The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul
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Book Reviews of The Revolution: A Manifesto
Book Review: "It's called freedom."
Summary: 5 Stars
Right from the start, Dr. Paul lays out the answer to America's problems:
"There is an alternative to national bankruptcy, a bigger police state, trillion-dollar wars, and the government that draws ever more parasitically on the productive energies of the American people. It's called freedom."
He begins by shining light into the dark crevice of American politics, the False Choice we are offered between the democrats and republicans, both Statists and Imperialists. We are to believe that Hitler and Stalin were on opposing ends of the ideological paradigm, yet, facists and communists are statists through and through.
He has very little good to say about the current Republican war mongerers or the Democrats that supposedly oppose the war, yet support imperialism when managed by one of their own.
His second chapter details the ideology of non-interventionism espoused by the "Founding Fathers," and shows how the current wars are in direct conflict with that ideology. He gives insight into the "blowback" from the CIA's meddling in the Middle East for the last 50 years and discusses the economic costs of maintaining an Empire which consists of 700 military bases in over 130 countries around the world - over $1 Trillion per year.
Chapter three is on the Constitution, what Bush referred to as "just a goddam piece of paper," and what has been seemingly forgotten by lawmakers for the last 150 years. The chapter discusses "signing statements," "Executive Orders," and states' rights issues.
Chapter four, on Economic Freedom, offers brilliant insight, from a doctor's perspective, on the Health Care crisis (Hint - Paul argues that the problem is too much government intervention). Paul also discusses, with intellectual authority, the problems with NAFTA and other "managed" trade agreements. He even brings up Sugar Quotas and William Graham Sumner's "The Forgotten Man:"
"The type and formula of most schemes of philanthropy or humanitarianism is this: A and B put their heads together to decide what C shall be made to do for D."
Chapter Five is on Civil Liberties and Personal Freedom, from The Military Commissions Act to the Patriot Act.
Most importantly is Chapter 6, "Money: The Forbidden Issue in American Politics." In this Chapter, Paul speaks authoritatively on the causes and conditions of monetary inflation -- monetary inflation precedes price inflation! -- and the remedy, abolishment of the Federal Reserve Banking Cartel and legalization of gold and silver as money. I am simply unable to do the chapter its due justice, so you'll have to read it yourself.
The final chapter is on "the Revolution" and how we can continue to fight for liberty as Paul's campaign for President was but the beginning of an ideological battle for liberty.
It is interesting that the only person, in my judgement, qualified to be President, had to be talked into applying for the job!
Book Review: Irritable tone but great content
Summary: 5 Stars
When you've been in politics as long as Ron Paul has, and you've seen the nation move so far away from principles which he regards as fundamental, I suppose it's natural for the man to feel exasperated. Unfortunately, getting impatient with the status quo is not usually the best way to entice people away from conventional opinions. The irritable tone in this book may therefore count against it as a tool for outreach. In addition, the book is not exceptionally well written; it seems a bit rushed.
The content, however, is so important, I feel more than willing to overlook the stylistic issues. Here's one of the last honest men in the federal government, and probably the last strict constitutionalist, telling it as it is.
While George W. Bush allegedly dismissed the Constitution as "just a piece of paper," its purpose was to preserve individual rights in the face of the inevitable tendency of people in power to seek more power. Thus the Constitution is not merely an historic document; it is our primary safeguard against a centralized system which exercises increasing authority in areas which are inappropriate.
This seems a reasonable enough concept, yet we have moved so far from it, it now sounds radical. Ron Paul's book attempts to show that in fact it is not radical at all, and the "revolution" in his title should not seem revolutionary. The values he advocates should remain fundamental to all the workings of the U. S. government. If Paul can convince a new generation of readers that this principle is as valid today as it was before World War II, this book will have served its purpose.
