Hanging by the Thread - Book Review

Hanging by the Thread
by Donald B Anderson
Stonehaven Publishing May 2010
Book Website

Book Blurb
For ten years, a secret society has risen to power. They have infiltrated every facet of the federal government. They are powerful. They have extraordinary access to public funds. They have incredible technologies. And freedom is their nemesis. They have sought to destroy economic freedom, amass power to the federal government, and create mass dependency on the government.

They call themselves THE THREAD.

And now, they are poised to destroy the Constitution and rise to power.

But, on the eve of their burst into power, a copy of their plan falls into the hands of a young man in the Utah State Capitol building. A small group forms and comes to understand the plan of The Thread. And now, the race is on. Time is short and the group must struggle to preserve their lives, their nation, and freedom itself.

The Lectures
In the years leading up to the events in the story, The Thread has infiltrated every facet of the federal government. To prepare the nation for their rise to full power, The Thread has sought to destroy Economic Freedom and create mass dependency on the federal government.

One of the characters in the story, Dr. Harold Isaacson, is an Economics professor at BYU. In the Thread Lectures, Dr. Isaacson delivers a series of 10 lectures four months after the story's resolution. In these lectures, the professor analyzes the economics behind The Thread's efforts to destroy Economic Freedom and topple America.

These lectures provide insights and principles that will leave the reader with a better understanding of the principles of freedom and a greater ability to interpret the times in which we live. This content is timely and always will be.

MY REVIEW
This story reflects the last 9 years - since 9/11 - not so much in the terrorist actions of the group, but in the Political and Economic action and in their stealth and infiltration of the US Government and government agencies.

The lectures explain how laws that have been passed in the last 9 years affect economic action. These lectures are not long - no more than 5 pages each - and they are very informative and easy for lay people to read and understand.

Lecture titles are as follows.
1 Introduction to Economic Freedom
2 Freedom versus Equality
3 Natural Rights
4 Thread Objective - Neutralize raditional Institutions
5 Thread Objective - Centralise Power
6 Free Trade and Protectionism
7 Focused Benefits and Generalized Costs
8 Licensing and Registration
9 Income Mobility and Unions
10 Price Controls

Economic Freedom, in a nutshell, is the condition where government uses power and force solely to enable people to live the Golden Rule. When government fails to protect the Golden Rule, oe uses force to enable people to break the Golden Rule, economic freedom is perverted, abused or destroyed.

The Golden Rule is at the heart of Economic Freedom.

The Golden Rule is - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - or in a modern translation - Treat others as you want them to treat you.

One more note - this story is set in Salt Lake City, Utah which is the home state of the Mormom Church.  So there are a few mentions of God and Satan in both novel and in the lectures. Fortunately (as far as I can tell) there is NO Mormon doctrine mentioned at all. The entire story takes place over one 36 hour period - except for the last chapter which happens 2 weeks later. And the lectures which are presented some 4 months after the main story events.

Overall I found this book to be very interesting and I really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the lectures at the end which helped me to understand how the actions of the USA since 9/11, have affected the global economy and created the world wide recession we are currently living in.