In the midst of all the headlines from the campaign trail, our friend Mark Levin’s Ameritopia continues to glide along, now number two atop the New York Times Bestseller List almost a full two months after its January release.

Why note this?

In this space we are big believers in “cultural indicators” — those things ongoing in American life that do not appear, at first glance, to have anything to do with, say, this or that presidential campaign.

Levin’s Ameritopia is a detailed history of the lure of utopia that is at the very core of leftist thought. The idea that a society composed of imperfect human beings can somehow produce a perfect world – a utopia. Or, in the case of American leftists, “Ameritopia.” The idea of such a perfect world, from Plato to Obamacare, is of course fatally flawed, although that has never stopped the witch doctors of the left from trying to sell it just one more time. Always at the expense of your liberty.

Listening to the Republican presidential candidates as they crisscross the country in search of votes one is struck by the fact that each in their own fashion they are verbalizing the central point of Ameritopia, whether the issue is the economy, health care, energy, entitlements or what have you. Doubtless millions of Americans understand this as well, which is why Levin’s book is still riding high months after its release.

Now comes yet another great review of Ameritopia, this one by the always-astute Andrew McCarthy of National Review. His take of Ameritopia and its importance can be found here over at the New Criterion.

Why is this important to read? Why both McCarthy’s review of Levin and most importantly Levin’s Ameritopia itself?

What is really being discussed as Romney, Santorum, Newt and Ron Paul slog from state to state is some semblance of this question, as posed by McCarthy:

The stark question Mark Levin poses is whether we are so far gone that the losses are permanent. Do we throw off Ameritopia and pivot back toward liberty and self-determination?

Good question. As a matter of fact, THE question of 2012.

The fact that Ameritopia is such a huge bestseller — as was predicted in this space back in January — is a hopeful sign that more and more Americans are on to the left’s game.

And a terrifying game it is.

The continuing popularity of Mark Levin’s Ameritopia holds out hope the game is over. The game is over.