In it he explains why he retired when he did, writing that he was "appalled at the headlong rush of Republicans to embrace policies that are deeply damaging to this country’s future; and contemptuous of the feckless, craven incompetence of Democrats in their half-hearted attempts to stop them."
He particularly described Republicans as caring exclusively about their rich donors; being psychologically predisposed toward war; and pandering to the anti-intellectual, science-hostile, religious fundamentalist fringe.
Lofgren wrote that the Tea Party is "filled with lunatics" and that lawmakers used the "routine" vote to raise the debt limit, which Congress has done 87 times since the end of World War II, to create "an entirely artificial fiscal crisis.
"[4][5][6][7][8] Mike Lofgren first used the term Deep State in an essay, referring to a "web of entrenched interests in the US government and beyond (most notably Wall Street and Silicon Valley, which controls access to our every click and swipe) that dictate America’s defense decisions, trade policies and priorities with little regard for the actual interests or desires of the American people.
"[9] Lofgren called the reaction to his essay "bewildering," saying he wrote it not to settle scores but because he felt he had a uniquely privileged view of the machinery of government that Americans deserved to know about.
"[13] Since the publication of his book, Lofgren has appeared in various news media, discussing a number of issues regarding the Republican Party and current American politics.