In the 1970s I read various warnings about the possible consequences of lobbyists and special-interest groups exercising increasing influence in Washington, news sources being bought up by just a handful of media conglomerates, the growth of the military-industrial complex, TV news becoming ruled by competition for ratings, unrestricted immigration, the growth of entitlement programs, and a disintegrating public education system. Thirty years later, it turns out that many of these warnings were correct, and we are now living with the consequences. The major news media have narrowed their coverage to the point where they omit more than they include and cannot deal with any topic that extends beyond sound bites. The two major parties have converged to the point where only their rhetoric is different; their actions are almost indistinguishable. Entitlement programs threaten to bankrupt the whole system, while encouraging people to depend on their government instead as a caregiver. A higher standard of living has placated the public, while poor education has reduced the capacity for independent thought.
Personally I doubt that there's a way out. But if there is any possibility for reversing any of these trends, Ron Paul is probably the best-situated person to inspire such a reversion, and this book is probably the best hope for spreading the message right now.
Book Review: A Truthful Patriot Among a Den of Thieves
Summary: 5 Stars
Chapter 1: The False Choices of American Politics. Dr. Ron Paul writes that his message is one of freedom and individual rights to life and liberty, and that physical aggression should only be used defensively (p. 5).
Chapter 2: The Foreign Policy of the Founding Fathers. Quotes Thomas Jefferson's call for "peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none" (p. 9) ... unfortunately for the last century we have done the opposite. Asks whether America's foreign policy places us at greater risk. Explains that the original GOP "opposed Big Government at home" and foreign intervention abroad. Today, our foreign policy risks bringing the nation to bankruptcy.
Chapter 3: The Constitution. Early American politicians and citizens valued the Constitution; today they ignore it. Paul explains the Tenth Amendment and Jefferson's intent, as well as the "general welfare" clause (p. 46), undeclared wars, and the draft, abortion, unelected judges, racial laws and the war on drugs.
Chapter 4: Economic Freedom. Discusses Frederic Bastiat's description of legal plunder whereby the government enriches one group at the expense of another: (1) the few plunder the many; (2) everybody plunders everybody, and (3) nobody plunders anybody. Paul then explains the numerous examples of legal plunder occurring in the United States and that "the state cannot get a cent for any man without taking it from some other man" (p. 74) as well as post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacies related to government meddling.
Chapter 5: Civil Liberties and Personal Freedom. Discusses the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), the USA Patriot Act, and the Military Commissions Act of 2006; he concludes that the war on terror has dangerous and undesirable consequences (p. 125).
Chapter 6: Money: The Forbidden Issue in American Politics. Discusses the housing bubble, collapsing dollar, and specter of inflation, devaluation of the dollar, and the Fed, finding that "when the value of Americans' savings is deliberately eroded through inflation, that is a tax, albeit a hidden one" (p.143 ).
Chapter 7: The Revolution. Some people might be happy to be slaves as long as they are entertained and fell fed... the rest of us yearn for freedom.
The fact that Ron Paul, a U.S. Congressman and two-time Presidential Candidate, can tell it like it is, makes me ask why the other 434 representatives do not have the same courage, candor and honesty? This is a must-read: 5-Star.
Dr. Paul, you have my greatest admiration. Dr. B L Baker, author of:
Tea Party Revival: The Conscience of a Conservative Reborn: The Tea Party Revolt Against Unconstrained Spending and Growth of the Federal Government
Book Review: A Manifesto of Freedom, by a Modern-Day Tacitus
Summary: 5 Stars
The ancient Roman historian Tacitus (ca. AD 55-120) is noted for his skepticism in the face of the increasing centralization of power he witnessed during his life. In this book, Ron Paul explains in greater detail than is possible in a stump speech how the greatest threat to our Constitution and our Republic does not come from terrorists hiding out in caves in Pakistan, Mullahs in Iran, or oil-rich despots in Latin America, but from our own government.
