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Truths: The Future of America First
New York Times bestselling author, accomplished entrepreneur, and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has a plan to save America, and it begins with telling the truth.
Today’s conservatives know what they’re against. They’re anti-woke, anti-globalist, anti-big government. But what exactly do they stand for? The fact that this is a hard question to answer is a damning indictment of the modern Republican Party which has abjectly failed to articulate an affirmative alternative to the left’s vision. Ramaswamy calls on the conservative movement to articulate exactly what it stands for, or else warns of another illusory “red wave” in 2024.
Vivek Ramaswamy is not a politician. He is a first generation American, the founder of several successful companies, and a bestselling author. Ramaswamy decided he needed to step in the arena to stop the lies and tell the American people the truth. That’s why he ran for president and became a leading voice in the America First movement.
In Truths: The Future of America First, Ramaswamy shows exactly how honesty about the most important issues will get our country back on track. The America First movement emphasizes the issues that bring us together, not what divides us. It asks that we put our country over politics, merit over grievance, and truth over lies. Ramaswamy tells us the truth about our political system, and the people who control it, and exhorts us to exercise our right to self-governance again.
America First is bigger than any man or woman. It’s a movement. In Truths, Vivek Ramaswamy explains exactly why that movement needs to succeed now more than ever. Our country’s future depends on it.
Today’s conservatives know what they’re against. They’re anti-woke, anti-globalist, anti-big government. But what exactly do they stand for? The fact that this is a hard question to answer is a damning indictment of the modern Republican Party which has abjectly failed to articulate an affirmative alternative to the left’s vision. Ramaswamy calls on the conservative movement to articulate exactly what it stands for, or else warns of another illusory “red wave” in 2024.
Vivek Ramaswamy is not a politician. He is a first generation American, the founder of several successful companies, and a bestselling author. Ramaswamy decided he needed to step in the arena to stop the lies and tell the American people the truth. That’s why he ran for president and became a leading voice in the America First movement.
In Truths: The Future of America First, Ramaswamy shows exactly how honesty about the most important issues will get our country back on track. The America First movement emphasizes the issues that bring us together, not what divides us. It asks that we put our country over politics, merit over grievance, and truth over lies. Ramaswamy tells us the truth about our political system, and the people who control it, and exhorts us to exercise our right to self-governance again.
America First is bigger than any man or woman. It’s a movement. In Truths, Vivek Ramaswamy explains exactly why that movement needs to succeed now more than ever. Our country’s future depends on it.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2024
547 people are currently reading
1577 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
September 26, 2024
Every chapter resonates into your soul as obvious truths
September 30, 2024
In Truths, he highlights ten fundamental truths that should never have become controversial yet somehow are in today’s world. It’s a sign of the times when we need a book to remind us that "There are two genders" or that "Reverse racism is racism."
As a non-American, I found the chapter on the U.S. Constitution especially interesting. Since I’m less familiar with it compared to the book’s intended audience, this section was particularly educational for me.
As a non-American, I found the chapter on the U.S. Constitution especially interesting. Since I’m less familiar with it compared to the book’s intended audience, this section was particularly educational for me.
October 12, 2025
I might not finish it, got recommended from a Google analytics or Amazon analytics 📊
It talks about climate change being a hoax and the science 🧬 not there. Or something
That the science is mix in review
It’s sort of post truth and pre truth on authoritarian pre truth and post truths being like tobacco smoke.
When lawsuits came about as smoking 🚬 was hazardous to your health. About post truth or truth.
Tobacco company said the science was disputed and it was the science was saying it was for your health
Even if tobacco companies knew it wasn’t for your health for a long, long time
A pre-truth of authoritarian and so when the science did come out that the tobacco companies knew for a long long time that wasn’t for your health and that they were mixing in bad science redundant science or Meta science to say it was for your health, the post truth is there’s a lot of lawsuits for fraud now against the law, legal tobacco companies
Same with climate change there’s a lot of climate change deniers it’s just putting money back into the billionaires poor people cheering for billionaires
The post and pre-truth
Is
There’s gonna be a lot of lawsuits over fraud over when these oil companies made a lot of Meta or redundant science saying that they didn’t think climate change existed when they knew it did
As if we can tell a damn in china 🇨🇳 can be so big it alters the hemisphere pole to tilt more. 99% of scientists agree climate change is real. I think that would put into perspective how small the world is and how you’ll always meet someone you know some where if not someone who knows them. And that globally all the vehicles on the planet 🌍 are effecting climate.
It’s a small planet that even billionaires want to win the first claim to the universe using such a small planet. 🌍 is
Further more a big matter that labour is not being paid but capital is.
Is a post truth and pre-truth
When oil companies say oh now it’s disputed every one knew climate change was happening and pass the billionaire problem to the public and say for the billionaires getting free propagandists on saying everyone knew from saying there’s no science 🧬 there saying climate change is real….
When it’s pre truth and post truth. I got this book 📕 from reading post truth by Lee McIntyre book after I finished reading that I got this book 📕 which is bit chaotic to say self discriminating book but more a propagandee to see how many liked the book.
The entire book is a lie.
And is not going to age well past a decade, if not sooner.
