I hasten to add, that there are still, a lot of people who have a sense of the freedom, though they cannot put it into words and suffer because of that: Unable to establish America - liberty, under God, and limited government - where they live.
They must enforce limitations upon government and its agents.
I had a conversation along those lines, with a U.S. Air Marshal whose wife mostly lived in Costa Rico, because of her job (airline stewardess). Her routes and his routes were not the same; he was based in the U.S.A.
He said, that in Costa Rico, “You have to be prepared to pay off the police, with cash. They expect it.”
We had been comparing notes on the job: federal law enforcement. I am old school (left the service years ago). He had been on a security team for somebody high up. We both respected limited government; and, that agents only have the authority enumerated on a list.
I flat out refused to indulge in extra-Constitutional abuses of power, so I left the service. I detest: “We are going to make an example of you!” threats.
You know our father’s love, by his restraint.
Thanks for listening.
This one line stuck out at me: "...He said, that in Costa Rico, “You have to be prepared to pay off the police, with cash. They expect it...”
I talked to someone from an Eastern Bloc country when it was under Communist control, and he said that was one of the things that was most unexpected when he emigrated to the USA. The fact that paying off someone to do what they should have been doing was not mandatory...