engine rooms of a government under attack by its own leaders. Vital programs like food stamps and school lunches are being slashed. The Commerce Dept. may not have enough staff to conduct the 2020 Census properly. Over at Energy, it's not clear there will be enough inspectors to track and locate black-market uranium before terrorists do. If you want to preserve your personal immunity to the hard problems, it's better never to really understand those problems. ... But if there are dangerous fools in this book, there are also heroes -- the public servants of knowledge, dedication, and proactivity. Lewis finds asks them what keeps them up at night. --,Adapted from dust jacket.