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Well-known economist and social commentator Thomas Sowell has a gift for cutting through the fog of political rhetoric and getting to the core of an issue. His newest book, Dismantling America, showcases his talent across contemporary concerns from financial bailouts to illegal immigration. The book comprises more than 100 of his best newspaper columns grouped into five sections: government policies, political issues, economic issues, cultural issues and legal issues. The essays explore various forces that are undermining the traditions, laws and values that have made America great.
Politicians are the most frequent targets of Sowell's sardonic wit, but he doesn't spare voters who are foolish enough to believe impossible promises. "Are you for 'open space' laws forbidding building and also for 'affordable housing'?" he asks. Then don't be discouraged by the fact that open space laws have historically sent housing prices sky high. Sowell also has a wonderful way of addressing policy matters through a combination of historical perspective, the experiences of other countries, and a relentless application of logic. For example, Mayor Dellums of Oakland, California should be grateful Sowell was not present when the mayor attributed the high murder rate there to disregard of "the injustices and inequities" of certain groups in the community. Sowell pointedly inquires, "Were there no 'injustices and inequities' in 1960" when crime had been dropping for decades? It was after liberals began to cut back on law enforcement and imprisonment that the murder rate suddenly doubled between 1961 and 1974. The expansive topical range of these essays allows Sowell to interject some interesting biographical details. Sowell reveals that reading Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto led him to become and remain a Marxist throughout his twenties. Though some of these columns deal with yesterday's news headlines, they also demonstrate how clear thinking and timeless conservative principles can successfully refute the latest liberal hokum. They are worth rereading even if you caught them in the newspaper the first time around. (Basic Books, 2010, 341 pp., $27.95) |
One primary theme of the book is separating words from realities in order to sensibly evaluate government policies and proposals. Sowell is the master of helping readers keep their "eyes fixed on facts, despite the distractions" of rhetorically gifted officials.
