Free Republic

There is an important piece of information contained in Federalist #84 that I would like to highlight: It has been several times truly remarked that bills of rights are, in their origin, stipulations between kings and their subjects, abridgements of prerogative in favor of privilege, reservations of rights not surrendered to the prince. Such was MAGNA CHARTA, obtained by the barons, sword in hand, from King John. Such were the subsequent confirmations of that charter by succeeding princes. Such was the Petition of Right assented to by Charles I., in the beginning of his reign. Such, also, was the Declaration...

If you study John Dewey on the surface, much of his history has been brushed away. But if you really go digging, you will find out about two of Dewey's early radical colleagues, those being Corydon and Franklin Ford. (Moreso Franklin than Corydon) In his book "The Child of Democracy: Being the Adventures of the Embryo State", Corydon La Ford recounts some of the relationship between the Fords and John Dewey. What's written on page 174 is just odd: Professor Dewey, of Philosophy, sawed with me on the schools and welcomed the proposition of a new economy in the State...

THE SCHOOL AS SOCIAL CENTEROCTOBER, 1902 An address delivered before the National Council of Education, Minneapolis, Minn., July, 1902. According to the character of my invitation to speak to you, I shall confine myself to the philosophy of the school as a social center. I accept the invitation with pleasure, but at the same time I do not feel that the philosophical aspect of the matter is the urgent or important one. The pressing thing, the significant thing, is really to make the school a social center; that is a matter of practice, not of theory. Just what to do...

NATIONALIZING EDUCATIONJOHN DEWEY, PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, N.Y.The words "nation" and "national" have two quite different meanings. We cannot profitably discuss the nationalizing of education unless we are clear as to the difference between the two. For one meaning indicates something desirable, something to be cultivated by education, while the other stands for something to be avoided as an evil plague. The idea which has given the movement toward nationality which has been such a feature of the last century its social vitality, is the consciousness of a community of history and purpose larger than that of...

IMHO, One of the worst unintended consequences of the mischaracterization of the US Constitution as 'living' is that it urges a response to what is the readily-available/exact opposite. The problem is, the United States Constitution is not a dead constitution. To illustrate, I would like to make a list of dead constitutions for you in the hopes that it will help set up what may be a proper comparison. The Constitution of Rome, is a dead constitution. The Solonian Constitution, is a dead constitution. The Constitution of Prussia, is a dead constitution. (All three of them) The Constitution of Burma,...

Here's another story that I am Johnny-come-lately on: Anarchists Deface Plymouth RockTo me, a story like this is a great opportunity to further educate about the history of progressivism. Anarchists are completely different from conservatives, but that has never stopped progressives from mixing the two and it hasn't for 100 years. I had a lot of fun putting that post together, I encourage everybody to lift and use all of the original sources for your own benefit. You don't have to click that link. Here they are again, the original sources. Harry Reid says: (video) When I was in school,...

How many of you missed this story? EPA overrides Congress, hands over town to Indian tribesHere's the first paragraph: Have you heard the story of the residents of Riverton, Wyo.? One day they were Wyomingans, the next they were members of the Wind River tribes — after the Environmental Protection Agency declared the town part of the Wind River Indian Reservation, undoing a 1905 law passed by Congress and angering state officials. But here's how I read it: Have you heard the story of the residents of Riverton, Wyo.? One day they were Wyomingans, the next they were members of...

Does being unwritten make the British Constitution a living and breathing document?Most conservatives resist the notion that the Constitution is a living and breathing document. But perhaps the notion is worth a second look if you just ask the following question: Which constitution? Once you decide to start comparing constitutions you might be surprised at your findings. There are living Constitutions out there, they just don't apply to the United States of America. This article is built around three goals. First, to highlight a small piece of the history of Progressivism and how it relates to what’s written. Second, to...

"The subtlest and most pervasive of all influences ere those which create and maintain the repertory of stereotypes. We are told about the world before we see it. We imagine most things before we experience them. And those preconceptions, unless education has made us acutely aware, govern deeply the whole process of perception." - Walter Lippmann, "Public Opinion", page 89. So who creates and controls these preconceptions? Journalists do, and he knows it. He says so on page 355: It is a problem of provoking feeling in the reader, of inducing him to feel a sense of personal identification with...

As a continuation of my prior post, I want to point out some more things I have found. This will further highlight the importance of Lippmann's ideas among the journalistic world - not because I say they're important, but because journalists themselves say or write it. One of the things I mentioned in the prior post was that the Harvard School of Journalism has a monument to Walter Lippmann, right on their campus. That's a fairly profound statement on their behalf of what their view of Lippmann was. They also proudly proclaim it: That’s our home, Lippmann House, above in...

