Nullification : How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century

Nullification : How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century

Written By: Thomas Woods

Read By: Alan Sklar




Nullification is the democratic principle based on the 10th amendment to the United States Constitution. The term "Nullification" is drawn from the "Principles of 98" , which were responses by Virginia and Kentucky to the passage of the "Alien and Sedition Acts", both were issued in 1798. Basically, the State Governments of Virginia and Kentucky passed resolutions stating that the laws that the Federal Government had passed were unconstitutional and thereby null and void. Since the laws were null, the States were not going to enforce those laws.

Thomas Jefferson , is credited with coming up with this idea. Because during the founding of the Union, every other nation in the known world was based on a Central controlling Government. But Jefferson had the Policy that the Government that Governs nearest to the People Governs Best. So by his measure each State in the Union should be able to stand up to Washington D.C. and say we will not enforce your unconstitutional laws.

Here's where it gets sticky, and why most State Governments just do what they're told by the Feds. There are always certain political ideas that a loud minority will make lots of noise about just to make it into an issue and get Washington to do something about it. For example, Health Care. You'll hear lots of complaints about how many people don't have Health Care, and that is why it was important for the Feds to pass the Health Care bill. But Washington in it's infinite Wisdom can't just pass a Health Care bill, no, they have to make it Mandatory, and if you don't buy insurance , you can be "fined" by the IRS. This is where Nullification, can come into play. Individual States can stand up for their people and simply not allow the Government to Fine or penalize anyone for not having insurance. But it would take a State Government with the guts to do it. And because of the Constitution, the Federal Government can do nothing about it. The reason most states bow to Washington's wishes though, is usually due to them needing Federal Funding.

Now proponents of Central Government will sometimes say that it doesn't make sense to live in a country where one States laws are different than another. Thomas Jefferson would disagree. For him and the founders that was one of the main points of why they setup the system the way it is. So if you live in a State and they have a law you don't like , say you'd rather drive 70 on the Highway than 65. Then you can move to a State where the Speed Limit is 70. That was the point. And in the event that something needed to be outlawed on a National Level, the Federal Government should propose a Constitutional Amendment, and when enough States support it, then it becomes the law of the land.

The part that people today don't like about amending the Constitution is that it would take seemingly a long time. And in today's "we want it yesterday" mentality , Americans seem willing to put up with losing Freedoms bit by bit, while gaining perceived Government services. There hasn't been a Constitutional Amendment Ratified by the States since 1992. And that one was about limiting changes to Congressional Pay. Interestingly enough, the 27th Amendment was initially introduced in Congress in 1789, so it only took 202 years to become an amendment. Clearly we are so easily distracted by the whatever the crisis of the day is.

The Review:
The book it self is very deep and somewhat complex. I have to admit , I'm not a Constitutional Scholar, so it was difficult to follow along at times. Overall it was an interesting read, and the author includes alot of Full quotes from old documents. Including the full readings of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 at the end of the book. The most interesting thing Mr. Woods purposes is that each State should form an independent office of Constitutional advisement. Basically a group of bipartisan Constitutional Scholars who would review Federal Laws, and then advise State Legislators on weather or not the law is enforceable by the  State.

The book is read by Professional Reader Alan Sklar. As a reader I felt he was just ok. He wasn't able to keep my attention at all times. I can't say I recommend him as a reader.

Even though the book itself wasn't the most captivating read, I think it I need to recommend that all Americans should read it, and understand it. Because unless more people understand how our Government SHOULD work, then our Government is just going to do what IT wants, and not what it's people want.


Rating 2.5 of 5

Tom Woods on the Principles of 98

-B

Wild at Heart

Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul

Written By: John Eldredge

Read By: John Eldredge


Background: About two years ago I decided I would try and read thru the Entire Bible. For anyone who's ever done this and is not an avid reader, this is a daunting task. So I thought I'd make it a little easier on myself and increase my chances of success by listening to it. I found a free Podcast called the One Year Daily Audio Bible. The guy who reads the Bible there every day of the year (Brian Hardin), had recommended the book and the Wild at Heart conferences.
John Eldredge is an author, counselor, speaker, and president of Ransomed Heart.

The Review:
When I started this book, I knew almost nothing about John Eldredge. I had heard some other people talk about him and his work. But nothing in great detail. Wild at Heart is a difficult book to describe, it's part Self Help book , part Spiritual Guide, part Social Critic. The crux of the book is his assertion that men in general but especially Christian Men, have been tamed. Almost to the point that Christian men have no backbone, and will just roll over and give up, rather then fight for something. This is a big statement, but one that I think carries a lot of truth in today's world. His theme is that all men need "A Battle to Fight, An Adventure to Live, and a Beauty to Rescue" .
He is quick to dispel the myth that all men should be like Lumberjacks, but instead of just being "Nice Guys" men should aspire to be something more. He uses a lot of examples from movies like Brave-heart & Gladiator. Which can be helpful, but mostly I think he takes the use of those examples a little far. I really don't think that there's a William Wallace or Maximus Decimus Meridius in every man.

