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Brave New World is one of our favorites because it describes the incremental loss of rights we are experiencing in the United States right now with frightening accuracy.

Thomas Paine was involved in the two most important revolutions in the second half of the 18^th century. He was one of the great political thinkers of the Americas. He wrote for the common people (well, at least the common literate people), and thus in clear and comprehensible language. He was even elected to office in France because of his support of their revolution.

You may have heard Paine called the "The Father of the American Revolution." That's mostly a result of Common Sense. It was a #2 best-seller, right after the bible in 1776. In this pamphlet he lays out his ideas about government in general, lets you know what he thinks of monarchy, and gives a good idea where the soon-to-be United States of America (a name proposed by him) stands at the time of writing. This is a great historical reference to have read, but merits another look from time to time. This is one of those times.

This really is a good one. It puts together some important pieces of these political ideologies. Goldberg did some great research in the writing of this book, and makes some convincing arguments. He explains that Fascism is and always was a leftist phenomenon, much like a sister to progressivism.

Social programs, like those of the New Deal, are not looked upon with much respect or reverence here. Instead they are compared with the programs used in Nazi Germany.

There's definitely a little bias in this telling, but it's such good information and humor that it's a must-read.