# Attorneys: Opinion of a book, please

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attorneys-opinion-of-a-book-please/562127>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 28, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attorneys-opinion-of-a-book-please/562127 "2010-11-28T01:22:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attorneys-opinion-of-a-book-please/562127/1 "2010-11-28T01:22:08Z")

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I don’t want legal advice or opinions as to law; just informed opinions of a book.

I was recently given _The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution_ by Kevin R. C. Gutzman, J.D., Ph.D. I hope that some of the Doper law people know a little something about the author and/or the book.

I know as little about the Constitution as I do about brain surgery and I’d like to fight that piece of ignorance, if possible. (The Constitution, that is) I don’t want to sink time and effort into reading something that isn’t worth reading, so I turn too the SDMB.

Is the book I mention above worth reading and is the information it contains reliable?

Any inputs will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attorneys-opinion-of-a-book-please/562127/2 "2010-11-28T02:22:21Z")

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All I know about Guzman is what is wikipedia article says, [Link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Gutzman). Based on that alone he seems to be a strict textualist, meaning that by his reasoning both the USAF and US Coast Guard are unconstitutional because they aren’t explicitly referred to in the Constitution. I’m exaggerating of course, but not by much. 😉

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**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attorneys-opinion-of-a-book-please/562127/3 "2010-11-28T06:38:59Z")

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> [@zamboniracer](#):
>
> All I know about Guzman is what is wikipedia article says, [Link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Gutzman). Based on that alone he seems to be a strict textualist, meaning that by his reasoning both the USAF and US Coast Guard are unconstitutional because they aren’t explicitly referred to in the Constitution. I’m exaggerating of course, but not by much. 😉

Thank you. His academic credentials look, to me at least, quite impressive but I don’t know enough to judge his abilities as a Constitutional scholar.

I appreciate your taking time to reply.