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Posted on 11/21/2011 6:08:38 AM PST by rabscuttle385
Liberal and conservative elites agree on one thing: Americans are too free for their own good.
BY A. BARTON HINKLE
To outward appearances, it might seem as though the left and right have never been more at odds. And for the average man in the street, drawn to the Tea Party on one side or the Occupy movement on the other, this might be true. But it is not so true for elite opinion. The nation's high and mighty may be divided about many things, but on one point they often agree: Americans are still too darn free.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
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Last time I checked we outnumber them So why do we let them run our lives and steal our freedom?
“Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.”
Daniel Webster
Because we are factionalized, and using factions within the government to do our bidding. The parties are rackets, running protection and doling out goodies to their customers.
When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, Sir, was then the primary object. We are descended from a people whose Government was founded on liberty: Our glorious forefathers of Great-Britain, made liberty the foundation of every thing.
That country is become a great, mighty, and splendid nation; not because their Government is strong and energetic; but, Sir, because liberty is its direct end and foundation: We drew the spirit of liberty from our British ancestors; by that spirit we have triumphed over every difficulty:
But now, Sir, the American spirit, assisted by the ropes and chains of consolidation, is about to convert this country to a powerful and mighty empire: If you make the citizens of this country agree to become the subjects of one great consolidated empire of America, your Government will not have sufficient energy to keep them together:
Such a Government is incompatible with the genius of republicanism: There will be no checks, no real balances, in this Government: What can avail your specious imaginary balances, your rope-dancing, chain-rattling, ridiculous ideal checks and contrivances?"
-Patrick Henry, June 5th, 1788
The Anti-Federalists were right. Long live the republic! (What’s left of it.)
Our system will prevent factions? Instead it created a civil war. Federal powers will be few and defined? More like infinite and boundless. And the antifederalists prove that this was quite foreseeable at the time, and not merely a post-New Deal anomaly.
The party mentality is group think. People are part of the collective and sign away individuality for common cause when they join a party. Although many compromise with their values in the belief they will be heard later when the party candidate is elected. It never happens and they have compromised away their individuality. Party politics is responsible for the destruction of America. Only individualism and idealism will bring meaningful repair to our Republic.
We the People are a truly ugly lot...keep getting in the way of the elites/RinoCracy utopia...
They aren’t “conservative elite.” They are “Republican elite.”
BIG difference!!!
They trying to show that Tea Partiers don’t have leanings to personal liberty? Maybe they aren’t head over heels for free dope of any and all sorts with no adult supervision, but otherwise they overlap greatly with libertarian ideals.
I guess there are to types of people, those that despise central authority and those that kowtow to it.
“Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.”
Daniel Webster
Bears repeating over and over and over. This is one of the best political quotes I’ve ever read.
Amazing how accurate some of the founding fathers were. Human nature does not change, and they knew that. Too bad so many people are such sheep.
No, no. You have it all wrong. We are ONE! /MAJOR SARCASM
“...two types of people...”
I’ve been thinking along the sames lines - true liberty-loving, individualistic, freedom loving people who favor equal opportunity for all - versus - culture of death, government loving, hypocritical, and discriminatory group of RATS.
However, it occurs to me right now that there are probably very few true Rats. My belief is that most rat-types are brainwashed into the “party-group think-rat” mentality due to schools and mass media. Most of the Rat leaders are probably aware of “group think” tendency and obviously use it to their advantage, as referenced by the Daniel Webster and Patrick Henry quotes above.
I think it's more of like organized crime. Pay me for protection or you'll end up paying someone else.
“I guess there are to types of people, those that despise central authority and those that kowtow to it.”
I think this is more accurate:
I guess there are to types of people, those that despise central authority and those that aspire to it.
We have an abundance in both parties who aspire to be in control.
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