Being that John has a background in the performing Arts, and Live Theater, he's in Excellent Reader. I find him very easy on the ears. This is another author that, if someone else were reading his material I'm not sure it would work the same. 

Overall the book is good, and I think at the very least it's a worthy read for men and women alike. I've listened to it twice now, just to make sure I've got it all. Also, here's a Interview the author did with CNN. John Eldredge on CNN

Rating 3 out of 5.

-B

Shop Class as Soulcraft

Shop Class as Soulcraft

Written by: Matthew Crawford

Read by: Max Bloomquist

Background: I heard about this book in one of the many Podcasts I listen to, and thought it sounded interesting. Matthew Crawford is a former Electrician, turned PHD Philosopher working at a Washington Think Tank, turned Motorcycle Mechanic. Quite the career path. 

The Review: 

The book is read by Professional reader Max Bloomquist. I would say he was a fair reader on this book. I've listened to some pretty deep stuff, and had to struggle through it with a terrible narrator before. Thankfully this was not one I had to struggle through. He varied his pace and tone just enough to keep your attention. The author does wax philosophical quite a few times in the book and that can be hard to keep your mind from wandering off with a bad reader. 

The strength of the book for me were the author's stories about working on various motorcycles and the challenges ensued in attempting to fix them. Being somewhat mechanical myself I always find it interesting listening to someone else work through a problem. 

One of the more shocking parts of the book is how Shop Classes in High Schools all across America have been shutdown. Due to schools closing these programs, you can often find Wood and Metal Shop equipment for sale online pretty cheap. The issue with this is, we're now raising a generation of kids who don't know how to do basic math and problem solving or how to fix things. He argues that instead, 90% of High School students today are advised to go to college instead of learning a trade. This deepens the false notion that you can't make it in life unless you have a college education. 

I agree with the author that not everyone need go or should go to college. I myself never went to college. I hated doing school work and reading books that I had no interest in. So I never saw the point of forcing myself to go through 4 years of torture only to come out with a mountain of debt. Instead I've taken the long road and worked my way up in the IT field, starting out working on various Call Center help desks, and finally graduating into running the IT department of a mid-sized construction firm. Every job I've taken I've slowly moved up in pay. And I really don't see where having a degree would have helped me. Not one company that I've ever interviewed with has ever been concerned that I didn't have a degree.

So to finish up, if you enjoy fixing things, and a little philosophy on the side, you may like this book. This is probably a better book to listen too, than to read. 

Here's an Interview the author did for C-SPAN Book TV, Shop Class as Soulcraft, C-SPAN

Rating: 3 out 5

-B

Letters from a Skeptic

Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles With His Father's Questions About Christianity

Written by: Dr. Gregory Boyd & Edward Boyd

Read by: Dr. Gregory Boyd & an unnamed reader


Background:
I came across Greg Boyd when I heard about his book titled "The Myth of a Christian Nation" . I listened to his Sermon series that he gave in his church in St. Paul, MN that he based that book on. And after listening to him there, I really liked him alot. He's not afraid to tackle difficult topics. Indeed , when he preached on his "The Myth of a Christian Nation" series, about HALF of his congregation in his church left the church because of his message.

The Review:
I have had this book "Letters from a Skeptic" , sitting in my Wish List and finally decided to give it a read. It is read by the author, and another professional reader reads the letters written by Ed Boyd. I love this part about audio books, when there are two distinct people talking, and there are separate readers for each part. It really helps bring you into the conversation. Greg is a good speaker and so naturally he's a good reader. Another thing that you get out of the audio version is the sheer emotion Greg clearly feels as he's reading in parts talking about his late mother.

Ed Boyd grew up in the Catholic church, and at some point he decided that he really didn't believe any of it anymore. I don't think he was ever a total Atheist, probably more of an Agnostic with Atheist leanings. Ed really takes his son to task in these letters. Asking questions like , Why has Christianity done so much harm? Why did God create Satan? How is the Bible inspired? Do all Non-Believers go to Hell?

Greg's answers to all of his fathers questions are well thought out and explained, and he tries not to talk over his level of understanding. Given the depth required to answer such Theologically hard questions, this is a book that may require several reads to fully grasp what he's saying. I would say that I'm just a beginning armchair theologian myself. Some of Greg's arguments I've heard before, some I haven't. But for the most part I believe him to be Theologically sound in his defense of the faith.

Some critic's tend to automatically dismiss Dr. Boyd, because he holds to a view called "Open Theism" which essentially says that the future is not settled or predetermined in God's mind, and thereby unchangeable. Instead, Open Theism posits that God can and does change his mind when we petition him and give him our requests.  See the Wikipedia article for more info. Open Theism  
I tend to agree with Dr. Boyd on this issue, since there are cases in the Bible where God changes his mind after talking with someone.

