Posted on 11/17/2008 4:08:35 PM PST by rlferny
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
Present government might count it as sedition .....
We aren’t going to overthrow our government.
That and the “People” only care about Monday Night Football and purchasing a new sixty inch tv.
Watched John Adams last night and this was read...and made my heart ache.
Music to my eyes reading that. De facto permission from our founders to get fired up..................
I doubt if the People could organize themselves today as in Revolutionary times ... even then, the popularity of the war was only 35% ....
Crimethink.
I’m sure they would.
Funny how our own Constitution is offense if our modern society.
It might be a bit different than the Civil War - you’ll have to have someone or several someone’s who can get masses of people to rally behind. I remember watching a neat movie starring Kevin Costner titled “The Postman” ... maybe something like that ....?
The founding fathers were the true revolutionaries of this Earth.
First we have to get rid of the MSM as it is today plus all those weird Hollywood actors and .....
I agree that party identification is what drives most people to vote.
It’s the sports mentality. They have to get with a team and support it to the end. Even if they’re not good, we must be loyal to the team.
Ironically, this points out one of the great faults of the US constitution, the lack of an “anti-constitution” or “anti-government” whose purpose would be to disassemble or prune the government to check its growth in a continual process.
A difficult thought problem to create such a system, out of the hands of those individuals who built the government, and whose pruning could not be thwarted by them.
In practice, it could be an extraordinary thing, comprised of adult citizens chosen at random from all 50 States, sequestered for two years out of the reach of the government or outsiders. By simple majority they could reverse the laws and appropriations of congress and bureaucratic regulations, and by a 2/3rds majority they could discontinue government agencies and departments.
So as not to shut down government in a chaotic manner, all of their decisions would come into force at the end of each two year election cycle, with great public notice.
This would mean that successive sessions of congress would have to re-legislate unpopular laws at the start of each session, forcing congressmen to take a stand in support of such laws instead of hoping they would fade from public attention over time.
This means that critical, if unpopular laws would continue, but only if the congress had the courage of its convictions. Often, they don’t except for truly important things, or circumstances have changed, so that what had been done was either no longer needed, or needed to be substantially changed and improved.
If done properly, this anti-congress would perform much like a grand jury, and each citizen would be handsomely rewarded for their two years public service.
Their job would be considerably harder than that of the US congress, as they would review the entire government over two years. Right now, this would be an insurmountable task, because of the enormous size of our bloated government. But starting with a smaller government, and done consistently, it could be done in a practical manner.
>Funny how our own Constitution is offense if our modern society.
Indeed.
Some points for the discussion:
1. The Boston Tea Party was instigated over a 3% tax. Nowadays, Americans are more than happy to be taxed multiple times for the same stream of money. Discuss.
2. Thousands of patriotic minded average Americans sacrificed their fortunes, jobs, homes, well being and even lives to "form a more perfect union." The average American today is unwilling to sacrifice a few hours of their own time to research the issues, care about them and even vote. Discuss.
Just my own two cents.
Cheers! Good points!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.