In 1959, William F. Buckley Jr. published a book called Up from Liberalism. I touched on it in a Corner post yesterday. I would like to touch again.

We are reading the book. “We”? We in the NRI Book Club, “NRI” standing for “National Review Institute.” To find out about this, go here. “NRI supporters at the $250+ level are invited to read along and join us for three exclusive book-club calls.” The calls will be led by moi-même, i.e., my own bad self. We will talk on May 4, 11, and 18, at 5:30 Eastern. It would be swell if you could join us.

And your support of our enterprise means the world.

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Up from Liberalism is best known for its final page or two, outlining a “program.” (WFB plays with this word a bit.) The author writes,

I will not cede more power to the state. I will not willingly cede more power to anyone, not to the state, not to General Motors, not to the CIO. I will hoard my power like a miser, resisting every effort to drain it away from me. I will then use my power, as I see fit. I mean to live my life an obedient man, but obedient to God, subservient to the wisdom of my ancestors; never to the authority of political truths arrived at yesterday at the voting booth. That is a program of sorts, is it not?