Overall, I think if you're a person of Faith or not, you will find this an interesting book if you wrestle with these big questions like Ed did. I think it's debates in this kind of format that really help people understand what they believe. When people instead get into emotionally charged shouting matches, this doesn't help anyone.
If you're looking for more of an Academic style debate about Faith checkout this Podcast  Unbelievable? .

Rating:  4 out of 5

-B

Two for one : Star Wars - Cloak of Deception & Darth Maul Shadow Hunter

I've recently started working my through the vast catalog of Star Wars Novels. Starting in chronological order. The first in the series is called "Star Wars: Cloak of Deception". This book is written my James Luceno, and read by Alexander Adams. In audio form it is only available abridged. 

The main point of both of these books is to setup the movie Episode I. And in hindsight it really might have made seeing Episode I better (maybe) had I read these before seeing it. In "Star Wars: Cloak of Deception" , it's really a high political drama. Pretty light on the action. This is really where Senator Palpatine begins his undermining of Supreme Chancellor Valorum. It's also where Palpatine/Darth Sidious begins his manipulation of the Trade Federation. In addition it explains why in Episode I , the Trade Federation sets up it's Blockade of the Planet Naboo. Which is what kick starts the whole building of the Evil Galactic Empire.
In terms of the story, it's just ok. It is nice to get to know Qui-Gon Jinn a little more, as well as some of the more lesser known characters from the Jedi Council. But that still doesn't help that this book is just all about political maneuvering, which really isn't that exciting for me.

Alexander Adams did a nice job reading the book. Here's the thing about listening to Star Wars books though. They're layered with sound effects and music. This can sometimes help the book, and sometimes hurt it. I think most of the time however it can hurt it because there are times it's difficult to hear the reader over the sound of a light saber or an explosion. For me the whole point of listening to a book is to hear the story, not to hear some over produced sound effects.

Rating: I'd give "Cloak of Deception" a 3 out of 5. It's a nice read for some of the history bits, but you can find some pretty good summaries online for that info if that's all you want.

Star Wars - Darth Maul Shadow Hunter:

Written by Michael Reeves 

Read by Michael Cumpsty 

This book is also only available in abridged audio format. But at just over 6 hours long it, doesn't feel like they've cut a bunch out. I always like it when an Abridged book gives you that feeling that you're still getting the whole story. 

I liked this story alot more than "Cloak of Deception". Primarily because it's mostly all about one of the most intriguing characters in the Star Wars universe, Darth Maul. If you're like me, when you first got a look at Darth Maul in Episode I, you instantly wanted to know more about him. But in Episode I, you get literally no information about him, except that he's the Sith Masters apprentice. I also thought that he died a little too easily in Episode I. 

I don't want to get into the story much in this review. Suffice it to say, I think this story might have made a better movie than Episode I did. And I flew through this book in a day.  Maybe Lucas can go back and make Episode 1/2 . 

Michael Cumpsty was a good reader, he was very good at portraying the different Character voices. But yet again the Music and Sound Effects layered on the narration was a little bit too much. There is one scene where an alarm is going off, and for almost a full minute you're trying to hear the reader over this really loud and annoying alarm sound. 

Rating: In spite of the effects, I still give this book a 4.5 out of 5. It's that good of a story line. 

-B

Through a dogs eyes, by Jennifer Arnold

A Quick Side Note:
This is not the very first Audio Book I've read, but it is the most recent. So it gets the honor of being the first I review here. 


First of all if you haven't seen the PBS special of the same name go here and watch it. http://www.pbs.org/dogs-eyes/ 


I have a decided bias towards the topic of Service Dogs. My wife and I have been volunteer trainers with the Wisconsin Academy for Graduate Service Dogs, or WAGS since 2007. http://wags.net 
We love being involved with such a wonderful organization. And we get to play with puppies all the time! 

The Review:
When I saw that Jennifer Arnold's book "Through a Dog's Eye's" was available as an Audio Book. I quickly used one of my Audible.com credits and snapped it up.
This book is read by the author , and in this case I think it was a great idea for her to read her own book. Sometimes the professional readers' publishers use just doesn't convey the right emotions at the right time. Jennifer was a pleasure to listen to. You can truly hear her passion for dogs, and for people with special needs.
   The book is one part a history of the author and her non-profit Canine Assistants. And one part a scientific explanation of dogs, and her view on how nature makes them the way they are.
The scientific parts , if you're not into it can be a bit dry. But unlike some other dog books I've read, Jennifer doesn't over do it at all.
   The true gems in the book are the many true life stories of heroic service dogs and the feats they've accomplished. If you're a dog lover, these stories alone are worth the price of the book. The end of the book also includes some handy training and troubleshooting tips for all dog owners. Jennifer only supports positive training methods.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I recommend the book. If you're a dog lover, you'll love this book.

-B

Getting Started

So here goes. My first foray into the world of online thought dumping. I'll try and keep these posts free of as much useless info as possible and always try to focus on the book or podcast at hand.

I'm not a professional writer so , please mind the mistakes, and occasional poor choice of words.

-B