These incurably upbeat journalists with Reason magazine believe that not even government, try as it will, can prevent onrushing social improvement. The Declaration of Independents is suitable reading for this summer of debt-ceiling debate, which has been a proxy for a bigger debate, which is about nothing less than this: What should be the nature of the American regime? George Will, Washington Post

The Declaration of Independents is a refreshing political book in that it kind of, well, hates politics, and it s worth reading on this issue alone. An important read with...