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Well, I'm certainly not arguing that it would have been good thing for WJB to have won at the polls. In fact, my point was that he was the man who betrayed the principles of the Democratic party. It used to be the party which protected the common man from exploitation by big business. Under WJB, it became the party through which the common man exploited big business. Ever since, both parties have been about exploitation.

OTOH, I have little respect for Big Stick Roosevelt either. Since 1896, we have largely been offered a choice between war mongers and welfare mongers. With the result, over time, that we slowly have gotten more of both. By now, we get more socialism and more war no matter which bunch of scoundrels we elect.

Daniel Webster's words point out precisely what I was saying about the Republican party - the party of high tariffs and support for big business. Under Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, they became the part of war, as well.

It may be true that I exaggerated the role of Wilson in all these developments, especially the amendments to the Constitution. The point is that they were inevitable once the Democrats sold out.

And, of course, the 20th amendment was inconsequential. What's more it wasn't even from the Progressive Era. My inclusion of it was a typo.

Where to start? Who in Congress has been proposing higher tariffs: Democrats. Our entry into World War I was under Wilson; WWII: after two FDR terms; Korea: after five or six years of Truman; Viet Nam: Ike sent advisers, but it was JFK who sent troops and LBJ who magnified our involvement exponentially. Are you against Reagan's incursion into Granada, the Gulf War, and the current efforts against terrorism?

Your Reply No. 344 lacks substance for a response. The only fantasy world in operation here is the one in which you claim federal workers don't pay taxes. My pay stub proves it, and I'm not extorting money from others. Get over the BS if you can.