Title: Liberty Defined: 50 Essential Issues that Affect Our Freedom

Author: Ron Paul

Publisher: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education 2011

Genre: Nonfiction - Politics

Pages: 328

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dewey -- 320s

How I Got It: Library Loan

In Liberty Defined, congressman and #1 New York Times bestselling author Ron Paul returns with his most provocative, comprehensive, and compelling arguments for personal freedom to date.

This is a comprehensive guide to Dr. Paul's position on fifty of the most important issues of our times, from Abortion to Zionism. Accessible, easy to digest, and fearless in its discussion of controversial topics, LIBERTY DEFINED sheds new light on a word that is losing its shape.

I picked this up on a whim.  Throughout the primaries, I was intrigued by Paul's statements and seemingly exclusion treatment from the Republican Party.  So what's wrong with this guy?  According to my reading of his book, plenty.  Now let me go back.  For the most part of this book, I was with him.  And then in each chapter, he seemingly goes of the deep end.  I just couldn't follow through on most of his arguments.  I keep hearing myself going "yes, I completely understand" until I got to the ending paragraphs of each chapter.  Then my statements changed to "what the hell?  why did you just go there?"  Often his rational arguments start just fine and then he jumps tracks to a totally different argument to end.  My main problem is that most of his ideas are interesting but they could not be put in place given our current reality.  We need to start with our current reality and start making laws to achieve an ultimate end.  Bottom line: I will not be voting for Ron Paul in any election.