He puts religion in as a political bias
That a political bias will Trump religion bias every single time
The book is not a self help or more a self discriminating book.
The side true thought they’ll cough up the expense to the consumer for the climate change
Just like they did with tobacco
And mostly because it’s profitable when a climate change is gonna be more horrible
I’d rather have immigrants that pay $7 billion into economy than tobacco that puts 7 billion in tax revenue into the country
Said to be .004% of the problem in Medicare fraud
it’s not even fraud it’s just human decency that you wouldn’t let a person bleed out
That there’s actually even help for that
Why government shut down is a bunch of BS
The book talks in the first 15 minutes that the Republicans were for less for govern intervention for people, but not for corporations
And GOVT bailouts are not for people but for corporations
And the whole initiative was for the government to elect Trump for that
Reason
Is an anecdotal sentence.
The book writes itself like a fifth grader education library book that needs post truth by Lee McIntyre book to go with each other.
Probably will be in grade school text library for the bs
You’d hope that the same people who put it there are not going to age well in society if they don’t read both books together.
One would hope there is some kind of social cohesion that would connect the books. 📕
It talks about climate change being a hoax and the science 🧬 not there. Or something
That the science is mix in review
It’s sort of post truth and pre truth on authoritarian pre truth and post truths being like tobacco smoke.
When lawsuits came about as smoking 🚬 was hazardous to your health. About post truth or truth.
Tobacco company said the science was disputed and it was the science was saying it was for your health
Even if tobacco companies knew it wasn’t for your health for a long, long time
A pre-truth of authoritarian and so when the science did come out that the tobacco companies knew for a long long time that wasn’t for your health and that they were mixing in bad science redundant science or Meta science to say it was for your health, the post truth is there’s a lot of lawsuits for fraud now against the law, legal tobacco companies
Same with climate change there’s a lot of climate change deniers it’s just putting money back into the billionaires poor people cheering for billionaires
The post and pre-truth
Is
There’s gonna be a lot of lawsuits over fraud over when these oil companies made a lot of Meta or redundant science saying that they didn’t think climate change existed when they knew it did
As if we can tell a damn in china 🇨🇳 can be so big it alters the hemisphere pole to tilt more. 99% of scientists agree climate change is real. I think that would put into perspective how small the world is and how you’ll always meet someone you know some where if not someone who knows them. And that globally all the vehicles on the planet 🌍 are effecting climate.
It’s a small planet that even billionaires want to win the first claim to the universe using such a small planet. 🌍 is
Further more a big matter that labour is not being paid but capital is.
Is a post truth and pre-truth
When oil companies say oh now it’s disputed every one knew climate change was happening and pass the billionaire problem to the public and say for the billionaires getting free propagandists on saying everyone knew from saying there’s no science 🧬 there saying climate change is real….
When it’s pre truth and post truth. I got this book 📕 from reading post truth by Lee McIntyre book after I finished reading that I got this book 📕 which is bit chaotic to say self discriminating book but more a propagandee to see how many liked the book.
The entire book is a lie.
And is not going to age well past a decade, if not sooner.
He puts religion in as a political bias
That a political bias will Trump religion bias every single time
The book is not a self help or more a self discriminating book.
The side true thought they’ll cough up the expense to the consumer for the climate change
Just like they did with tobacco
And mostly because it’s profitable when a climate change is gonna be more horrible
I’d rather have immigrants that pay $7 billion into economy than tobacco that puts 7 billion in tax revenue into the country
Said to be .004% of the problem in Medicare fraud
it’s not even fraud it’s just human decency that you wouldn’t let a person bleed out
That there’s actually even help for that
Why government shut down is a bunch of BS
The book talks in the first 15 minutes that the Republicans were for less for govern intervention for people, but not for corporations
And GOVT bailouts are not for people but for corporations
And the whole initiative was for the government to elect Trump for that
Reason
Is an anecdotal sentence.
The book writes itself like a fifth grader education library book that needs post truth by Lee McIntyre book to go with each other.
Probably will be in grade school text library for the bs
You’d hope that the same people who put it there are not going to age well in society if they don’t read both books together.
One would hope there is some kind of social cohesion that would connect the books. 📕
October 5, 2024
Vivek is right on, if you add to this book Ken Ham’s book, One Blood, One Race much of today’s culture is made clear.
November 16, 2024
If you want a book on truths, don’t go to a politician. If you want a book to get nuanced analyses, this isn’t it. If you want to hear a politician this is your book.
Some interesting arguments with a lot of slanted examples. The amount of time faith is used to prove god is real. The consolation that more people die from freezing than heat was great. Maybe check the facts on COVID meds and black people to learn why they were prioritized? Spoiler (more underserved = fewer with availability to meds). These are a few examples that come to mind of skewed and poorly used arguments.
Still some interesting ideas that could be beneficial. I wish the book was called “ideas” instead of “truths” as all of these subjects deserve a much deeper exploration than what is provided here.
Some interesting arguments with a lot of slanted examples. The amount of time faith is used to prove god is real. The consolation that more people die from freezing than heat was great. Maybe check the facts on COVID meds and black people to learn why they were prioritized? Spoiler (more underserved = fewer with availability to meds). These are a few examples that come to mind of skewed and poorly used arguments.
