The Politics of Freedom: Taking on the Left, the Right and Threats to Our Liberties: Liberties

by David Boaz

Book Overview

Is it any wonder that Americans have become so dissatisfied with government today? Politicians have given us soaring federal spending, rampant violations of our constitutional rights, a futile war in Iraq, corruption, incompetence, and a growing nanny state. Now one of the leading libertarian critics of big government raises the flag of freedom. David Boaz takes on both liberals and conservatives who seek to impose their own partisan agendas on the whole country. He discusses the roots of American freedom, the growing libertarian vote in America, the arrogance of politicians, and everything from taxes and education to terrorism and the war on drugs. For the millions of Americans who don't fit the red-blue divide, who are fiscally conservative and socially liberal, who reject big-government conservatism and nanny-state liberalism, this book points the way to a new politics of freedom.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1933995149
• ISBN13: 9781933995144
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Cato Institute
• Length: 250 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Politics of Freedom: A book that champions liberty.

An excellent source for understanding the threats to our liberties from government. Boaz rests his arguments on principles and proven outcomes and not on blind loyalty to Political Parties or wonderful sounding programs. His articles make clear how incredibly far astray from the constitution we have gone with ever expanding government spending, regulation and power. I very much appreciate the clarity which Boaz brings to many over worn issues and how often his redefinition of the problems at hand point to the more fundamental issues. Thanks David Boaz. Steve Thaler

Should be assigned as supplemental reading for any classes debating civil liberties.

THE POLITICS OF FREEDOM: TAKING ON THE LEFT, THE RIGHT, AND THREATS TO OUR LIBERTIES provides college-level collections strong in political science with a powerful discussion of partisan agendas and failures and successes in social management. From important connections to basic political and social freedoms to underlying politics which support such freedoms, this should be an item of choice for not only political science and sociology collections, but should be assigned as supplemental reading for any classes debating civil liberties. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

A powerful persuasion of the value of freedom from government follies

David Boaz's collection of his writings provides a comprehensive description of the individual and social costs of government encroachment on our freedoms. It should be read not just by those appreciating the value of freedom, but even more so by those who do not fully realize how ill-founded government policies detract from, rather than enhance, standards of living everywhere. Were the insights provided by Boaz more widely understood, the world would be a more prosperous and peaceful place.

Required Reading for the Upcoming Election

To ensure that this review gets read, I am going to keep it brief with a few observations. Anyone that wishes to be considered an informed voter must be accurately informed about what the Democrat and Republican policies have done to our country post 1980. David Boaz's latest book provides us with this very much needed information. Specifically, he provides with much of his best work that he has written over the years that accurately describe many of the failed polices that have been enacted by our government since 1980. His use of evidence of how both political parties have enlarged the size and scope of the federal government, spent us into a $9 trillion deficit with ever increasing entitlement programs, continued a failed war on drugs, increased the nanny state, and weakened our military by putting it in parts of the world it has no business being in are just a few of the adverse effects that Republican and Democrat polices have had on our country--David Boaz lists many others that are just as important. If you agree with many of the points of this book than you are not alone--many of us, when asked are policy preferences, are "mostly Libertarian" but don't even know it. If you disagree, explain where David Boaz's analysis has gone wrong; but good luck justifying his errors because it won't be easy.

Well Worth Reading . . .

There are only three things I want the federal government to do. Defend our shores. Protect our rights. And stay the heck out of our lives. If you agree (more or less), you'll find much to like in this collection. You will not find a more passionate and articulate defender of liberty than David Boaz.