John Adams, the United States' third president warned that in order for democracy to survive, each citizen must read, think, write and speak. Even though he did not explicitly state this, I believe Adams meant for us to proceed in that order. Wanting to read a developed statement of the conservative position in American politics (rather than hear on the radio, shall I say, less well-developed statements), I picked up The Seamy Corners of American Politics: Current Conservative Articles on American Politics by Kevin C. Caffrey.

The preface of The Seamy Corners of American Politics states the book is great for people of all political stripes and that it "represents a lot of American history that helps to provide context and understanding for the issues being discussed." Although my experience with Caffrey's essays certainly support the first assertion (I am a staunch independent who refuses to adhere to any single party line), I found the second assertion, his grasp and application of American history, a little less sound. Take, for example, the discussion of the Sixteenth Amendment in the chapter, "Idealism and The Progressive." The amendment, instituting the federal income tax, was championed by President Woodrow Wilson as a way to fund the costs of fighting World War I. Wilson's notes from the time indicate that he saw the measure as temporary. Caffrey lumps together the authors of the Sixteenth Amendment as liberal progressives, and states that the federal government has not ceased to grow since its adoption. Although the last point is certainly true, a reading of any Woodrow Wilson biography would show that he was far from being anything close to liberal or progressive.

Be that as it may, overall, I still found much of compelling interest in The Seamy Corners of American Politics: Current Conservative Articles on American Politics. After reading these essays, I felt myself to be a more informed citizen. The book gave me a lot to think about. And maybe even write and speak about.

The Seamy Corners of American Politics by Kevin C. Caffrey is a compilation of editorial commentaries or essays on a great variety of contemporary political topics, from the point of view of a “paleo-conservative” columnist. Rather than spew rhetoric, Caffrey uses facts and documents his statements. His text is liberally sprinkled with active links to additional supporting documentation. Every reasonable, rational American who truly considers what Caffrey has to say will have to admit that he is much more right than wrong about every topic he addresses. The Seamy Corners of American Politics does not pander to either of the two dominant political parties which have ruled America for well over a hundred years. On the contrary, Caffrey rightly finds much fault with both parties, focusing instead on facts, history, and precedent in other countries. His urbane views are advanced by the U.S. Constitution, drafted by the founders of our once-great nation.

Caffrey knows politics inside and out. It’s a pity – no, it’s a tragedy – that neither political party can produce candidates with half his knowledge. Worse yet, a bigger tragedy is that John Q. Voter wouldn’t know enough about politics to vote for a knowledgeable candidate if one DID exist. That is a major reason for this book’s existence … to educate voters as to why America is rapidly circling the drain. It is certainly possible voters could wise up and start making their votes count, but the statistical probability of that eventuality is infinitesimal. Regardless, The Seamy Corners of American Politics is a must-read for every eligible voter in America. Only through education of the masses can America restore her former glorious luster. Get a copy of The Seamy Corners of American Politics, read it, cogitate on it, then pass it along to a friend or neighbor with instructions for them to do the same.