Review: “Conservative Insurgency” by Kurt Schlichter

In “Conservative Insurgency” Schlichter departs from biting humor and enters possible prophetic “future history” genre of political fiction

Author Kurt Schlichter | PHOTO CREDIT: Kurt Schlichter

Kurt Schlichter’s latest book releases on July 15, 2014. the book is a “must read” for any who enjoy future history novels, political science, and cultural commentary.

Conservative Insurgency Cover (Final) | IMAGE CREDIT: Kurt Schlichter

It’s the beginning of the fourth decade of the twenty-first century. The United States has come full circle. The country began as a confederation of independent states struggling to survive under a very limited federal structure. Seeing the impending fall of this loose confederacy, the former colonies sent delegates to write the US Constitution, establishing a federal republic ruled, ultimately, not by men but by higher ideals. That document delineated power, authority, and responsibility between the federal republic, the individual states, and the individual citizens. It limited federal powers and state powers, assuming that those powers not enumerated to the federal government would fall, primarily, to the individual citizens.

The progressive, liberal, socialist, Marxist, Maoist, collectivist and Tolstoyist movements emerged within the left-wing ideologues who preferred more government power limited to a predetermined oligarchy rather than reserved to the individuals began its cultural and political revolution in the early twentieth century when progressive Woodrow Wilson took the Oval Office. Since, those oligarchs employed propaganda, lawfare, and social networks to chip away at the US Constitution and individual liberty.

After the Bush-43 administration and Obama Administration set the stage, another left-wing ideologue garnered the White House for two terms. During that time, those outraged by Obamacare, executive fiat regulations, Dodd-Frank, the “education bubble” and increased unconstitutional legislation from judges’ benches drove the common, middle-class US Citizens into yet another revolt for individual freedom. The Obama Administration made many fence-sitters take notice. What came next pushed them off of the fence and into the trenches.

Unlike previous revolutionary wars and attempted usurpation, this insurrection wasn’t fought with firearms. No police headquarters were bombed like the Weather Underground had done in the name of the left-wing revolution of the 1960s and 70s. This insurrection was fought through culture, social media, word of mouth, non-violent protest, and increased, legal voter registration and turn-out.

Now, as the insurgency winds down, victorious, an investigative journalist seeks to document how this return to the American Values of 1791 transpired. Through interviews with key players within each aspect of the intellectual and cultural revolution, the journalist pieces together the tale. The journalist even interviews those on the losing side, left-wing activists. Among those interviewed is a retired US Army Colonel who served as one of the military’s foremost experts on counter-insurgency operations. It is from interviews with this key figure that the journalist names the 32 year long struggle “The Conservative Insurgency“.

Kurt Schlichter is a Colonel in the California Army National Guard, a practicing lawyer, a columnist, a humorist, and an author of several books. His previous works have contained mostly snark-riddled or sardonic witticisms built around his numerous “Twitter battles”. In this latest effort, Kurt changes course in several ways. Much of his humor is still present in this fictional, future history novel. However, it takes a more serious tone than his previous e-books.Though the work is more serious, it is highly entertaining.

The future history genre is not new to political fiction. Ayn Rand is rather famous for it, looking at her works from “Atlas Shrugged” to “Anthem” to “The Fountainhead”. Robert A. Heinlein also used the genre to present his small-government, libertarian viewpoints. Heinlein went so far as to use the genre to push for many conservative ideals as well as a social morality shift that tolerated polyamory, bisexuality, and limited “contract” marriages. Within Heinlein’s works is a ubiquitous endorsement of individual rights of life, liberty, property, and love coupled with success through individual effort. Heinlein’s works, including his non-fiction “Take Back Your Government” may have influenced Schlichter’s latest work. If so, Kurt accomplished this latest work while masterfully avoiding the “fan-fict” quagmire to produce a wonderful and original novel.

Kurt’s military career should be noted. Many statements the fictitious Colonel in “Conservative Insurgency” seem as though they are spoken by Kurt himself. However, the character indicates other influences from military intelligence and special forces professionals are added to the composite character. Other characters of note are Supreme Court justices, former education activists, Hollywood actors and producers, local political leaders, and news media personnel. Bits and pieces of each of these well-crafted characters shimmer with elements of many within Kurt’s social circle. A second reading of the book may inspire a game of “identify who that is supposed to be,” though each character is an amalgamation of many.

“Conservative Insurgency” is Kurt’s departure from his previous books in another way. Not only is this his first fiction novel and not a satirical social commentary, but it is his first work to be published in hardcover print editions. His previous works are available in Kindle versions at Amazon.com. This one, however, you can carry with you in case you ever get the chance to nail Kurt down long enough to sign it.