Still some interesting ideas that could be beneficial. I wish the book was called “ideas” instead of “truths” as all of these subjects deserve a much deeper exploration than what is provided here.
June 3, 2025
This book is straightforward and easy to follow. A lot of what Vivek Ramaswamy talks about here is the same stuff he brought up during his presidential campaign. I really like him—he’s honest and doesn’t come off like your usual politician. I’d love to see him win Governor of Ohio, and honestly, I hope he runs for president again someday.
October 31, 2024
This book, I believe, is a must read for anyone who cares about the country and where it’s going as a whole. Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2024 presidential candidate, lays out 10 truths that might be seemingly common sense but have been twisted and used as fuel against things we have know in this country for 250 years. From God is real to there’s only 2 genders to facts are not conspiracies Vivek lays out many talking points you can bring to to dinner table and return us to be able to discuss and debate our disagreements and walk away still respecting the people we eat with.
Please read this book and ask me about it!
Please read this book and ask me about it!
January 7, 2025
I knew that the train wreck was happening but I could not look away. Thankfully, all it cost was a few minutes of precious time and one library book that was quickly returned. This should be shelved under propaganda. The only place that this should be called “Truths” is the upside down. Just a wealthy privileged person looking for more power and attention.
December 7, 2024
Should be required reading at all American high schools.
September 7, 2025
Vivek Ramaswamy, at the time of writing Truths, serves as a de facto ideologist of the MAGA movement, articulating ten principles for an American nationalist-populist movement based on his campaign experience. Since then, his personal identity and civic view of American identity have made him a more divisive figure, even among nationalists. He distinguishes between a national libertarian vision, which he favors, and a national paternalist vision. Both agree on the ten principles but diverge on policy—libertarians advocate tariffs to achieve freer trade and dismantle the regulatory state, while paternalists support trade protectionism and proactive industry regulation. These differences also touch on civic versus ethnic nationalism. In the chapter on the nuclear family, Ramaswamy endorses pro-family policies, arguing families are less susceptible to perverse incentives than business interests or even national identity.
The Ten Principles
1. God is real. Initially phrased as “there is a God,” which seemed inclusive of polytheism, Ramaswamy clarifies a monotheistic (or panentheistic) stance as reflecting his personal faith. This principle posits belief in a higher power as central to the American creed, historically and for most Americans, without excluding atheists. It acknowledges the diverse beliefs of the Founders—Jefferson’s deism, the Adams’s unitarianism—protected by the First Amendment, rejecting the notion that only Christianity defines the American creed.
2. The climate change agenda is a hoax. Refining the more tenuous “climate change is a hoax,” this principle critiques the agenda’s cost-benefit flaws. Ramaswamy acknowledges anthropogenic climate change but emphasizes fossil fuels’ benefits (fewer climate deaths, CO2 as plant food) and faults the agenda for exempting high emitters like China, pushing redistribution (e.g., Paris Accord), and ignoring solutions like fracking, nuclear energy, and private innovation (e.g., Tesla). Libertarians and paternalists unite in opposing mandates and subsidies.
3. An open border is not a border. Ramaswamy critiques chain and lottery immigration systems, favoring a skills-based approach over moratoriums or national quotas. He opposes birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants, arguing the 14th Amendment’s “subject to the jurisdiction” clause excludes them, as Wong Kim Ark (1898) applied to children of legal residents. This stance remains unadjudicated for illegal immigrants’ children but aligns with both scalar and categorical views of citizenship discussed later.
4. There are two genders. Ramaswamy asserts biological sex (male or female) as the norm, with intersex conditions as rare exceptions and gender dysphoria as a mental health issue. He has publicly called transgenderism a mental illness, a harsher moral judgment, unlike his clinical framing of gender dysphoria here. He advocates respect for individuals but opposes gender affirmation for minors as cruelty not compassion, mandatory pronouns as compelled speech, and the idea that gender is mutable, arguing these erode the immutability of sex and sexual orientation. There is an implied tension of libertarian and right-populist orientations here: parental and individual rights on the one hand versus the views of the majority and their religious-moral foundations on the other.
5. There are three branches of the U.S. government, not four. The “managerial state”—an extra-constitutional ruling class combining legislative and executive power—violates constitutional principles, enabled by judicial deference and civil service reforms. Ramaswamy argues the president and cabinet should control the executive branch, with mass firings permissible despite individual civil service protections downstream.
6. The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance. Ramaswamy views the family as society’s cornerstone, producing positive externalities that reduce government’s role. He cites the U.S. military’s pro-family policies (e.g., benefits for married couples) as a model of racial equality and effective governance alongside Hungary’s reduction of abortions with generous family policies, justifying government support for families.
7. Reverse racism is racism. Echoing Woke, Inc which I wrote a review of., this principle condemns discrimination disguised as equity as inherently racist.
