Finally! A political philosophy book written at a level most Democrats can understand.

Apart from providing for his material well-being, possibly the biggest responsibility given (some would say gifted) a parent is instilling in a child a moral framework which brings both the child and his world the greatest fulfillments, joy, and understanding of the many facets of a life lived well. That's my take today, at least.

In that vein, probably the greatest ill a parent can do is lead a child astray in this way. Enter this book.

Just in the sample pages the reader is presented with some of the cancerous core of socialist philosophy: confiscatory wealth-transfer schemes, impossible and irresponsible promises ("always safe"), and lies concerning free market philosophy (intimating that not all children will be afforded an education except through the state).

Possibly the only more insipid political argument I've run across in recent years is that which surmises whether Jesus Christ was/is a Democrat or Republican*. The mere writing of that sentence disgusts me.

If you hold to the ideals purported in this book, then I say to parents, model those choices consistently, but outside of politics. Let your child develop his or her own political philosophy from examination of life. A kid can't do this at 4, or 14 for that matter. I am always suspect of rah-rah pro-Democrat or Republican kids. What can they possibly know, having not lived life long enough - and in specific ways, with specific dilemmas presented them - to even entertain political solutions?

Kids want to be part of a team, for sure. So get them involved in sports, music, and social organizations. Leave the politics for when they enter adulthood and are faced with questions that appropriately have a possible political answer.

* - In my remedial understanding of Scripture, Christ has both liberal and conservative elements to his character - the best of both, I interpret. It's the perfect balance of grace and truth that He modeled. But to extend this to an argument of politics is frankly diminishing of Christ's message for mankind and exhibits a gross misunderstanding of that message.