It's an awesome day in America!

[Fieldmouse]

I just got my email today letting me know it has now shipped. Anyone who truly believes he is a conservative needs to read this book. You liberals, always looking for utopia, you need to read this book. Our freedom is at stake and you better wake up before its too late. Now where is my stash of 100watt light bulbs?

http://www.amazon.com/Ameritopia-Unm...6860251&sr=8-1

[RobertSubnet]

Mark Levin is too much of a firebrand for me. Not saying he is not correct but I do not care for his style. Now Rush I can listen to all day long my blood pressure does not get too jacked up listening to him!

Enjoy the book.

[Alsatian]

Let us know in a later separate post what you think of this book. I found a brief on this book somewhat interesting. I know nothing of Mark Levine as a talk radio host. I am, however, familiar with the philosophical tradition he has invoked and/or analyzed in this book (Plato, Hobbes, Marx/Engles vs Montesqieu, Locke). Also, I have lately learned of a strain of utopianism that runs through both socialism and anarchism (I don't understand yet, but anarchism is aligned in some way with socialism -- maybe not big-time socialism sponsored by centralized states but small time "it takes a village" kind of socialism) and that may explain some of the political thinking visible in the Occupy movement as well as in liberal/progressive thought. There seems to be some possible overlap between the theme of Levine and this other analysis.

see Matthew Continetti's article linked below for more on this link between utopianism and anarchism/socialism.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/articl...sa_609222.html

[Fieldmouse]

I will let you know what I think of his book. Rob, I understand he isn't for everyone to listen to. I really like his thorough knowledge of the constitution. He really makes me think and it was because of Mark, I've read the federalist papers.

Anyway, his past books have been awesome. Men in Black, Liberty and Tyranny are very well written and I reccomend them to all who would like to know more about the constitution and how far away from it we are getting.

[Fieldmouse]

It's even a better day because I now have the book.

Also, Jawbreaker has been a pretty good fill in while waiting for this book. Thanks tight360. I'll have it finished before I leave on my next trip.

[Fieldmouse]

The full title is Ameritopia The Unmaking Of America

Look at these chapters and understand just how well Mark approaches the distructive nature of the left. Their utopia never works out. It always ends in
less freedom and tyranny for all.

Chapters:

Part 1: on Utopianism

The Tyranny of Utopia

Plato's Republic and the Perfect Society

Thomas More's Utopia and Radical Egalitarian

Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan and the All-Powerful State

Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto and the Class Struggle

Part 2

John Locke and the Nature of Man

The Influence of Locke on the Founders

Charles de Montesquieu and Republican Government

The Influence of Montesquieu on the Framers

Alexis de Toequeville and Democracy in America

Part 3

Post-Constitutional America

Ameritopia

[Fieldmouse]

From the book.

For the rest, transforming society becomes a struggle between the utopia and self- determination and self-preservation, since the individual must acquiesce to centralized decision- making. Apart from brute force, the mastermind has In his arsenal a weapon that provides him with a predominate advantage - the law. Bastiat explained that "when the law has exceeded its proper functions, it has not done so merely in some inconsequential and debatable matters. The law has gone farther than this; it has acted in direct opposition to its own proper purpose. The law has been used to destroy its own objective. It has been applied to annihilating the justice that it was supposed to maintain; to limiting and destroying rights which it's real appeal was to respect. The law has placed the collective force at the disposal of the unscrupulous who wish, without risk, to exploit the person, liberty and property of others. It has converted plunder into a right, in order to protect plunder. And it has converted lawful defense into a crime, in order to punish lawful defense." When the law is used in this way, the few plunder the many ( e.g., public-sector unions), the many plunder the few (e.g., the progressive income tax), and everyone plunders everyone (e.g., universal healthcare), making utopia unsustainable and ultimately inhumane