8. Nationalism isn’t a bad word. Ramaswamy defines nationalism through “Americanness,” distinguishing scalar nationalism (proximity to a founding ethnic-religious stock) from categorical nationalism (fidelity to the Constitution). He champions civic nationalism, comparing it to Rome, though I’d argue this reflects Rome’s multicultural empire, not its participatory republic, giving civic nationalism imperial roots. Ramaswamy proposes a civics test for all Americans, like that for naturalized citizens, which could be administered in high school (ten questions, six correct). He also opposes dual citizenship in principle, favoring singular allegiance but allowing a compromise via an oath-like commitment. These proposals spark controversy, even among nationalists, with nativists rejecting the civics test as underminingfor inherent citizenship rights.
9. Facts are not conspiracies. Addressing controversies like 9/11, January 6, and COVID-19’s impact on civil liberties, Ramaswamy distinguishes credible evidence from reckless speculation. Open discussion, he argues, is essential to debunk false conspiracies.
10. The U.S. Constitution is the strongest guarantor of freedom in history. This conclusion reinforces rejection of the “managerial state” (Principle 5) and the cult of expertise. Ramaswamy stresses that the U.S. was not founded by specialists and warns against compromising constitutional fidelity for short-term gains like pro-Palestinian speech on campus.
Reflections: Moral Tensions and Cultural Limits
Ramaswamy’s Truths offers a compelling vision for a nationalist-populist movement, navigating tensions between libertarian and paternalist perspectives on issues like trade, immigration, and national identity. Yet, a deeper fault line emerges in Principles 1 (“God is real”) and 4 (“There are two genders”), which anchor American identity in moral-religious principles that resonate with the MAGA base but might alienate secular minded readers. Meanwhile Ramaswamy’s libertarian-civic nationalism, emphasizing individual autonomy and constitutional fidelity, clashes with the right-populist reliance on majority religious-moral norms, a tension he explores less thoroughly than policy divides.
This moral-cultural divide also limits Ramaswamy’s appeal within the MAGA coalition. His Hindu faith, while consistent with his civic nationalist ideal, has proven a barrier for some supporters, as illustrated by an Iowan voter who admired him but couldn’t back him in the caucus due to his religion—a rejection not faced by Nikki Haley, an Indian-American Christian. This suggests that the MAGA movement, despite embracing civic nationalism rhetorically, often expects Christian alignment, exposing the limits of Ramaswamy’s universalist approach. By leaning into moral-religious principles to energize the base, Ramaswamy risks alienating both secular outsiders and culturally conservative insiders, narrowing the reach of his otherwise ambitious framework. For those like me, drawn to his ideas but leaning more populist than strict conservative or libertarian, these unresolved tensions highlight the challenge of uniting a diverse nation under a single creed.
The Ten Principles
1. God is real. Initially phrased as “there is a God,” which seemed inclusive of polytheism, Ramaswamy clarifies a monotheistic (or panentheistic) stance as reflecting his personal faith. This principle posits belief in a higher power as central to the American creed, historically and for most Americans, without excluding atheists. It acknowledges the diverse beliefs of the Founders—Jefferson’s deism, the Adams’s unitarianism—protected by the First Amendment, rejecting the notion that only Christianity defines the American creed.
2. The climate change agenda is a hoax. Refining the more tenuous “climate change is a hoax,” this principle critiques the agenda’s cost-benefit flaws. Ramaswamy acknowledges anthropogenic climate change but emphasizes fossil fuels’ benefits (fewer climate deaths, CO2 as plant food) and faults the agenda for exempting high emitters like China, pushing redistribution (e.g., Paris Accord), and ignoring solutions like fracking, nuclear energy, and private innovation (e.g., Tesla). Libertarians and paternalists unite in opposing mandates and subsidies.
3. An open border is not a border. Ramaswamy critiques chain and lottery immigration systems, favoring a skills-based approach over moratoriums or national quotas. He opposes birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants, arguing the 14th Amendment’s “subject to the jurisdiction” clause excludes them, as Wong Kim Ark (1898) applied to children of legal residents. This stance remains unadjudicated for illegal immigrants’ children but aligns with both scalar and categorical views of citizenship discussed later.
4. There are two genders. Ramaswamy asserts biological sex (male or female) as the norm, with intersex conditions as rare exceptions and gender dysphoria as a mental health issue. He has publicly called transgenderism a mental illness, a harsher moral judgment, unlike his clinical framing of gender dysphoria here. He advocates respect for individuals but opposes gender affirmation for minors as cruelty not compassion, mandatory pronouns as compelled speech, and the idea that gender is mutable, arguing these erode the immutability of sex and sexual orientation. There is an implied tension of libertarian and right-populist orientations here: parental and individual rights on the one hand versus the views of the majority and their religious-moral foundations on the other.
5. There are three branches of the U.S. government, not four. The “managerial state”—an extra-constitutional ruling class combining legislative and executive power—violates constitutional principles, enabled by judicial deference and civil service reforms. Ramaswamy argues the president and cabinet should control the executive branch, with mass firings permissible despite individual civil service protections downstream.
6. The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance. Ramaswamy views the family as society’s cornerstone, producing positive externalities that reduce government’s role. He cites the U.S. military’s pro-family policies (e.g., benefits for married couples) as a model of racial equality and effective governance alongside Hungary’s reduction of abortions with generous family policies, justifying government support for families.
