A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties - Hardcover

Carson MD, Ben; Carson, Candy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1591848040 ISBN 13: 9781591848042

Publisher: Sentinel, 2015

Synopsis

Dear Reader,

Many people have wondered why I’ve been speaking out on controversial issues for the last few years. They say I’ve never held political office. I’m not a constitutional scholar. I’m not even a lawyer. All I can say to that is “Guilty as charged.”

It’s true that I’ve never voted for a budget America could not afford. I’ve never raised anyone’s taxes. And I’ve never promised a lobbyist anything in exchange for a donation.

Luckily, none of that really matters. Our founding fathers didn’t want a permanent governing class of professional politicians. They wanted a republic, in Lincoln’s words, "of the people, by the people, and for the people." A country where any farmer, small-business owner, manual laborer, or doctor could speak up and make a difference.

I believe that making a difference starts with understanding our amazing founding document, the U.S. Constitution. And as someone who has performed brain surgery thousands of times, I can assure you that the Constitution isn’t brain surgery.

The founders wrote it for ordinary men and women, in clear, precise, simple language. They intentionally made it short enough to read in a single sitting and to carry in your pocket.

I wrote this book to encourage every citizen to read and think about the Constitution, and to help defend it from those who misinterpret and undermine it. In our age of political correctness it’s especially important to defend the Bill of Rights, which guarantees our freedom to speak, bear arms, practice our religion, and much more.

The Constitution isn’t history—it’s about your life in America today. And defending it is about what kind of country our children and grandchildren will inherit.

I hope you’ll enjoy learning about the fascinating ways that the founders established the greatest democracy in history—and the ways that recent presidents, congresses, and courts have threatened that democracy.

As the Preamble says, the purpose of the Constitution is to create a more perfect union. My goal is to empower you to help protect that union and secure the blessings of liberty.

Sincerely,
Ben Carson

About this title

About the Author

BEN CARSON, MD, was raised by a poor single mother in Detroit. He retired as the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital after a groundbreaking medical career of more than thirty-five years. He is the author of eight previous books, including One Nation, One Vote, America the Beautiful, and Gifted Hands. A former member of the President’s Council on Bioethics, he is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the country.

Dr. Carson and his wife and coauthor, CANDY CARSON, are the founders of the Carson Scholars Fund, which recognizes the achievements of deserving young people. They have three grown children and two grandchildren, and now live in Florida.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Dr. Ben Carson believes that America is facing a constitutional crisis because too many of our politicians and judges ignore the common sense in our founding document. In this important new book, he shows why the Constitution isn’t brain surgery and is accessible to every citizen, and he offers clarity on controversial subjects, such as . . .

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE:
“The framers of our Constitution intended that these kinds of issues be handled by the states. Judges should not be able to overturn the decisions made by the citizens of each state.”

THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS:
“This right can in no way be violated, and any attempt to erode it should be vigorously resisted. Those who insist that tyranny could never come to America should read about how it came to so many other places that also felt safe.”

EXECUTIVE ORDERS:
“Article 2 specifically states that the president ‘shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.’ It does not say that the laws with which he agrees shall be faithfully executed. The executive branch cannot pick and choose."

TAXATION:
“The founders gave Congress a great deal of latitude when it came to taxes. Unfortunately, this vagueness has been abused by our government in a way that would horrify the founders.”

FREEDOM OF RELIGION:
“Some claim that the sight of a Bible or a cross causes them so much psychological distress that it impinges upon their freedom. It is important that we learn to be reasonable and tolerant of everyone’s beliefs, without going to such extremes that we compromise everyone’s rights.”

About this edition

• Publisher: Sentinel
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1591848040
• ISBN 13: 9781591848042
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256