When Dr. Paul went to Google to do a Q&A session last summer, a young Google employee prefaced his question by commenting that he was impressed with the way the Congressman always substantiated his points by referring to historical examples. All of us who have taken notice of this quality, all too rare among politicians, will be well satisfied with the good Dr.'s latest offering.
Throughout the seven chapters of this primer on American liberty, Dr. Paul reminds us why we can't help but admire a man who is a living illustration of the supreme importance of studying the past. I was particularly struck by the way he argues for the legalization of drugs, a position to which I was a reluctant convert. He cites St. Thomas Aquinas to make the point that not all vices should be regulated. He goes on to relate the bizarre story of James Munch, the veterinarian whose testimony before Congress in the 30s convinced that body to impose exorbitant taxes on marijuana, and who was subsequently named the chief government "expert" on narcotics.
If the story of Dr. Munch is a foray into the just-plain-strange, then at other points, Paul relates anecdotes that can only be described as sobering in the extreme. Prominent among these is the one in chapter 6 (about monetary policy), where he tells the story of how Alan Greenspan privately stood by the contents of 1966 article he had written in support of a gold standard, but then publicly distanced himself from the views expressed in the very same article.
The whole book is superb, from the chapters on foreign policy and the Constitution, to the one dealing with economic freedom, which for me was by itself worth the price of the entire volume. But it is only the beginning. A reading list at the end points to other resources in "the scholarship of liberty." My only complaint about the book is that the claims made in it aren't backed up with sources. Dr. Paul's many detractors will no doubt find part of it to quibble with, and the lack of documentation will make it harder for lovers of freedom to parry their attacks.
That small criticism notwithstanding, I heartily recommend this appropriately sized manifesto. If you've been impressed with the transparent integrity that Ron Paul constantly displays, and want to find out more about the core convictions that drive him, I know of no better place to do it. I can't help but think that Tacitus would agree.
Book Review: His Ideas could Stop The Bleeding,But Too Many Enjoy The Sight Of Blood
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading this book I wondered aloud, "How did we not elect this man president"? In this little book he presents sound ideas that would go a long way in curing America's ills.He is not at all radical but more along the type and manner of Thomas Paine in offering sound advise and suggestions. A medical doctor turned politician he is the dissenting voice in congress that most choose to ignore not because he is loony but just because maybe,just maybe, he is too correct in his arguments.Paul outlines the lead causes up to our current situation and explains it in simple common man terminology. The Fed, the border, the military,the economic disasters that can be fixed are all explored.His approach makes sense and when you think about it,really think about it, you have a hard time finding anything wrong with it and may be the only way we can come back from this economic disaster our current affirmitive action, social experiment in the White House won't fix,now or four years from now.In fact, the actions our current government are taking can and will only make it worse,you'll see and you'll feel it socially, economically and will regret joining the bandwagon as the American public was bamboozled as we all hiphopped into the White House with Oprah's choice for president.This book is Ron Paul's manifesto and I predict it will be just that, an outline for true change, beneficial change, at some point in the future.This should be read by everybody who cares about our American future.It is ahead of its time as were the founding fathers who warned us then about the mistakes weve made and continue to make today.Our current president should read it closely.He might learn something about printing and spending money he can't back up with gold.This book is going to be very important and useful when it all comes crashing down on us and the current ideas and "fixes" become defunct and realize too late that they've made a grave error.Read it whatever your race, color or creed may be.After all, were all in this together My bent is not racist as some may surmise but more of who is of sound mind and will do the right thing by the American public,you and me.Our country,our childrens welfare,the worlds survival may depend on how we handle the next twenty five years or less.Ron Paul is no jerk, he just has a plan, maybe not the best but a good one for the times we now live in.Don't dismiss him or his manifesto too quickly, let it sink in and cook a bit.The book helps you decide and will give you advice on how to go further in your research to make a sound informed decision and what the issues should be.It is time for a revolution.How much crap are we going to put up with before we take back what is rightfully our's, yours and mine.