7. Reverse racism is racism. Echoing Woke, Inc which I wrote a review of., this principle condemns discrimination disguised as equity as inherently racist.
8. Nationalism isn’t a bad word. Ramaswamy defines nationalism through “Americanness,” distinguishing scalar nationalism (proximity to a founding ethnic-religious stock) from categorical nationalism (fidelity to the Constitution). He champions civic nationalism, comparing it to Rome, though I’d argue this reflects Rome’s multicultural empire, not its participatory republic, giving civic nationalism imperial roots. Ramaswamy proposes a civics test for all Americans, like that for naturalized citizens, which could be administered in high school (ten questions, six correct). He also opposes dual citizenship in principle, favoring singular allegiance but allowing a compromise via an oath-like commitment. These proposals spark controversy, even among nationalists, with nativists rejecting the civics test as underminingfor inherent citizenship rights.
9. Facts are not conspiracies. Addressing controversies like 9/11, January 6, and COVID-19’s impact on civil liberties, Ramaswamy distinguishes credible evidence from reckless speculation. Open discussion, he argues, is essential to debunk false conspiracies.
10. The U.S. Constitution is the strongest guarantor of freedom in history. This conclusion reinforces rejection of the “managerial state” (Principle 5) and the cult of expertise. Ramaswamy stresses that the U.S. was not founded by specialists and warns against compromising constitutional fidelity for short-term gains like pro-Palestinian speech on campus.
Reflections: Moral Tensions and Cultural Limits
Ramaswamy’s Truths offers a compelling vision for a nationalist-populist movement, navigating tensions between libertarian and paternalist perspectives on issues like trade, immigration, and national identity. Yet, a deeper fault line emerges in Principles 1 (“God is real”) and 4 (“There are two genders”), which anchor American identity in moral-religious principles that resonate with the MAGA base but might alienate secular minded readers. Meanwhile Ramaswamy’s libertarian-civic nationalism, emphasizing individual autonomy and constitutional fidelity, clashes with the right-populist reliance on majority religious-moral norms, a tension he explores less thoroughly than policy divides.
This moral-cultural divide also limits Ramaswamy’s appeal within the MAGA coalition. His Hindu faith, while consistent with his civic nationalist ideal, has proven a barrier for some supporters, as illustrated by an Iowan voter who admired him but couldn’t back him in the caucus due to his religion—a rejection not faced by Nikki Haley, an Indian-American Christian. This suggests that the MAGA movement, despite embracing civic nationalism rhetorically, often expects Christian alignment, exposing the limits of Ramaswamy’s universalist approach. By leaning into moral-religious principles to energize the base, Ramaswamy risks alienating both secular outsiders and culturally conservative insiders, narrowing the reach of his otherwise ambitious framework. For those like me, drawn to his ideas but leaning more populist than strict conservative or libertarian, these unresolved tensions highlight the challenge of uniting a diverse nation under a single creed.
November 8, 2024
Ramaswamy did a fabulous job with this book. Each of the 10 truths shared are explained in such straightforward and scholarly way. I especially appreciated the chapter about The Constitution. Talk about the perfect time for this book to become available to me on Libby- of course this book is not for all, depending on your political views.
November 10, 2024
Vivek goes back to basics.
How to rebuild America is to remind themselves how the country was originally built.
There are basic truths behind what made America and Vivek lists them chapter by chapter.
Moving away from fringe issues that weakening divide the country.
Letting a truth stand to challenge a lie and be tested without censorship.
Vivek as usual is inspirational.
How to rebuild America is to remind themselves how the country was originally built.
There are basic truths behind what made America and Vivek lists them chapter by chapter.
Moving away from fringe issues that weakening divide the country.
Letting a truth stand to challenge a lie and be tested without censorship.
Vivek as usual is inspirational.
October 9, 2024
Highly recommend. Such a great book, I can't wait to read his other books. Each chapter is about a truth and his analysis of those truths were very well done. 10/10
November 21, 2024
I loved the 5 points to remember at the end of each chapter. Spot on- hopefully our next President.
March 3, 2025
How could you not want to become a proud American after reading this book. 🙏🏼 From Europe, thank you, Vivek.
January 3, 2025
#OUABC 2025 Reading Challenge: 40 Prompts (13. A nonfiction book)
4 Stars • "Truths: The Future of America First" by Vivek Ramaswamy is a book where the author, a former presidential candidate, outlines his vision for the conservative movement. It critiques the modern Republican Party for failing to articulate a clear alternative to progressive policies and emphasizes bringing the nation together through principles like country over politics, merit over grievance, and truth over lies. Ramaswamy advocates for economic growth, ending affirmative action, declaring independence from China, shutting down certain government agencies, and ending the weaponization of government.
#Truths #VivekRamaswamy #Bookish
4 Stars • "Truths: The Future of America First" by Vivek Ramaswamy is a book where the author, a former presidential candidate, outlines his vision for the conservative movement. It critiques the modern Republican Party for failing to articulate a clear alternative to progressive policies and emphasizes bringing the nation together through principles like country over politics, merit over grievance, and truth over lies. Ramaswamy advocates for economic growth, ending affirmative action, declaring independence from China, shutting down certain government agencies, and ending the weaponization of government.
