Mark Levin’s book, Liberty and Tyranny made quite a splash when it was originally published in 2009. Even though the book is a bit dated now, I think it’s relevance is even greater now that President Obama’s failed policies have taken root. The rotten fruit of liberalism litters the American landscape – conservatives are faced with the challenge of cleaning up the mess.
Levin lays his cards on the table at the beginning: “Conservatism is a way of understanding life, society, and governance.” Indeed, conservatism is a worldview; a way of seeing the world and playing a part within it.
All of the arguments in Liberty and Tyranny find their genesis in the minds of the founding fathers: “The founders understood that the greatest threat to liberty is an all-powerful central government, where the few dictate to the many.” Or as President Reagan once said, “The most frightening thing to hear when answering the door is, ‘Where from the government and we’re here to help.'”
Liberty and Tyranny is really an exposé on the Statist ideology. Of course, the Statist is consumed with power as we have seen displayed in the Obama administration. Levin makes it clear that the “Conservative does not despise government. He despises tyranny … The Conservative is alarmed by the ascent of a soft tyranny and its cheery acceptance by the neo-Statist. He knows that liberty once lost is rarely recovered. He knows of the decline and eventual failure of past republics. And he knows that the best prescription for addressing society’s real and perceived ailments is not to further empower an already enormous federal government beyond its constitutional limits, but to return to the founding principles.”
So with the backing and historical muscle of the Founding Fathers, the author presents a cogent case for Conservatism by confronting Statism with bold arguments and common sense American values. He tackles matters of the free market, welfare state, environmentalism, and immigration among others.
I highly recommend Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin. It will serve as an encouragement to most Americans but will be a source of irritation for social progressives.
Veritas et Lux 