Customer Reviews

Preserving Democracy

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Right at the git-go, I should state that I loathe politics. It offends me. Enormously. You know how in the Peanuts schoolroom scenes, all we hear from the teacher is "Wah wah wah wah wah-wah-wah"? Well, so it is with the politicians: all I hear is yapping.

So when a friend urged me to read Hushbeck's PRESERVING DEMOCRACY, all I could think was "Oh no! Not a book about politics! Ugh!". With those oft-famous words "Trust me, it's not what you think" ringing in my ears, I grudgingly sat down and started reading.

By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. This is NOT a book about politics. It's a book about democracy, presented with astonishing clarity. It's not boring. It's not sleazy. It's intelligent, respectful and a real eye-opener! Every thinking person on this globe would benefit from reading this book.

I'm college educated, I'm curious, and I read a lot. On a scale of genius vs. short bus I, like most people, fall somewhere in the middle. But Hushbeck's book blew me away with how much I didn't know, or suspected but didn't know why. This book gave me reasons and motivation to actually PAY ATTENTION to the idiot yapping. Wow! What a leap!

Hushbeck constructs his cases carefully, maybe a little too carefully for those of us with minds that leap ahead. But the foundations he builds are logical, his meticulous documentations legitimize his observations, and -- quite important to me -- it is apparent that he tries very hard to fairly present as many sides to an issue as possible. Opinions are never rammed down your throat; rather, Hushbeck utilizes a true gift at encouraging you to draw your own conclusions.

This is a thought-provoking book, and it takes time to look at things in a new light. The value here is not in reading it quickly from cover to cover, but rather in pausing now and then to ruminate and assess. A slower, thoughtful journey will be infinitely more rewarding for the reader.

It is a rare book that alters the way we see our world. This one does.

I have been reading an interesting new title, Preserving Democracy by Elgin Hushbeck. Elgin takes on a big task, walking the reader through the Constitutional framework of our republic and where we have gone so far astray.

(By way of disclosure, I received Preserving Democracy as a review copy free of charge from Energion Publications and am under no obligation except to provide a review of the book.)

All in all this was a pretty good book. I think Elgin understands the fundamental problems we face and that if we were governed in the way the founding fathers intended, we wouldn't have a lot of the problems that we find ourselves in. His key idea of a man wandering in the desert is interesting, the idea that once you feel like you have gone to far down a path, it is often too late. That captures quite nicely where America is and he substantiates that idea throughout the book, covering topics from a constitutional framework. Elgin clearly has an excellent grasp of economic thought and that is something sorely lacking from many of the talking heads who drive political discourse on the Left and Right in this country. Not understanding how economics works has left this country poorer, both metaphorically and literally. Chapter 2, Taxes and the Welfare State, was one of the best treatments of how taxes work and the impact raising or lowering them has on an economy.

Some downside. Elgin cover a TON of material. In some places it seems like he is trying to cover too much, too quickly. My copy was a pre-review copy, so there were lots of grammatical issues that I assume will be cleaned up but some of the writing was clunky or choppy in some places. IN places the book leaps from concept to concept at a helter-skelter pace which can make you feel like you missed something, but I suppose that is to be expected in a survey of this kind.

Preserving Democracy is an excellent survey of the American political system and what has gone wrong. It is not a book that gives you a thorough in-depth view of any particular study and I wouldn't say I came across anything new, but it still was an engaging read and is a book I would recommend for people who are less familiar with the bigger political issues of the day. For someone already very engaged in the various subjects covered, this book might be a bit rudimentary but given the election of Barack Obama and the general state of the country, I don't think there are very many people who are terribly engaged in the process. This is a solid survey book for people getting interested in politics, I can see this being of great value to recent high school graduates or students in college. Often I run across adults with strongly held opinions who don't know why they hold those opinions. This book will give people the foundation they need to be able to form their own opinions and we certainly could use more educated, informed and thoughtful voters in this country!

A superb chronology of how we strayed from the founding fathers "Liberty, In God We Trust, and E Pluribus Unum" to the politically correct mantras of 'equality, secularism, and multiculturalism.' We have knowingly, or perhaps unknowingly, allowed an era of 'big government' to be thrust upon us. Mr. Hushbeck clearly defines the founding fathers origin and intent of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and their writings and rationale as expressed in the Federalist Papers. They knew the dangers of a big government, and the importance of an active and involved electorate. The founding fathers never envisioned an American society losing track of its traditional values. Or, of the ilk of career politicians unabashedly pandering to uninformed masses saying and promising whatever it takes to accomplish at any cost to our country or future generations their singular goal: reelection. Mr. Hushbeck details how our past and recent ambivalence to the acts of politicians and jurists have, and are threatening the foundations of our great republic. Only an informed and active electorate can preserve capitalism and our constitutional government and stop our government's slide to socialism. This is an enlightening book. It will surely charge and kindle the same fire experienced by the founding fathers and brave patriots as they took up arms and defeated tyranny. This is a new calling. Arm yourself with the knowledge and wisdom of this book.

I have so thoroughly enjoyed this book and have learned so much. Mr. Hushbeck's illustrations and examples make this book explanation of the issues facing this country, so easy to understand. It is not a simplistic book delving very deeply into the issues and using the Constitutions, Federalist papers and History of other republics to support his positions and analysis. Is this country on the right path or on the fast track to socialism? Are we approaching the point of no return? Read this book, then you decide? It is really scary to see decisions being made now, in light of reading this book. I agree with Thread above it is a Must Read.

Mr. Hushbeck is a true patriot and great author. I give this book 5 stars. Jean Clabough