#Truths #VivekRamaswamy #Bookish
Read
March 11, 2025this was entertaining, to say the least.
there are some truths that i agree with, like believing in God culturally, the importance of nuclear families for stability, and in general of being pro-capitalism (high school iris would be *distraught*). the way vivek phrases some of these truths unabashedly got me chuckling sometimes because i can't believe people think like that, but then i have to step back and remind myself of who i'm surrounded by. ultimately, this was still a valuable read to understand how a silent majority of americans think.
there are some truths that i agree with, like believing in God culturally, the importance of nuclear families for stability, and in general of being pro-capitalism (high school iris would be *distraught*). the way vivek phrases some of these truths unabashedly got me chuckling sometimes because i can't believe people think like that, but then i have to step back and remind myself of who i'm surrounded by. ultimately, this was still a valuable read to understand how a silent majority of americans think.
October 30, 2024
Audiobook:
Lots of really solid information and an all around interesting read. However, I really hate how companies don’t let the actual author read their own book??? CMON BRUH! Especially someone like Vivek who is known for being incredibly articulate. Would be five stars if read by actual author ✍️ 😮💨
Lots of really solid information and an all around interesting read. However, I really hate how companies don’t let the actual author read their own book??? CMON BRUH! Especially someone like Vivek who is known for being incredibly articulate. Would be five stars if read by actual author ✍️ 😮💨
December 2, 2024
[audio] I just agree with virtually all of his points. I think Vivek is brilliant and well spoken and all of these points were well developed and argued.
April 27, 2025
An interesting book on our current political climate.
August 22, 2025
Great read and great view points backed with solid resources. The only reason I give it 3 stars is that it becomes so information based at times which can make it a feel like a slow read. If 3.5 stars was an option that’s what I’d give it. Would recommend.
December 8, 2024
Good (audiobook)
January 2, 2025
Eye opening book that explains some very fixable issues that impact us all. I believe this to be a book that establishes some hope for our amazing country.
November 21, 2024
"Relentlessly criticizing the hypocrisies of the other side will only get us so far. Fighting against someone is different than fighting for your own cause."
"Truth isn't relative. It isn't dispensable. It isn't an inconvenience. Truth is vital. It's the only thing that matters in the end. The truth is what sets us free."
"Your convictions mean nothing unless you're willing to sacrifice to defend them."
"In general people are not crazy and we tend to agree on more things than we disagree on. The important thing is that we talk to each other and refuse to allow certain topics be taken out of the realm of free and open debate. This doesn't hurt anyone."
"The family is the first form of community and government. It is the first, best and original department of health, education and welfare. Strong families provide the foundation for strong civic institutions, strong churches, strong communities and ultimately strong cities, strong states and strong nations."
"This is what used to be called common sense. But when you use common sense too early you risk being labeled a conspiracy theorist."
"The larger problem with all of this, he said, is the inability to discuss things that are within the realm of possibility without falling into absolutes and litmus testing each other for our political allegiances as it arose from that."
"The term conspiracy theorist is now wielded in the same manner as terms like racist, homophobe and climate denier as a way to silence legitimate descent rather than to engage with it directly."
"Truth isn't relative. It isn't dispensable. It isn't an inconvenience. Truth is vital. It's the only thing that matters in the end. The truth is what sets us free."
"Your convictions mean nothing unless you're willing to sacrifice to defend them."
"In general people are not crazy and we tend to agree on more things than we disagree on. The important thing is that we talk to each other and refuse to allow certain topics be taken out of the realm of free and open debate. This doesn't hurt anyone."
"The family is the first form of community and government. It is the first, best and original department of health, education and welfare. Strong families provide the foundation for strong civic institutions, strong churches, strong communities and ultimately strong cities, strong states and strong nations."
"This is what used to be called common sense. But when you use common sense too early you risk being labeled a conspiracy theorist."
"The larger problem with all of this, he said, is the inability to discuss things that are within the realm of possibility without falling into absolutes and litmus testing each other for our political allegiances as it arose from that."
"The term conspiracy theorist is now wielded in the same manner as terms like racist, homophobe and climate denier as a way to silence legitimate descent rather than to engage with it directly."
November 27, 2024
Loved this book! Mr. Ramaswamy's intelligent portrayal of the current country challenges was very much appreciated. I will definitely be reading more of his books and so glad he will be intimately involved in this current administration.
November 20, 2024
I was intrigued because of an Ezra Klein podcast interview with Ramaswamy, where he quickly spun intellectual scaffolding from detailed policy issues and extensive knowledge of the particulars of government, and was devilishly good at keeping clear of any probing questions. This book, however, is by another author who writes platitudes like "God is real" and "The Cliamte Change Agenda Is A Hoax" and then fluffs them out with pleasant punditry in pursuit of election to be President. One is the mask for the other. Watch out.
