while I'm a 4th way through the book, I admit I'm disappointed, not over the content, but with what's missing. I thought, when I bought it, it'd be all the federalist papers. I knew they were really just a bunch of essays published in a New York newspaper under the pseudonym 'Plubius', I knew it was written mostly by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, with a few by John Jay. I knew this was basically arguing for New York to ratify the US Constitution without the Bill of Rights, which wasn't written yet.

I just didn't expect this book to be a weeded out version. Beeman did say (of course, after I bought it) that he weeded out what he thought not-so-applicable, mainly because a lot of Hamilton's arguments were against the Articles of Confederation, which America was 'operating' under. Operating in quotes, because America was failing.

When Hamilton/Madison/Jay were writing these essays, America faced all kinds of problems assocated with a too-limited government, too much state power (which they consequently argued against each other), no way to really raise money to pay off debts, which led to Shay's Rebellion. Still, I wonder if some of the Hamilton essays missing from this book may still be applicable against those who subscribe to Grover Norquist's superweak government (shrink it then drown it). Maybe Beeman was right in lopping off those other essays, but reading this chopped up book, you'll never know. I guess I gotta go buy the full edition.