text: I'll start with the positive:  The main character is a classic hero in every sense of the word - tall, good-looking, smart, humble, etc.  The story was engaging and made for a quick read because it was easy to follow, carried the reader along and crafted as to have no wasted words.  In short, it was a competent work of fiction. 
  
  That's where my praise ends, because this is the type of work that contributes to our national problems by feeding false stereotypes and radical agendas.  Sure, it's a work of fiction, no one is going to take it seriously, yada yada yada.  But that's not true, is it?  So many people in this country believe that this the plot of this book is plausible and even to be encouraged - - just look at the reviews to find the believers.
  
  Alright, here are my problems with it:
  
  First, politicians are corrupt and will sell-out anyone to maintain power, but that's not true if you're a conservative farm-boy elected despite your honesty from a midwestern state.  In Term Limits, Vince Flynn just beats you over the head with the "power corrupts" mantra - he doesn't show it in the actions so much as just repeats it like the chorus of a bad rap song, yet from the lips of the Marine Combat Veteran Congressman who is our protagonist.  You know what, though?  There are people in politics on BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE who really want to do what's right, who really are trying to make a difference for the positive, for this nation and the citizens.  In this book, however, the public is a tool to be used and treated as if they aren't smart enough to make good decisions.
  
  Second, murder is a viable answer.  This repeats another mantra that conservatives repeat often - that they do the hard fighting and living to protect this nation and its freedoms so that the liberals can live in their fantasy-land.  Come on, get real.  This book touts a Special Forces Unit as being so committed to the Constitution that they are willing to murder high-level politicians and threaten the president with assassination if he doesn't balance the budget.  And, they get away with it because it's really the right side to be on.  Murdering our leaders is the answer according to Vince Flynn.  Murder solves the obvious weakness that we have as a nation, that being elections.  Elections apparently just get in the way.
  
  Third, the balanced budget.  For years and years - until the time this book was written - conservatives cried about the budget.  The book makes it the central theme.  Balance the budget and make us fiscally responsible.  It's important enough for a military coup supported by the protagonist of this novel.  A Coup!!!  Yet, when the conservatives did take power, despite Vince Flynn's prescient forecasting ability, they ran the deficit into uncharted territory and didn't flinch.  Even when confronted by this atrocity of fiscal irresponsibility, they claim that NOW!!!!! the deficit isn't a big deal, that it's really just a function of the percentage of GDP and we ought to all forget about it.  This book starkly reveals the disconnect between conservative priorities of the 90's and the realized result nearly two presidential terms later.  It's like looking back in time to a parade of nit-wits.
  
  Fourth, the good guys don't do bad things.  The Special Ops team kills only who they want and never any innocents - just the politicians.  The bad guys leave a wake of messy slaughter and civilians whenever they use murder as a tool.  Flynn spends way too much time making this point and beating the reader over the head with it . . . killing is good when only your target dies . . . but whatever happened to that oh so famous, though shalt not?
  
  - CV Ric
  