Another Levin Book

Over at friend Monty Pelerin's web site, Economicnoise.com, contributing writer Tom Lester penned a review of Mark Levin's latest scribbling: "The Liberty Amendments". I have little to no respect for such "Cure-All" screeds. The premise the Constitution could be repeatedly amended according to Levin's prescription and make everything honky-dory is supremely idealistic with a soupcon of childish belief sprinkled over it. As I posted in response to Lester's review:

A few comments…

First reaction: when pigs fly. While there is little of which to strenuously object on principle to Levin’s offerings, continuing the barnyard analogy, it requires the foxes guarding the hen house to voluntarily abdicate their position of extreme advantage a la Term Limits, etc. That very concept has been stifled to the point of suffocation in all but a few states for the Lester’s stated “DC career”reasons .

Add to that the accurate observation noted in #6. With the goals of such a Convention clearly stated, the “open-ended bureaucratic power” would produce reams of red tape so as to bind to paralysis all such efforts and send them to the same government warehouse featured at the end of “Indiana Jones”.

Levin reveals an essential Statist allegiance with his allowance of the continued existence of the IRS. All taxation is theft unless voluntarily paid by a compliant citizen without the coercive force and power of the State. Otherwise – in its form even under Levin’s suggested renovations, it is unequivocally antithetical to Freedom, ownership of legally acquired property and the “pursuit of happiness.”

Similarly, in #8, Levin myopically focuses on Takings without so much as a head fake toward the repulsive Kelo decision. As long as the State can levy Property taxes, no property is ever actually owned but merely “rented” via the taxes. Levin is apparently unwilling – or aware – to nail Leviathan on that.

Like many talk show hosts, Levin has again tapped the format that ensures financial success and popular notoriety: write a provocative book and have your fans buy you onto the NY Times Best Seller list; a gaggle of pundits have been doing it for decades. What’s missing from all but a few is any hope of their admirable suggestions actual succeeding via implementation – beyond bodacious book sales to a readership desperate for solutions to rescue our fading Freedom.