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The Once and Future King: The Rise of Crown Government in America
by
F.H. Buckley
This remarkable book shatters just about every myth surrounding American government, the Constitution, and the Founding Fathers, and offers the clearest warning about the alarming rise of one-man rule in the age of Obama.
Most Americans believe that this country uniquely protects liberty, that it does so because of its Constitution, and that for this our thanks must go to t ...more
Most Americans believe that this country uniquely protects liberty, that it does so because of its Constitution, and that for this our thanks must go to t ...more
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Community Reviews
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A thought-provoking book on three main topics:
- How a close reading of the debates of the founders indicates that our view of their attachment to "separation of powers" - especially between the president and congress - may be fundamentally flawed. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention debated the method of selecting the president on 21 different days, and took more than 30 votes regarding this, in 16 of which they had a direct roll call vote on the selection method. In 6 of these (and o ...more
- How a close reading of the debates of the founders indicates that our view of their attachment to "separation of powers" - especially between the president and congress - may be fundamentally flawed. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention debated the method of selecting the president on 21 different days, and took more than 30 votes regarding this, in 16 of which they had a direct roll call vote on the selection method. In 6 of these (and o ...more
George Mason University law professor Frank Buckley presents an interpretation and critique of America's political institutions that echoes concerns of his university's namesake. George Mason, in summing up the government framed by the Philadelphia convention, pronounced that it will "produce a monarchy, or a corrupt, tyrannical aristocracy." Buckley agrees, stating, "Our system of government is often described as a 'Madisonian republic,' but in fact it wasn’t one at its birth, and it certainly
...more
"Nelson performs the estimable work of proving that Alexander Hamilton, James Wilson, James Iredell, John Adams, and other leading Federalists were precisely as royalist in their political philosophy as Thomas Jefferson always insisted they were. (Nelson, sympathetic with the royalists, omits that he has vindicated Jefferson’s claims.)
What he does not do, however, is show that the Constitution was intended to confer prerogative powers upon the president. Part of the reason for his confusion seem ...more
What he does not do, however, is show that the Constitution was intended to confer prerogative powers upon the president. Part of the reason for his confusion seem ...more
Buckley writes a fascinating book that falls a bit short in the end. I enjoyed his side-by-side-by-side comparison of the origins of the US, UK, and Canadian systems. In particular, he performs a valuable service by refocusing the ideological underpinnings of the US Constitution away from the Federalist Papers to the debates of the convention itself. The book loses steam in the second half; he catalogues the myriad ways presidentialism in the US has failed but defends parliamentary systems in ge
...more
A very good book about the history of Anglophone governments
This book is a very good overview of the history of how American, British and Canadian governments evolved. The author also outlines a way Americans can roll back crown government and restore the constitution.
This book is a very good overview of the history of how American, British and Canadian governments evolved. The author also outlines a way Americans can roll back crown government and restore the constitution.
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Francis H. Buckley: Son of F.J. & H.B. Buckley; M. Esther Goldberg; child Sarah.
BA, McGill University 1969
LLB, McGill University 1974
LLM, Harvard University 1975
Exec Dir/Assoc Dean of Geo Mason Law & Economics Center & Foundation Law Prof who's taught there since '89 & was Visiting Olin Fellow at the U of Chicago Law School in '88/9. Shimer College trustee. Twice visiting professo ...more
More about F.H. Buckley...
BA, McGill University 1969
LLB, McGill University 1974
LLM, Harvard University 1975
Exec Dir/Assoc Dean of Geo Mason Law & Economics Center & Foundation Law Prof who's taught there since '89 & was Visiting Olin Fellow at the U of Chicago Law School in '88/9. Shimer College trustee. Twice visiting professo ...more
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“Anton Chekhov said that, when the audience sees a loaded pistol on the wall in act 1, it must go off by act 3.”
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