Anonymous says:

Remember what happened to Tom Paine ? Crucial to the Revolution. Discovered corruption in Congress. Was hounded out of the country. They were wise to be worried. And so was the South. There is a stronger case for States Rights today than ever before. The European Union offers a model of a federation of sovereign states whose central government only controls common interests and doesn’t interfere in direct taxation or local law, but by importing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (itself based on Paine’s Rights of Man) into law it gives certain guarantees which have hardly been mentioned in the US (prisoners’ rights for instance). Equally the Canadian constitution is a good model for a modern constitution (it includes the rights of women!). These guys could see the problems. How do we get our ‘representatives’ to see the problem ? By turning the US Constitution into a kind of holy document, we actually work against the ideas of the people who first conceived it. This book is an excellent one to give those ‘constitutionalists’ who would rather not think for themselves.
Rating: 5 / 5

J. P. Ledbetter says:

The three most difficult books I have ever read, not because of content but just sheer intensity and repetitiveness were “The Politics of Bad Faith” by David Horowitz, the “Federalist Papers” by Jay, Madison and Hamilton and this book “The Anti-federalist Papers.” Ketcham clearly gives us the basic facts on why numerous founders did not want to rush into ratification of the Newly Formed Constitution of the United States. In addition there is good justification why another convention to discuss these issues might have produced a better product and avoided numerous present day conflicts. But the time might also have been used to destroy the entire project and that would have been even a worse fate. Their fears were completely justified and warranted for their worst fears have actually come true. It is interesting that these wise men could foresee so fare into the future based only on a document that was being worked on at the time. I have often times pondered that the negative elements in our society, which to me are the fanatic liberals and the misguided progressive movement. Simply took all the fears of both the founding Federalist and the Founding anti-federalist and said hey let us join together to do all these wrong things and move off in this wrong direction that the others say is wrong with these documents and PESTO! You have the modern Democrat Party and all it’s hypocrisy for us to observe and complain about. Just as foretold centuries ago. In any case the basics of the Anti-federalist can be summarized in a few statements. Here they are. 1. The plan is to disregard the States in Favor of an all-powerful single and central Government, which they did not believe, could effectively represent the people.

2. That this central government would attempt to make carbon copies of all Americans based upon some elitist, special interest monopoly or aristocratic group of self-serving social engineers. Effectively taking away their true liberty and freedoms guaranteed by stronger state governments.

3. That the Supreme Court would work tirelessly towards the end of taking power from the states and depositing it in the Federal Legislature and then in pulling it into it’s own hands.

4. That the power to tax was the power to enslave and manipulate the masses.

5. That even though virtuous men would start out in these positions of power, deviant and corrupt men and women would end up their, through design, corruption, creed and a lust for power.

6. That in a large Republic with only one central government the welfare of the people will be given over to a thousand opinions, special interest corrupters and to insane partisanship.

7. That, once politicians gain power or the people’s money. They will never give it back.

8. That once the people surrender their power and their money. They can never take it back.

9. Standing armies rob the people of freedom.

10. That the government as envisioned in the constitution would not ensure that the people get adequate representation.

These are the 10 most prominent I saw in this book, but of course there are more and although it is a sleep maker, the material in it is essential to a complete understanding of the Founding Era. In addition it is critical to any real Constitutional Scholar’s Reading material. Recommend it for a long summer of exhaustive reading.
Rating: 4 / 5