More Pages: Liberty Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53


A gift for all to share
An Instinct for FreedomOften summarizing in a few short sentences what takes other authors seemingly entire books to express, Mr. Clements encourages the reader to "examine the role of perception as the architect of reality." Lead by his example of courage, ruthless self-inquiry, and unabashed candor, we are left with no other meaningful choice but to do so.
I was so deeply challenged and inspired by this book that any words of praise I seek to offer feel almost trite and wanting. Within its pages there contains every element that one would hope for in a great work of fiction. But fiction this is not. This is the recounting of an extraordinary life. Forged with insight, Clements challenges our invested beliefs, shatters the lies that cage our freedom, and then loving reconstructs the truth of our sameness within a unified heart. This heart, pieced back together in seemingly perfect union, may continue to beat as it once did, but will never again be the same.
Inspiring...insightful and brilliantly written!

Remember September 11 and Moving ForwardThe intertwining of fantasy, fiction, and faith in this book combined with elements of growing up in today's times is very good. I especially liked how September 11 became a natural part of this book. Published a month after September 11, the fictional retelling of the event made it so real, I was brought back to that day. I congratulate this new author for being the first children's fiction book author to realize how significant and historical it is to incorporate September 11 into a book for children. The inspirational message in this book helped me see how important it is to take positive action and move forward.
I know this book has slowly made its way to classrooms across the U.S. and some readers who have read the book have actually started making their own September 11 memorabilias. I share the sentiment with one of the reviewers here that this book will become a classroom and childhood classic.
Heart-warming and Faith-instilling
Forever Fan!!!! - Giftedgirls.net Contributor!

The most common sense logic written on government.Best three dollars ever spent. Ron Steele Moab, Utah
Beg your Congressman to read this book
A 19th Century Writer Gives Birth To 21st Century IdeologyWritten in 1850, just two years after the French Revolution of 1848, the Law is part treatise and part polemic, an appeal to the French people reminding them of the proper sphere of the law and government and begging them to turn away from their descent into socialism. The Law is also a summary of much of what Bastiat considered to be important from his own work; at the time The Law was written he was very sick, and he would be dead within a year of its publication. As a French patriot, Bastiat was deeply moved by the disintegration he saw in French society.
As the last vestiges of the class-society were replaced and the new "democratic" order was being instituted, the State was more and more being used as a means by which groups of citizens (special interests) could plunder one another through taxes, transfer payments, tariffs, etc, committing what Bastiat calls "legal plunder." As he saw it, the law was being perverted into a so-called "creative" entity, through which controlling groups would seek to enforce their particular agendas at the expense and through the pocketbooks of the people in general.
Bastiat argues that the law should be properly viewed as the formal embodiment of Force. That is, human laws should be the organized and formal construction of justice. Just law, he says, is nothing more than the organization of the human right to self-defense. This is a surprisingly narrow definition, perhaps almost too narrow to be truly useful. But I can imagine that Bastiat wouldn't have seen much moral value in the philosophy of pragmatism; he certainly would have made a bad present-day politician, a "flaw" which I find highly admirable.
Bastiat is revered by many modern libertarians as one of the founding fathers of their ideology, and rightly so. But it seems to me that his work is more accurately anarcho-capitalist than libertarian. To say that Bastiat is arguing for "limited" government is a gross understatement. In fact, Bastiat seems instead to be arguing for the abolition of most all of what today we would call The Government. Many libertarians, for example, probably wouldn't argue the abolition of all forms of taxation on moral grounds. Personally I appreciate his definition of plunder as "...tariffs, protection, benefits, subsidies, encouragements, progressive taxation, public schools, guaranteed jobs, guaranteed profits, minimum wages, a right to relief, a right to the tools of labor, free credit, and so on, and so on..."
Obviously although Bastiat may not share the views of modern libertarians in every respect, they have much to respect in him. And of course, the average economic and social liberal won't care for him at all, as he makes a special point of going after the vast majority of liberal sacred cows. But more surprisingly, the Religious Right should be wary of taking Bastiat on as too great of an ally. Although Bastiat and his book have been instrumental in forming many right-wing/libertarian ideas about free markets and the proper role of government, Bastiat argues forcefully against the use of the law as a tool for the shaping of moral values. Jerry Falwell and Bastiat are notably out of step with one another. I can imagine that Bastiat would not have much use for the Congressional institution of days of prayer, or for teacher-led prayer in the public schools he so despised, for anti-drug and pro-abstinence programs, or for the ministerial functions that many politicians have sought to usurp.
Conservatives have an unfortunate habit of revering political figures. But as Bastiat says, "There are too many 'great' men in the world--legislators, organizers, do-gooders, leaders of the people, fathers of nations, and so on, and so on. Too many persons place themselves above mankind; they make a career of organizing it, patronizing it, and ruling it."
Bastiat didn't believe in the inherent value of rulers of men. Many conservatives hope that their sons will grow up to be leaders in a political sense. Bastiat believed that we would be better served if more people sought to be useful, productive, inventive and moral, instead of trying to lead all the rest of society. Society will function much more desirably when we relinquish the desire for power over our fellow men, and instead seek power over our own actions.
Although Bastiat's views on law and government may be too simplistic and dated to be implemented literally in a modern society, I believe that there is still much instruction to be had from this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in developing an understanding of the roots of modern libertarian thought.


