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This book should be mandatory reading school kids since it's not being taught anymore.
If you were not taught America's founding, this book serves as a centralized basis for learning the Constitution and it's concepts. Freedom is what makes America great. Learn how and why we achieved it and why we strive to keep it against those who'd strip it from us.
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This is simply one of the greatest books ever written. Mark Levin is truly one of the leaders of the Conservative movement and one of the big hopes to stop the trend to national socialism. Every thinking American should read this book ...... and soon!!
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Upon reading the title of my review,I would imagine most Americans would expect the slant of it would be Leftist and Anti-American,with a holier than thou smugness thrown in for good measure.Surprise!Surprise!,despite what Americans hear from Canadian media,there are actually some people of Conservative thinking in Canada,but they are seldom heard from on our Government Radio & Television--the CBC.The National newspapers like The Ottawa Citizen,and the Toronto Star express the Conservative viewpoint about as often as does Pravda or the New York Times.MSNBC,CNN and other Mainstream TV Networks are generally accepted as unbiased here and FOX is probably subscribed to by only 10 or 15 percent.One reason for that being that the standard cable packages don't offer it , and it must be subscribed to as an extra.There is an attempt to improve the situation underway by including Al Jezerra as an addition to the standard packages.Don't think I'm kidding--I'm not.The Government is presently considering adding $10/month to TV cabel rates to support "Local Broadcasting".Do you want to bet that will improve things?
There are an awful lot of reviews already written on this excellent book and well worth reading.Whether your mind is bent to the left,center or right;I think it does an excellent job of showing the differences on many issues that are front and center today.What Levin is attempting to do is to define those differences so that you can decide what is best for you personally and the country in general.I tend to agree with the author on most of what he says;except I might differ with him a bit on the use of the term "Statist" Where I disagree is in the need for a new term.The word Socialist" is already well defined and established ;and that is exactly what a "Statist" is;so why not call a spade a spade.I think he has fallen for the line these sorts use all the time.We don't need expressions like Intellectually Challenged" when we already have a perfect word available--"Stupid".
With the raging debate now underway in the United States over Socialized Medicine,Americans need look no further than Europe ,Canada ,Russia ,Great Britain and Cuba.Under no stretch of the imagination would the US be better off nor would the people get better health care or advances in treatment if it were to adopt Government health care.The evidence is everywhere and by far the most important thing is that once adopted,people lose control of the decisions and choices with their health,and it cannot be reversed.If you think health care is expensive now,wait till the bureaucrats get control of it.There are a lot of things that need fixing,but if you think politicians,bureaucrats and government take over is the answer;you are going to be sadly mistaken.
Things are tough today,and that is the nature of free enterprise ,when it shakes out its problems.It was seen during the Great Depression when Communists abounded with [...] , another name for Socialism,wasn't the system that provided the solution;and Socialism isn't the answer now.After all, they are the same thing.
Mark does not only address the questions of Socialized Medicine;he also explains the Conservative versus Liberal concepts of Taxation,Enviroment,Judges,The Administrative State,Government Education,Immigration,Entitlements,Foreign Folicy and Security,Faith and The Constitution, in what he calls A Conservative Manifesto.Here is where I differ with him again.We don't need to apply the word "Manifesto",a word much more descriptive of Socialist ,Communist or Facist dogma; than the Ideals that America has been built upon and succeded by following.
In most countries,including Canada,Judges are appointed for life by the party in power,not elected by the people as in America.Is that what Americans want?
If you want a glimpse of what embracing Socialism really means,look to your neighbors to the north;we have travelled much further down this road.There is an excellent book,"Blue Thunder--A History of Canada From A Conservative Perspective" ;check out my review dated September 10,2009.In America ,Democrats like to shy away from the term "Liberal" for obvious reasons.In Canada, the Left are quite comfortable with the term,when "Socialist" is closer to their ideals;and in fact a large number of our politicians are comfortable with and even openly call themselves Socialists.Recently, Canada named a politician by the name of Tommy Douglas ,as the greatest Canadian of all time.He was actually a Socialist in a party called New Democrats,given the credit for bringing Socialized Medicine to Canada;when in fact,it was done by the Liberal Party.You might not know it ;but tens of thousands of Canadians can't even get a family doctor under this system.At the present time ,the Media refer to our Government as Progressive Conservative when it is ,in fact, a Minority Government with 2/3 of the members of parliament Liberal and/or Socialist.