February 16, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Most of it should be common sense, but as they say...common sense is NOT common. Here are my favorite discussion points/take-aways:
What exactly do we stand for? We stand for TRUTH. The modern left has abandoned truth, often dismissing it as an inconvenient social construct. However, truth isn’t relative. It isn’t dispensable. It isn’t an inconvenience. It’s vital. It’s the only thing that matters in the end. The truth is what sets us free.
Ten truths: 1) God is real, 2) The climate change agenda is a hoax, 3) An open border is not a border, 4) There are two genders, 5) There are three branches of the US government, not four, 6) The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind, 7) Reverse racism is racism, 8) Nationalism isn’t a bad word, 9) Facts are not conspiracies, and 10) The US constitution is the strongest guarantor of freedom in history.
*Your convictions mean nothing unless you’re willing to sacrifice to defend them.
*Currently there is a manufactured cultural hostility towards people of faith- our culture’s turn away from God is unfortunate because it is a turn away from truth- and an abandonment of one of America’s founding convictions (also discusses here college campuses…or anywhere… and you will find a generation of depressed young people, searching for meaning. There’s more to life than the aimless passage of time, iPhones, and antidepressants). In America today, the most oppressive religions of all are the ones that masquerade in the garb of science or reason.
*For those who argue for illegal/migrant rights (to be the same as ours): The obligation of a nation run not only primarily, but exclusively, to its citizens. That is what makes a nation a nation.
*In the name of protecting technical experts from political retaliation, we have inadvertently created an entirely new class of politically UNACCOUNTABLE bureaucrats who can’t be fired even for failing to do the very job they’re hired to do (4th branch of gov’t – deep state). That’s the shadow gov’t in a nutshell- millions of bureaucrats who were never elected to their positions exercising far greater political power than most elected representatives do. Today nearly four million federal bureaucrats escape all forms of political accountability, even as they defy the political will of the electorate. Therefore, the people we elect to run the government are no longer the ones who actually run the government.
*”The ultimate privilege is not financial: it’s having two parents in the home- a mother and a father- instilling a focus on education and a belief in God.” You cannot successfully address racial inequality with racial quotes. The root cause of that inequality is broken families that set up many kids for disadvantages in life long before they ever enter kindergarten. And unfortunately, today’s culture not only accepts but celebrates the destruction of the American family. “Modern Family” has replaced “Leave it to Beaver” in defining what today’s family unit “should” look like. Marriage is considered an oppressive institution driven by the patriarchy, its goal purely to “disempower women and keep old hierarchies in tact.” Divorce is now an “act of radical self love.” Common sense suggests that children do best when raised by both parents who are married to one another. So does the evidence. Ben Carson wrote a whole book on it: children in fatherless homes are 4x more likely to experience poverty, suffer from obesity, become pregnant as a teen, or drop out of high school. 71% of high school dropouts and 85% of children with behavioral disorders are from fatherless homes. Absent fathers increase the likelihood of drug use, theft, attacks, and arrests. A child who grows up w/o two married parents is more likely to wind up in jail than get a college degree. For children raised within a nuclear family, the outcomes are reversed. This shouldn’t be a surprise. With two parents, there is, on average, twice as many resources (love, time, money, attention). Obviously, some children are able to defy the odds, but the odds are still against them. ***Great analogy: There are a lot of teachers who molest kids, but we as a society don’t abandon schools as an institution. The same is true of abusive spouses. They should be imprisoned and forced to stay far away from ex-wives and children. But the existence of abusive men does not require the abandonment of marriage as an institution.
*Strong families create strong nations, reducing the need for an expansive welfare state and gov’t intervention in personal lives. States with higher marriage rates see more economic growth, less poverty, and lower crime rates. A state’s share of married parents is a better predictor of economic health than race or education levels.
*Facts are not conspiracies: the left has denied the existence of facts and truths and if you call them out for it, you risk being tarred with punitive labels. This has the effect of systematically stifling dissent. Over time, that results in the public acceptance of falsehoods over the truth. This has become a larger pattern to discredit anyone who asks questions. Now, rather than welcome transparency and open debate, the response of the left is to simply denounce anyone who dares to ask questions. FREE SPEECH is the path to truth (this is why they are trying to limit/redefine what it is- so they can determine what is spoken/heard/accepted). The Constitution expressly enumerates rights that the will of the people cannot overturn- even if a majority wish to do so at a given moment (that is why the left wants to redo the constitution- to their whims). The temptation to alter these rights can often be great. That’s why our founders worked so hard to ensure that the document was immune to majoritarian whims. Liberty, truth, peace: all three go together and free speech is the through line that connects them. Those that argue that the constitution is outdated: Our contemporary problem isn’t the Constitution. It’s that we’re failing to follow it- because we misunderstand it, lawmakers and ordinary citizens alike.
*Change is not always good. Some societal changes reflect a deviation from truth, the opposite of progress. So many leftists are just lost: First it was the BLM flag, next it was the gay pride flag, next it was the Ukraine flag, then it was the Palestinian flag. They are hungry to be part of something bigger than themselves, but they can’t even answer what it means to be an American.
What exactly do we stand for? We stand for TRUTH. The modern left has abandoned truth, often dismissing it as an inconvenient social construct. However, truth isn’t relative. It isn’t dispensable. It isn’t an inconvenience. It’s vital. It’s the only thing that matters in the end. The truth is what sets us free.