Excellent Expose' of the ConstitutionRoyce correctly shows Hamilton's designs for a all powerful, monarchial central government with which to submerge the states.
Hamilton is shown in his true light as a tool for the merchant class, banks, corporations, and the ruling elite of the new republic. Along with other Federalists he is shown manipulating public opinion through scare tactics and propaganda. Standing against him were the anti-federalists, and Thomas Jefferson, a true votary of human liberty.
Although this book can be depressing it is a must read for a patriot.
The best book on the Constitution I ever read!
Exposes the lies, lies, sweet little lies that we're told

The demonstration of real power of STL
Gain valuable hands on STL experience
An approachable book on the standard libraryOne point I should clarify, though: as far as I can tell, Jesse Liberty's contribution to this book consists of having his name on the cover. While this is unfortunate for the actual author, whose real accomplishments are undermined by that association, it is much better for the reader than if Mr. Liberty had actually had anything to do with the writing of the book. In that case, I would have expected to see much less clarity in the explanations and hundreds of errors, as those are his trademarks.
Kudos to Mr. Halpern! Keep writing... but under your own recognizance. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a publisher who will take you on without any "sponsorship". Good, clear technical writing is hard to find.


Another confirmation of the Bible's significance
Insightful
One of the 25 most important conservative books

Astounding book - well worth readingWithin the first few pages he disassociates himself from a pure libertarian position, saying he believes that the govenment has an important place in extending freedom. In an afterword he explains "Why I am not a conservative." For people that like to go beyond categorizing everything into left/right left/right like drill sargents Hayek throws a curve. He strongly believes that the feedback from free markets is the only way that society can adapt to change, which would be something labeled "conservative," but he goes into detail about the ways that governments can help make that happen.
I am not surprised that people like Noam Chomsky never seem to mention Hayek. Chomsky carefully selects the facts that help make his case and ignore the ones that are counter to it. Hayek's argments against socialism, or command economies are so good that they pretty much lay the matter to rest. I recently read a speech by Chomsky where he says that because of the unequal distribution of wealth that our "free" markets are just socialism for the rich. Hayek addresses that directly by pointing out that luxuries are luxuries because few of them are produces and only the rich can afford them, but if they are useful or liked people figure out ways to make them less expensively and they become available to everyone. That's just the way it is. How could it be possible that someone could anticipate the breakthroughs humans continue to make?
That is one little nugget from this book. I read once that Maggie Thatcher used to give away copies of this book saying "this is what we believe." For that reason alone it would be worth reading because of the influence her reforms had on not only England, but the thinging of the whole developed world.
An Exposition of a Theory of LibertyHayek's states his theory in part I of this book, titled "The Value of Freedom". He seeks to explore the nature of the ideal of freedom (liberty) and to explain why this ideal is valuable and worth pursuing. He finds the nature of freedom in the absence of coercion on a person by another person or group. He argues that in giving the broadest scope of action to each individual, society will benefit in ways that cannot be forseen in advance or planned and each person will be allowed to develop his or her capacities. Hayek summarizes his views near the end of his book (p. 394):
" [T]he ultimate aim of freedom is the enlargement of those capacities in which man surpasses his ancestors and to which each generation must endeavor to add its share -- its share in the growth of knowledge and the gradual advance of moral and aesthetic beliefs, where no superior must be allowed to enforce one set of views of what is right or good and where only further experience can decide what should prevail."
The book focuses on issues of economic freedom and on the value of the competitive market. Hayek has been influenced by writers such as David Hume, Edmund Burke, and John Stuart Mill in "On Liberty."
Part II of the book discusses the role of the State in preserving liberty. It develops a view of law which sees its value in promoting the exercise of individual liberty. The approach is historic. Hayek discusses with great sympathy the development of the common law and of American constitutionalism -- particularly as exemplified by James Madison.
In Part III of the book, Hayek applies his ideas about the proper role of government in allowing the exercise of individual liberty to various components of the modern welfare state. Each of the chapters is short and suggestive, rather than comprehensive. Hayek relies on technical economic analysis, and on his understanding of economic theory, as well as on his philosophical commitments, in his discussion. What is striking about Hayek's approach is his openness (sometimes to the point of possible inconsistency with his philosophical arguments). He tries in several of his chapters to show how various aspects of the modern welfare state present threats to liberty in the manner in which he has defined liberty. But he is much more favorably inclined to some aspects of these programs than are some people, and on occasion he waffles. This is the sign of a thoughtful mind, principled but undoctrinaire.
I think there is much to be learned from Hayek. He probably deserves more of a hearing than he gets. For a nonspecialist returning to a book such as this after a long time off, it is good to think of other positions which differ from Hayek's in order to consider what he has to say and to place it in context. For example, in an essay called "Liberty and Liberalism" in his "Taking Rights Seriously" (1977) the American legal philosopher Ronald Dworkin discusses Mill's "On Liberty" with a reference to Hayek. Dworkin argues that for Mill, liberty meant not the absence of coercion but rather personal independence. Mill was distinguishing between personal rights and economic rights, according to Dworkin. Thus Dworkin would claim that Hayek overemphasizes the value of competitiveness and lack of state economic regulation in the development of Hayek's concept of liberty.
The British political thinker Isaiah Berlin seems to suggest to me, as I read Hayek's argument, that there are other human goods in addition to liberty, as Hayek defines liberty. Further, Hayek does not establish that liberty, as he understands it, is always the ultimate human good to which others must give place. It may often be that good, but there may also be circumstances in which other goods should be given a more preeminent role when human well-being is at issue. In thinking about Hayek, it would also be useful to understand and to assess his concept of liberty by comparing and contrasting his approach to that of John Rawls in his "A Theory of Justice."
Hayek's book is important, thought-provoking and valuable. Probably no writer of a book of political philosophy can be asked for more. It deserves to be read and pondered. It has much to teach, both where it may persuade the reader and where it encourages the reader to explore competing ideas.
Evolution has proven more effective than planning.Probably the most important insight in my own personal life runs to the effect that the gap between the wisest among us and the most foolish among us is not as great as the most sophomoric among us think. It is, unfortunately, the last who suffer the cravings of power the most and wish to run our lives for us. This is my paraphrase, Hayek was much more polite.
He also said that English Common Law was a vastly superior system to any system designed by any single legislator or group of legislators because the incentives for individual judges are more directed toward proving their wisdom in the case at hand, in relation to similar decisions rendered by their colleagues present and past--their peer group--whereas the audience which legislators desire to impress are not their own peers and are not truly paying attention to the nature of their legislation and its consequences beyond the immediate moment whether the legislator is trying to impress a king, an oligarchy or the mass of the people. The Common Law had, and still has, a tendency to enshrine the customs of the people, yet evolved customs have shown a tendency to continue to adjust to the will of the people and, thereby, move the opinions of judges along with the changes required by the age in which they are rendered.
Public opinion may desire these changes to be made more quickly, but my study of history shows that society only needs to do two things quickly: (#1) catch and (#2) punish those citizens and non-citizens who attempt to improve their lives at the expense of others.


