Freedom's Nation
A Return to Free Markets and Prosperity
Reinhard says, eloquently at times, that he has a plan to set the nation back on the right fiscal course.
Jack E. Reinhard’s Freedom’s Nation presents a well-written and well-argued plan for fundamental change in the way the US government operates its economy.
The book begins with a review that traces the country’s economy from its birth through the present. Reinhard does an admirable job of summarizing events, in particular the Great Depression of the 1930s and what he refers to as “the second Great Depression,” which started in 2007. Setting the tone for the remainder of the book is his conclusion that “the congressional and political actions, along with Federal Reserve operations, have contributed to the turbulence that the US economy has experienced.”
Reinhard describes a plan he believes will address several critical issues: the Federal Reserve’s unchecked power, the country’s debt, the growth and cost of entitlements (such as Social Security), the inflated size of the federal government, inequitable tax policies, and the emphasis on international policing rather than international trade. He discusses each of these areas in some detail and offers specific suggestions for fundamental change in well-written, even eloquent, text.
Perhaps the most intriguing portion of the book is his concluding section, “Freedom’s Nation in Practice by 2030.” Here, Reinhard outlines the differences in the way the country would operate if his recommendations were to be adopted. For example, he foresees an economy guided by the US Treasury rather than the Federal Reserve, limitations on the annual increase in the federal budget, a renewed emphasis on the United States becoming a trading nation, and a maximum personal income tax rate of 20 percent. He also envisions that “members of Congress will eventually become the public servants that the first members of Congress actually were,” and that “the United States will have become the country that was once known as Freedom’s Nation.”
The book contains no notes or references and provides no list of additional resources. The absence of the author’s biography undermines the book’s credibility; the reader is informed on the back cover only that Reinhard has “more than thirty years of experience.” The cover photo of an eagle in flight is somewhat contrived and overdone.
Nevertheless, Reinhard does make a strong case for an argument that seems to have its roots in the call for a smaller federal government and increased states’ rights. While some readers may find merit in Reinhard’s ideas, others may view portions of his plan as somewhat radical. Still, Freedom’s Nation echoes results of national polls indicating widespread dissatisfaction with the way Congress is doing its job and for the direction of the country. If nothing else, this is a book that recognizes unrest and proposes serious change.
Reviewed by
Barry Silverstein
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
