Posted on 09/07/2007 7:55:28 AM PDT by Loud Mime
"It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is to-day, can guess what it will be to-morrow."
Alexander Hamilton and James Madison (Federalist No. 62, 1788)
"Taxes should be proportioned to what may be annually spared by the individual."
Thomas Jefferson (letter to James Madison, 1784)
““The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.”
Samuel Adams
I am free to acknowledge that His Powers are full great, and greater than I was disposed to make them. Nor, Entre Nous, do I believe they would have been so great had not many of the members cast their eyes towards General Washington as President; and shaped their Ideas of the Powers to be given to a President, by their opinions of his Virtue.
Pierce Butler (letter to Weedon Butler, 5 May 1778)
Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle.
Thomas Jefferson (First Inaugural Address, 4 March 1801)
“I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials. ... To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.”
George Mason - - - (Thanks to “Raisetheroof)
“The only freedom deserving the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental and spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.”
John Stuart Mill
"Work as if you were to live 100 Years, Pray as if you were to die To-morrow."
Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard's Almanack, 1757)
“My policy has been, and will continue to be, while I have the honor to remain in the administration of the government, to be upon friendly terms with, but independent of, all the nations of the earth. To share in the broils of none. To fulfil our own engagements. To supply the wants, and be carriers for them all: Being thoroughly convinced that it is our policy and interest to do so.”
George Washington (letter to Gouverneur Morris, 22 December 1795)
"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
The Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776
"But I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom. Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks--no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea. If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men. So that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them. James Madison Virginia Ratifying Convention, 20 June 1788But I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom. Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks--no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea. If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men. So that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them."
James Madison Virginia Ratifying Convention, 20 June 1788 - - Thanks to AuntB!
"But I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom. Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks--no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea. If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men. So that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them."
James Madison Virginia Ratifying Convention, 20 June 1788 - - Thanks to Turretgunner A-20!
“In the beginning of th econtest with Britain,when we were sensible of danger ,we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection.Our prayers,sir, were heard -and they were graciously answered.”and from the same speech “ We are assured ,Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it .’ I firmly believe this, and I also believe that, without His concurring aid,we shall suceed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel...”
Note the prayers the “old Deist” spoke of were like that of Sep.7 1774 Rev.Duche in Congress “in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior, Amen.” - - Thanks to Stony Burk
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
Patrick Henry - - Thanks, ConorMacNessa
Founder's Quote Ping - Please let me know if you'd like on this list... ...and have a great weekend!
We need to pass a Constitutional Amendment that no bill can be greater then one page of 8 x 11 sheet of paper, single sided. All sponsors must sign the back side.
Please don’t forget to specify typeface & font size!
“It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is to-day, can guess what it will be to-morrow.”
Alexander Hamilton and James Madison (Federalist No. 62, 1788)
________________________
I thought of this quote today when I learned that Florida had passed legislation, at the prompting of the insurance lobby, to end “no fault” car insurance in Florida. I didn’t even have a clue they were talking about something that would affect me so directly.
Los Angeles County Fair Commercial
The rodeo link: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=820_1189021821
Yes, or just a pre-amble to it that says if a law cannot be inserted into a shredder in a single pass, it shall be un-Constitutional?
I like this. It is commonly said that "ignorance of the law is no defense". I understand the necessity of that, but it occurs to me more and more often that our system of laws is becoming so absolutely complex that it really is becoming more valid to argue the point.
For people like most of us, who purposefully endeavor to be law-abiding, it seems clear that first we must know what the law is. That's getting harder and harder.
And how many hundreds of pages is today’s Federal Register? For those not familiar with this official document, it is the publication of record of the US Government. Agencies issuing regulations to implement law publish them here, where they have the weight of law.
This is the web site of today’s edition:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html
Let me give Rob's site a bump here. He has an occasional feature called "Federal Register Watch", where they list the freedoms you have lost this week. I don't see it listed right now....
It's a libertarian site; a little different.
“Taxes should be proportioned to what may be annually spared by the individual.”
Thomas Jefferson (letter to James Madison, 1784)
I’d have to disagree with Thomas on this one
I can see it now - a line in the budget as big as NASA, in an attempt to build a shredder the size of Denver...
NO! It’s good! Look at it again. If that were the case, there would be a national sales tax, and that would be ALL.
I had to think about it for a minute, but what I can spare is what I spend! If I save it - no tax!
But who defines what you can ‘spare’???
When you consider the multitude of laws, their variations, their complexities and their many applications I submit that ignorance of the law is a damn good excuse for violating it.
Size 20 font
Just try to go fishing anymore. At any given moment it’s all but impossible in the state of Washington to figure out whether you’re on the good side of the law for sure.
Like I said - YOU do. If you spend it, you pay tax. I’m not saying that his quote needs to be the law, and I’m most certainly not saying that the government should decide what you can “spare”.
All I’m saying is that a sales tax fits the definition, and it’s a LOT better, IMO, than an income tax. If sales tax goes up too much, you can decide you can’t “spare” that $200 for a new BBQ grill right now... So, you don’t spend it.
This also will promote savings, which the economists occasionally set off alarms about.
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