New audiobook release: Public Opinion, by Walter Lippmann "You want to know why journalism doesn't get it? You know why journalism isn't on top of it? Because they have read Walter Lippmann." - Glenn Beck, May 27th, 2010. The implication here is that if you want to understand the foundational corruption of the institution of journalism, you should be reading Walter Lippmann. They are. Now you have a new option on the table. Listen to it. This book consists of 28 chapters, all 28 are now freely downloadable. More than anything else, this is what the progressingamerica project is all...

The Slavery Party(title reference) The Slavery Party, full text, from a larger untitled speech. May, 1853. MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: The resolution upon which I propose to make a few remarks respects the present condition and the future prospects of the whole colored people of the United States. The subject is a great one, and opens ample scope for thought and feeling. I feel a diffidence in undertaking its consideration for two causes: first, my own incompetence to do it justice; and the second is, the peculiar relation subsisting between me and the audience I am to address. Sir,...

In his 1908 book "Constitutional Government in the United States", Woodrow Wilson uses a line that could be easy to overlook, but it is a crucial point. On page 69, Wilson writes the following: The Presidents who have not made themselves leaders have lived no more truly on that account in the spirit of the Constitution than those whose force has told in the determination of law and policy. No doubt Andrew Jackson overstepped the bounds meant to be set to the authority of his office. It was certainly in direct contravention of the spirit of the Constitution that he...

Do you think Obama is the first radical to give someone in the media a thrill up their leg? No, not really. I recently uploaded an article lifted out of The Metropolitan, titled "Understanding Woodrow Wilson". I first referenced this article over a year ago, but I need it for a future article I am writing and I noticed that the article is not searchable via a search engine. Well, was. Now that problem is solved. Anyways, If you read the article you cannot help but notice how big of a puff piece it is. Being as I am normally...

Understanding Woodrow Wilson/UnderstandingWilsonPeterClarkMacFarlane>Archive.org) It is highly important that the people of the United States should not deceive themselves regarding Woodrow Wilson. The man is less transparent than he seems. He thinks in ultimates. He sees to the end of the road before ever he takes the trail. In his book on "Congressional Government,"' written twenty-seven years ago, there are not wanting evidences that he was thinking even then that he might some day be President. He has the most undaunted faith in the results of his own mental processes. His personal resources have apparently not even been taxed - no...

The video is here. This is pretty straight forward - Van Jones is a revolutionary communist, he has plainly admitted that. So what I would like to do is take the opportunity to remind everybody about the STORM manifesto. When it comes to Jones and 'communism', there is no name calling involved. It's what he actually believes, and this manifesto goes a long way towards helping you make a valid argument. Below are the chapter by chapter recordings on You Tube. This took me a lot of time to record at the time. Please pass it on to others you...

You may have seen the news by now that John Kerry said the era of the Monroe Doctrine is over. Problem is, if you read what he said he isn't substantively talking about the Monroe Doctrine. He's talking about the Roosevelt Corollary. John Kerry(a progressive) is rejecting his own history! Theodore Roosevelt is one of John Kerry's own founding fathers, being the first President of the Progressive era. So what exactly did John Kerry say? Among other things: The relationship that we seek and that we have worked hard to foster is not about a United States declaration about how...

In a speech to the Russian people on February 9th, 1946, Joseph Stalin explained the following: Secondly, by the policy of collectivizing agriculture. To put an end to our backwardness in agriculture and to provide the country with the largest possible amount of market grain, cotton, and so forth, it was necessary to pass from small peasant farming to large-scale farming, for only large-scale farming can employ modern machinery, utilize all the achievements of agricultural science and provide the largest possible quantity of market produce. But there are two kinds of large-scale farming -- capitalist and collective. The Communist Party...

Speech Delivered by Josef Vissarionovich Stalin at a meeting of voters of the Stalin Electoral District, MoscowFebruary 9, 1946Comrades! Eight years have passed since the last elections to the Supreme Soviet. This has been a period replete with events of a decisive nature. The first four years were years of intense labour on the part of Soviet people in carrying out the Third Five-Year Plan. The second four years covered the events of the war against the German and Japanese aggressors -- the events of the Second World War. Undoubtedly, the war was the main event during the past period....

Frederick Mackenzie's book is one that progressive historians love to flaunt amongst other progressive historians and among their students. But have you ever actually read the book? You should, because if you wish to challenge a progressive historian it will serve you well. I'll explain: I chose Robert B. Reich's 2010 book "The Work of Nations" to serve as my example, because his is a high profile name that's easily recognizable. At the end, I will list some others. On page 29 of "The Work of Nations", the following is written in a footnote: Beginning in the 1890's, the average...