Definitely worth reading (thank you Jeff)!The book really helped me sort out a lot of things and helped me understand the difference between trying to find life through our works (either 'positive' religious activities or 'negative' sinful fulfilment), and the realization that Christ is our true source life.
He also alludes to how we try to rely on other people as our source of life. We place great demands on our spouse, kids, and others and expect them to give us what only Christ can fulfill.
A true classic for getting away from the performance treadmill and learning the sufficiency and completeness of accepting Christ. I really ought to read it again.
Please get this book. I also recommend Dudley Hall's "Grace Works".
Bulls-eye
The Most Life Transforming Book I've Ever Read

One of the most important books you will ever read
Still sleeping? This will wake you upBuy this book and read it. Let it make you really, really angry about where we are. Read "Common Sense" by Paine and read the Constitution of the United States to figure out where we were. Then read "1984" by George Orwell to figure out where we're heading. Then read "The Road to Serfdom" by F A Hayek and realize why we're heading there. Then read "For A New Liberty" by Murray Rothbard and a host of other books to figure out what you can do about it. Then do it.
A great but frightening book.

Honest View of a Survivors Eye WittnesTruths well Documented
I was there and this book is a factual account.
A friend and supporter, Jim King, Brooksville, Flam eagerly awaiting the updated version. Having known 3
of the sailors killed during the unwarranted Israeli
attack in 1967 and having met and become friends with
many of the survivors, LCDR Ennes' book (he was a Lt. on
the bridge at the time of the attack) tells the TRUE
story of what happened to this unarmed US Naval vessel.
The fact that both the governments of Israel AND the U.S.
have tried to cover up this incident and that there has
been no formal Congressional investigation for more than
35 years is a gross miscarriage of justice for the brave
men who died as well as those who survived. Read this
book, and you'll cryout for justice to be served. Call
your Congressman or Senator and demand these folks get
justice.
In our own Quest for freedom the awakening to our true self, it is ever more apparent how important that the freedom of all people comes into play. Instinct for freedom is a beautiful contribution in a time when the need for hope, courage and compassion is so purposeful......Highly recommended!