AMERICA THE STRONG: Conservative Ideas to Spark the Next Generation, by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb.
Back to school season is here and we thought we’d take a remedial course in conservative political thought. Just in case we got sloppy.
Former Secretary of Education William J. Bennett and co-author John Cribb unpack the basics of conservative ideology and come up with some easily understood foundational principles: Free enterprise, limited government, individual liberty, national defense, and traditional values. They spell FLINT.
Those who hold conservative values dear have become accustomed to being ridiculed by the mainstream media, and have come to accept that they’ll be misunderstood. They worry that young people are embracing a socialist dream, and indeed that’s what’s being taught in schools across the country.
But America was founded on conservative principles, and they are as relevant today as they were when we threw off the shackles of tyranny during the writing of our founding fules of law, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
This book is an easy read because it’s aimed at a younger reader, perhaps someone in high school or college who has never been exposed to a conservative answer to questions posed in civics classes: Why do terrorists want to kill Americans? Why can’t the rich just pay all the taxes? Why don’t we just have an open border? What is a conservative?
America the Strong is largely question-and-answer format, which makes it not only a fast read, but easy to flip pages for quick topical items. It’s the kind of book that might spark a conversation around the dinner table or in the classroom. It’s a book that a reasonably well-read 10th grade reader will have no trouble with. Perfect gift for back-to-school?