Ten truths: 1) God is real, 2) The climate change agenda is a hoax, 3) An open border is not a border, 4) There are two genders, 5) There are three branches of the US government, not four, 6) The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind, 7) Reverse racism is racism, 8) Nationalism isn’t a bad word, 9) Facts are not conspiracies, and 10) The US constitution is the strongest guarantor of freedom in history.
*Your convictions mean nothing unless you’re willing to sacrifice to defend them.
*Currently there is a manufactured cultural hostility towards people of faith- our culture’s turn away from God is unfortunate because it is a turn away from truth- and an abandonment of one of America’s founding convictions (also discusses here college campuses…or anywhere… and you will find a generation of depressed young people, searching for meaning. There’s more to life than the aimless passage of time, iPhones, and antidepressants). In America today, the most oppressive religions of all are the ones that masquerade in the garb of science or reason.
*For those who argue for illegal/migrant rights (to be the same as ours): The obligation of a nation run not only primarily, but exclusively, to its citizens. That is what makes a nation a nation.
*In the name of protecting technical experts from political retaliation, we have inadvertently created an entirely new class of politically UNACCOUNTABLE bureaucrats who can’t be fired even for failing to do the very job they’re hired to do (4th branch of gov’t – deep state). That’s the shadow gov’t in a nutshell- millions of bureaucrats who were never elected to their positions exercising far greater political power than most elected representatives do. Today nearly four million federal bureaucrats escape all forms of political accountability, even as they defy the political will of the electorate. Therefore, the people we elect to run the government are no longer the ones who actually run the government.
*”The ultimate privilege is not financial: it’s having two parents in the home- a mother and a father- instilling a focus on education and a belief in God.” You cannot successfully address racial inequality with racial quotes. The root cause of that inequality is broken families that set up many kids for disadvantages in life long before they ever enter kindergarten. And unfortunately, today’s culture not only accepts but celebrates the destruction of the American family. “Modern Family” has replaced “Leave it to Beaver” in defining what today’s family unit “should” look like. Marriage is considered an oppressive institution driven by the patriarchy, its goal purely to “disempower women and keep old hierarchies in tact.” Divorce is now an “act of radical self love.” Common sense suggests that children do best when raised by both parents who are married to one another. So does the evidence. Ben Carson wrote a whole book on it: children in fatherless homes are 4x more likely to experience poverty, suffer from obesity, become pregnant as a teen, or drop out of high school. 71% of high school dropouts and 85% of children with behavioral disorders are from fatherless homes. Absent fathers increase the likelihood of drug use, theft, attacks, and arrests. A child who grows up w/o two married parents is more likely to wind up in jail than get a college degree. For children raised within a nuclear family, the outcomes are reversed. This shouldn’t be a surprise. With two parents, there is, on average, twice as many resources (love, time, money, attention). Obviously, some children are able to defy the odds, but the odds are still against them. ***Great analogy: There are a lot of teachers who molest kids, but we as a society don’t abandon schools as an institution. The same is true of abusive spouses. They should be imprisoned and forced to stay far away from ex-wives and children. But the existence of abusive men does not require the abandonment of marriage as an institution.
*Strong families create strong nations, reducing the need for an expansive welfare state and gov’t intervention in personal lives. States with higher marriage rates see more economic growth, less poverty, and lower crime rates. A state’s share of married parents is a better predictor of economic health than race or education levels.
*Facts are not conspiracies: the left has denied the existence of facts and truths and if you call them out for it, you risk being tarred with punitive labels. This has the effect of systematically stifling dissent. Over time, that results in the public acceptance of falsehoods over the truth. This has become a larger pattern to discredit anyone who asks questions. Now, rather than welcome transparency and open debate, the response of the left is to simply denounce anyone who dares to ask questions. FREE SPEECH is the path to truth (this is why they are trying to limit/redefine what it is- so they can determine what is spoken/heard/accepted). The Constitution expressly enumerates rights that the will of the people cannot overturn- even if a majority wish to do so at a given moment (that is why the left wants to redo the constitution- to their whims). The temptation to alter these rights can often be great. That’s why our founders worked so hard to ensure that the document was immune to majoritarian whims. Liberty, truth, peace: all three go together and free speech is the through line that connects them. Those that argue that the constitution is outdated: Our contemporary problem isn’t the Constitution. It’s that we’re failing to follow it- because we misunderstand it, lawmakers and ordinary citizens alike.
*Change is not always good. Some societal changes reflect a deviation from truth, the opposite of progress. So many leftists are just lost: First it was the BLM flag, next it was the gay pride flag, next it was the Ukraine flag, then it was the Palestinian flag. They are hungry to be part of something bigger than themselves, but they can’t even answer what it means to be an American.
October 28, 2024
Overall great book discussing 10 main issues that threaten America. I loved this book because it talked about political issues without getting to the politics of them. Quick read but a needed read to back arguments of the conservative movement.
October 21, 2024
Vivek Ramaswamy makes many interesting points in the book. The country needs to use common sense in their decisions.
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