Written Out of History: The Forgotten Founders Who Fought Big Government by Mike Lee

Written Out of History: The Forgotten Founders Who Fought Big Government

Mike Lee
256 pages
Sentinel
May 2017
Politics WSBN
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<b>Senator Mike Lee tells the story of the Founders whose warnings about the dangers of an all-powerful federal government helped shape our Constitution--but are being ignored today. </b><br> <br> Today, most Americans are familiar only with the &quot;big names&quot; associated with the Founding - Washington, Adams, Madison, Hamilton and so on. Because we have forgotten so many of our lesser-known Founders, many of whom warned of the dangers of centralized federal power, we have also strayed from the system of limited government prescribed by our Constitution. The resulting imbalance of power, allowed to get worse over decades, has created the problems with executive overreach and the expansive federal bureaucracy that plague America today. <br> <br> Senator Mike Lee, a champion of constitutionally limited government, now seeks to give these nearly forgotten but far-sighted early American thinkers their proper due. He will introduce readers to the influential, liberty-minded Americans who may not be household names but should be, including:<br><br> · Mercy Otis Warren, one of revolutionary America's most prominent female writers and protégé of John Adams who engaged in vigorous debate against the encroachment of federal power and broke with Adams over the Constitution<br> · Canasatego, an Iroquois chief who taught Benjamin Franklin the basic principles behind the separation of powers in government <br> · Aaron Burr, whose &quot;trial of the century&quot; in the early 1800s defined the limits of executive power and warned of its potential for abuse <br> · Elbridge Gerry, who championed individual rights and greater power for the states over the newly formed federal government - and without whom there would be no Bill of Rights. <br><br> <i>Written Out of History</i> is not simply a history lesson. By channeling voices from the past, this book will inject renewed passion into the debate over what the Constitution means to us today, and the limits it sets on a power-hungry federal government.
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Well written and important book

Senator Lee's recent effort is an easy and interesting read. But this is an important work that should be required in high school curricula. Lee provides an immeasurable service of documenting various Americans who influenced the thought processes and vision in the development of the US Constitution. Lee does not engage in legalese. Rather he delivers heartwarming stories of males and females, including a slave, in their journey to secure rights, or defend against an oppressive central government. The research behind the book is impressive and of high quality. Lee clearly demonstrates Americans of all types were engaged with how the government protected basic liberties. The concerns they held in the 18th Century resonate in the 21st Century. Lee is bipartisan in the condemnation of officials who allow too much power to the Feds. Whether under Republican or Democrat control, the Federal Government practices an over reach that would offend these common, but intelligent, ancestors. Yes, the Senator editorializes. But Americans who are shocked by federal regulations that hurt small businesses, with the activities of the NSA, FBI wiretapping of journalists, and too many Executive Orders (especially those that target religious minorities), will sympathize with his comments. As Lee documents, our Constitution is not the product of a bunch old white guys in a cramped room in Philadelphia. Rather, this remarkable institution was a reflection of an organic set of beliefs held by millions-rich, poor, male, female, white, people of color, enslaved, free, illiterate and educated. I am grateful for this expansion of my knowledge of the Constitution, and recommend the book with enthusiasm. Read more

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About this book
Pages 256
Publisher Sentinel
Published 2017
Readers 3