This author's point of view is of the libertarian perspective. He is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute which is known as a libertarian think tank. No doubt those that sympathize with libertarian views will love this book. But you don't have to be libertarian to get something out of this book. The author expresses his views and makes some very good points.
I originally thought this book would focus on the outrageous Medicare prescription drug benefit and the unconstitutional increase in education spending, but, while those issues are addressed, this author discusses so much more from Federal government setting the curriculum for local schools to consolidating power in the Executive Branch to setting laws and policy that affect the morals of the nation.
Some of it is predictable, but the author makes some good points on many issues. One issue that you hear about a lot is the price of gasoline. When George W. Bush was President he was criticized by his political opponents when the price of gasoline increased. Obama is getting the same treatment. But this book questions whether the President should be involved in manipulating gas prices. The author uses gasoline prices to illustrate how people expect the government to address various issues that truth be told the Federal government should not be involved in.
Another thought provoking comment he makes is with respect to marriage and poverty. It is well documented that children born outside of marriage are more likely to be in poverty. As a result some see marriage as a way out of poverty, but this author questions the cause/effect. Maybe out of wedlock births don't cause poverty. Perhaps other factors affect both family structure AND poverty. He's got a point.
After two hundred pages of criticizing others, the author paints his own vision of what government should be. His first recommendation is redrawing the lines between states' jurisdiction and the Federal government's jurisdiction (this might not sound like a big deal, but the author makes compelling points). Second, cut spending (and the author is very specific about the cuts that he proposes). Third, reform entitlements (he adds some thoughtful suggestions beginning with getting rid of the disgraceful Medicare prescription drug benefit). Fourth, link future tax cuts to cuts in spending. And fifth, term limits.
Minor Issue: There are a lot of positions in this book that are outside of the mainstream, and I like that even though I don't necessarily agree with every position he takes. But one thing that is annoying is his claim that the W. Bush tax cuts significantly increased revenues thereby cutting the deficit. Tax revenues tanked after the W. Bush tax cuts and remained low for years. It wasn't until 2005 that they surpassed the revenue collected in 2000. But this is just something the author mentions in passing. It's not a major theme of the book.
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