Brian Lasher here presents a masterful work which seeks to prove the thesis laid out in the title: How to Mend the Republic With a Convention of States. He does so by going through inefficiencies and shortcomings of federal government, brought about by a lack of delegation to state and local government. In broaching such topics as term limits, direct or state election of senators, religious liberty and a number of other issues, Lasher demonstrates his familiarity with historical, political, and legal issues from the foundations of the USA to the present day.
Lasher argues for a return to classical federalism, most often by presenting the ideals of renowned Enlightenment thinkers, such as Locke, Montesquieu, and Smith, and of course, the American Founding Fathers. As such, Lasher's work may be considered revolutionary in the original sense, not as tearing down the current system, but as a means of pivoting back to an older system.
One of the most striking aspects of Lasher's work is its accessibility. Lasher does not seek to appeal simply to an academic audience, one that is well-versed in Constitutional law and US History. The work is written to be understandable and applicable to everyone from high school students to people with a great deal of experience on the topic.
I found Lasher's work to have very few shortcomings, apart from a small number of stylistic/grammatical inaccuracies. Additionally, Lasher did not address those who might like to go farther than federalism by introducing a anarchical or anarcho-capitalistic state, thus eliminating a constitution entirely. Apart from these slight issues, however, Lasher's work has very few holes in argumentation or structure.
The book lived up to everything I had come to expect after three years of instruction under Brian Lasher. It stands overall as a clear, informative, enjoyable work that will hopefully come to be required reading in school across the nation.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