In my review on "Blue Thunder" ,I warn that one should be careful in what they wish for---they might get it!
Several reviewers quibble over Levin's term "Statists" as do I.
Let's call them what they are "Socialists" and a good definition for them is "people who have nothing,and don't want anyone else to have anything either---so let's redistribute the wealth".
As a parting thought remember this;
The three greatest employers in the world are;
The Chinese Army
The Indian Railway
and
The British National Health System
America is the best in many ways,but she succeded without Socialism.
I was taken by a recent poll that indicated that the the image abroad of America as a good country,has increased from 30% to 70% now that President Obama and the Democrats(Socialists) have replaced President Bush and the Republicans(Conservatives).This has to be the greatest change in world opinion of America in history,or is it the Liberal media at work again ,and wishful thinking along the lines of that old adage that "Misery Loves Company"?
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When you watch the mainstream news, a very bright face is put upon our national government...Obama and his team are doing a good job, much better than that hick Bush and his clan...things are looking up, the world at large likes us more because of Obama's charm. He has reached out to the terrorists, and now even they like us. All we have to fear is global warming, and Obama will take care of that in short order.
In spite of all this, you got this feeling....this feeling that something's not quite right...but what do you know?...you're just an average citizen...and besides, the woman on tv with the perky smile says our government is doing just fine...
Then you read Mr. Levin's book. He confirms that nagging feeling you've had, that feeling that all is not right. Our freedoms are evaporating, our money is becoming worthless, and many of our cherished ideals are being replaced by something that truly resembles tyranny--perhaps a "soft" kind of tryanny...but isn't that how most tryannies begin?
Thank you Mr. Levin. Your plain talk is something that our country sorely needs right now. Keep talking. Keep explaining.
Also recommended for the Holidays: Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices: A Holiday Novel of Hope and Healing
And for anyone who has ever loved an animal:Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish
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I wrote my first review of this book before I had finished it and was criticised (rightly) for doing so. I have now fininshed and have not changed my rating. This is not a good book. I won't repeat all the reasons as I have already provided them - my only new observation is with regard to the term "statist." The author uses this term over and over and over and over and over (yes - it is ridiculous to be sure). The amzing thing is that he never actually defines his terms.
I consider myself fairly well educated (2 undergraduate degress: business and political science) and one post-grad degree (J.D.) and 55 years of life experience and I had never even heard the term used (let alone used ad-naseum like this) before.
Here is a definition (that I suspect Mark would find ok and this is is good as any as he does not define):
A political viewpoint "that sovereignty is vested not in the people but in the national state, and that all individuals and associations exist only to enhance the power, the prestige, and the well-being of the state. The fascist concept of statism, which as seen as synonymous with the concept of nation, and corporatism repudiates individualism and exalts the nation as an organic body headed by the Supreme Leader and nurtured by unity, force, and discipline." [From Political Science Dictionary]
Reading this and thinking about the ranting Mark does in the book it dawned on me that he has created a straw man and then spends hundreds of pages railing against that straw man. I would condider myself to be the kind of person the author is critical of (although I would not classsify myself as a "mindless drone") - at least close enough that I should be in the group of folks that is the "set" of persons within "statist."
The only problem is I am not in that set and neither is anyone else I know (with views opposite that of the author). To understand the authors arguments you have to adopt the definiiton (this one or one like it will be fine). You start with a belief that "soverignty is vested [inb the]state" and that the individual role is subservient to the state. Sorry folks - but I would join this author in ranting against anyone who believed such nonsense (if I could only find one).
How many of the mindless drones giving this book 5 stars actually understand the term, what it means, and how the use of it actually makes a different point than most of these nimwits think is being made.
So sad.
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